Earth's Energy Balance

This graphic was modeled after Kiehl and Trenberth's estimate of the Earth's annual global mean energy budget. Note that the mean incident power per square meter is 342 watts, and that for thermal equilibrium the reradiated power must also be 342 watts/m². Kiehl & Trenberth's division of that re-radiated power is 107 watts/m² of reflected sunlight and 235 watts/m² of long wavelength radiation (infrared).