Do Global Energy budgets make sense. ???

[MostlyHarmless]

In a nutshell, the whole problem of the energy budget diagrams can be summarised in one word: direction. OLR (out-going infrared) is assumed to all come from the upper atmosphere ("top-of-atmosphere" or TOA). However, the "back radiation" or "re-radiation" to the surface is assumed to be from the entire atmosphere. If the entire atmosphere can radiate to the surface, then it must be able to radiate to space, so there's either a flaw in the theory, or the system behaves differently. Logic would indicate if TOA radiates to space, it must also radiate downwards. Between TOA and the relatively thin layer (BOA?) close to the earth, there's radiation in all directions at all points. This radiation can have no net effect in this area, it effectively cancels out. It can only be the radiation from BOA which strikes the surface, just as it's only radiation from TOA which escapes to space. The Kiehl-Trenberth diagram showing al GHGs radiating downwards cannot be correct. If the GHGs radiate 333 W/sq.m downwards they must be radiating 333 upwards. Why both warmists and sceptics blindly accept this "downward only" radiation picture is a mystery.