Daylight and Twilight Sky Radiance and Terrestrial Irradiance
Abstract
When solar radiation is transmitted through the atmosphere it may be reflected, transmitted, or absorbed. The total effect of the atmosphere upon a beam of sunlight passing through it is to reduce its intensity by amounts varying with latitude, season, and degree of cloudiness. The atmosphere weakens solar energy through 1 molecular and small particle scattering, 2 diffuse reflection by larger particles, and 3 selective absorption as due to ozone and water vapor. The scattering and reflecting processes send a part of the solar energy back into space, but some of it reaches the earth's surface as diffuse sunlight. A model for the sky radiance and terrestrial irradiance is developed and a computer program was written to carry out the calculation. Keywords: Solar flux, Scattered flux, Rayleigh scattering, Sky radiance, Terrestrial irradiance.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1988
- Accession Number
- ADA198550
Entities
People
- C. H. Waldman