Atmospheric Circulation and More The global energy balance and atmospheric motion mainly determine the circulation of the earth's atmosphere. There is a hierarchy of motion in atmospheric circulation. Each control can be broken down into smaller controlling factors. The global energy balance is an equal balance of short-wave radiation coming into the atmosphere and long-wave radiation going out of the atmosphere. This is called thermal equilibrium. The earth is at thermal equilibrium; however, there can …showed first 75 words of 688 total…

…showed last 75 words of 688 total…of the earth on its axis. The earth is on a tilt of 23.5 degrees. When it revolves around the sun the earth is exposed to the sun at different degrees at different months of the year. Because of this phenomenon we get seasons on the earth. The earth and all of its circulation patterns, energy balances, and motions of the atmosphere are all very complex; however, it can be easily understood by my wonderful summary.