Entropy budget of the atmosphere

Abstract

The largest boundary fluxes of entropy are associated with the emission of longwave radiation. On the planetary scale the mean outgoing flux of entropy at the top of the atmosphere is found to be about 22 times larger than the mean incoming flux of entropy through solar radiation. The entropy production terms involved in the release of latent heat and the absorption of solar radiation are, by far, the largest sources of entropy for the atmosphere, whereas the production of entropy associated with the absorption of longwave radiation is an order of magnitude smaller. The destruction is mainly accomplished through cooling by outgoing longwave radiation. The contribution of the sensible heat fluxes and friction are relatively small. The rates of entropy generation by the various diabatic processes are highest in the equatorial region; part of the generated entropy is exported to higher latitudes. -from Authors