Recent estimates have shown the heat gained by the ocean, atmosphere, and cryosphere
as 18.2· 1022 J, 6.6· 1021 J, and 8.1· 1021 J, respectively over the past half‐century.
However, the heat gain of the lithosphere via a heat flux across the solid surface of the
continents (29% of the Earth's surface) has not been addressed. Here we calculate that
component of Earth's changing energy budget, using ground‐surface temperature
reconstructions for the continents. In the last half‐century there was an average flux of 39.1 …

Observed increases in 20th century surface-air temperatures are one consequence of a net
energy flux into all major components of the Earth climate system including the atmosphere,
ocean, cryosphere, and lithosphere. Levitus et al.[2001] have estimated the heat gained by
the atmosphere, ocean and cryosphere as 18.2 x10 22 J, 6.6 x10 21 J, and 8.1 x10 21 J,
respectively, over the past half-century. However the heat gain of the lithosphere via a heat
flux across the solid surface of the continents (30% of the Earth's surface) was not addressed …