Our Sun is the Primary Driver of the Water Cycle
The Sun Source - science.nationalgeographic.com |
Sunlight heats water on land and oceans causing some of it to evaporate into the atmosphere.
Sunlight also creates air currents that raise the evaporated water vapor higher in the atmosphere and moves the water vapor using wind all over the globe.
Water Evaporation into the Air
Evaporation Source - aboutcivil.com |
Of this amount 70,000 -73,000 evaporates from land while 390,000-423,000 evaporates from the oceans every year.
Evaporation adds between 1,359 and 1,260 cubic km daily into the air = the addition of 358,800 - 332,700 billion US gallons of water a day
References:
Principles and Applications of Aquatic Chemistry,By François Morel, Janet G. Hering
Industry, Fresh Water and Sustainable Development, WBCSD & UNEP, 1998Water - Facts & Trends - Ver 2, World Business Council for Sustainable Development
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