Solar radiation and the global energy budget - Atmosphere, Weather and Climate - page 56

Figure 3.23 Curves showing diurnal variations of radiant energy
and temperature. (A) Diurnal variations in absorbed solar radiation
and infra-red radiation in the middle and low latitudes. (B) Diurnal
variations in net radiation and air temperature in the middle and
low latitudes. (C) Annual (A) and diurnal (D) temperature ranges
as a function of latitude and of continental (C) or maritime (M)
location.
Source : (C) from Paffen (1967).

Figure 3.24 The mean annual temperature range (°C) at the earth's surface.
Source : Monin, Crowley and North (1991). Courtesy of the World Meteorological Organization.

values about 65°N related to the effects of continentality
and distance to the ocean in interior Asia and North
America (Figure 3.24). In contrast, in low latitudes the
annual range differs little between land and sea because
of the thermal similarity between tropical rainforests

and tropical oceans. The diurnal range is a maximum
over tropical land areas, but it is in the equatorial zone
that the diurnal variation of heating and cooling exceeds
the annual one (Figure 3.23C), due to the small seasonal
change in solar elevation angle at the equator.