What effect does heat from Earth's core have of the average temperatures of its oceans and atmosphere?

Question

Cite sources if possible.

Answer 1

The heat flux from the Earth's core to the surface is about 10 mW / m^2. The Sun's insolation is about 342 W / m^2, or 34200 times more.

So .. I would guess that the Earth's own heat adds less than 0.01 deg C to the temperature of the oceans / surface / atmosphere.

Answer 2

This is a very complicated question, and I'm not exactly qualified to answer it well enough... But I just want to point out that the first answer's source is a piece of crap and should not be taken seriously at all. It relies on misleading and irrational arguments to argue against many scientifically sound theories.

In reality the heat from the actual core of the earth really doesn't reach the surface in any significant way. The floors of the oceans are very cold for the most part - except at spreading centers where convection currents (which are thought to originate at the core/mantle boundary) bring hot material to the surface - but once it reaches the surface it cools, and probably has very little effect on climate. The main factor influencing the global temperature is solar radiation and the concentration of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere. But the heat from the core most definately has some effect - I just can't really say I understand it all that well.

Mostly I just want to make sure nobody takes that crap source seriously.

Answer 3

The temperature of water and air (the ecosystem) depends upon several factors including the heat from the core, the radiation coming from sun, the radiation given off into space, the reflectivity and emissivity, the greenhouse gases in air and so on. It is difficult to separate these factors. I think that would be a very good topic for some advanced research.

Answer 4

It seems likely that ice ages on earth are caused by a nuclear hot spot in the core rotating toward the surface and heating the Pacific Ocean. The primary evidence for this is that the past ten ice ages have been cycling at 100 thousand year intervals. Environmental changes are not apt to be so cyclic, but a convectional oscillation in the earth's core could be.

It's quite significant that a large number of coral reefs are dying from over-heating. Humans are not causing the oceans to over-heat; it appears to be caused by heat from the earth's core.