Solar radiative transfer and global climate modelling

Over a period of time, Earth’s outer shell (atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, biosphere) winds along a unique trajectory toward an ever-changing, and hence elusive, radiative equilibrium. It is elusive partly because Earth’s overwhelming external boundary condition, solar irradiance, is never constant thanks to continuous variations in both orbit about the Sun and solar output. As such, the best Earth, and any other planet, can do is achieve …