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Overview. Thermal radiation is the emission of electromagnetic waves from all matter that has a temperature greater than absolute zero. [5][2] Thermal radiation reflects the conversion of thermal energy into electromagnetic energy. Thermal energy is the kinetic energy of random movements of atoms and molecules in matter.
Outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) is the longwave radiation emitted to space from the top of Earth's atmosphere. [1]: 2241 It may also be referred to as emitted terrestrial radiation. Outgoing longwave radiation plays an important role in planetary cooling. Longwave radiation generally spans wavelengths ranging from 3–100 micrometres (μm).
Earth's internal heat budget is fundamental to the thermal history of the Earth. The flow heat from Earth's interior to the surface is estimated at 47±2 terawatts (TW) [1] and comes from two main sources in roughly equal amounts: the radiogenic heat produced by the radioactive decay of isotopes in the mantle and crust, and the primordial heat ...
Radiation heat flow occurs in the direction from the surface to the atmosphere and space, [6] as is to be expected given that the surface is warmer than the atmosphere and space. While greenhouse gases emit thermal radiation downward to the surface, this is part of the normal process of radiation heat transfer. [77]
Gustav Kirchhoff (1824–1887) In heat transfer, Kirchhoff's law of thermal radiation refers to wavelength-specific radiative emission and absorption by a material body in thermodynamic equilibrium, including radiative exchange equilibrium. It is a special case of Onsager reciprocal relations as a consequence of the time reversibility of ...
Latent heat is energy released or absorbed by a body or a thermodynamic system during a constant-temperature process. Two common forms of latent heat are latent heat of fusion (melting) and latent heat of vaporization (boiling). These names describe the direction of energy flow when changing from one phase to the next: from solid to liquid, and ...
The term " thermal energy " is often used ambiguously in physics and engineering. [1] It can denote several different physical concepts, including: Internal energy: The total energy contained within a body of matter or radiation. Heat: Energy in transfer between a system and its surroundings by mechanisms other than thermodynamic work and ...
Decay heat. RTG pellet glowing red due to the heat generated by the radioactive decay of plutonium-238 dioxide, after a thermal isolation test. Decay heat is the heat released as a result of radioactive decay. This heat is produced as an effect of radiation on materials: the energy of the alpha, beta or gamma radiation is converted into the ...