Abstract

M. Milankovitch developed the theory of the Earth’s insolation for research of paleoclimate. The calculations of insolation by the simplified methods are also used in meteorology, city planning, climatology and other fields, for example, for studying habitability and detectability of extrasolar planets. The new algorithm for computing insolation is based on the results of the exact solution of the two-body problem. It differs from the previous method by simplicity and greater adaptability to computing. The coherent reasoning is provided for a new algorithm and its realization is given in the MathCad environment. The distributions of insolation in latitude are computed for a year and for caloric half-year in the contemporary epoch. The change of insolation is computed in equivalent latitudes for 200 thousand years. The results of computing are compared with the results of other researchers, and the accuracy of the approach is proven. The dynamics of insolation in the contemporary epoch is computed. The prospects of application of its results are shown to determine the causes of changes of natural processes that depend on insolation. The developed approach and the program are applicable for calculating insolation of other planets. The paper points out some specifications which will be needed when computing insolation of Mercury, Venus, Jupiter and Saturn.

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