Performance reduction of solar irradiance parametric models due to limitations in required aerosol data: case of the CPCR2 model

SummaryKnowledge of the partition of global solar irradiance in its diffuse and direct beam components is required in different areas of applied meteorology. In the absence of solar irradiance measurements parametric approaches have to be used instead. In the present work, the parametric CPCR2 model has been analysed at Granada (37.18° N, 3.58° W, 660 m a.m.s.l), an inland location, covering a period greater than three years. Only cloudless conditions are analysed. Angström’s α and β coefficients have been computed from measurements carried out with a sunphotometer. As the study reveals, the best performance of the parametric model is conditioned to the availability of appropriate information on aerosols, especially when the interest is focused on the direct and diffuse irradiance.

[1]  J. K. Page,et al.  Prediction of solar radiation on inclined surfaces , 1986 .

[2]  Christian A. Gueymard,et al.  Critical analysis and performance assessment of clear sky solar irradiance models using theoretical and measured data , 1993 .

[3]  A. de La Casinière,et al.  A spectral model of Linke's turbidity factor and its experimental implications , 1994 .

[4]  C. G. Justus,et al.  A Model for Solar Spectral Irradiance and Radiance at the Bottom and Top of a Cloudless Atmosphere , 1985 .

[5]  Christian A. Gueymard,et al.  A two-band model for the calculation of clear sky solar irradiance, illuminance, and photosynthetically active radiation at the earth's surface , 1989 .

[6]  V. Cachorro,et al.  Measurements of the atmospheric turbidity of the North-centre continental area in Spain: spectral aerosol optical depth and Ångström turbidity parameters , 2000 .

[7]  K. I. Kondratʹev.  Radiation in the atmosphere , 1969 .

[8]  Thomas K. Van Heuklon.  Estimating atmospheric ozone for solar radiation models , 1979 .

[9]  R. E. Bird,et al.  Review, Evaluation, and Improvement of Direct Irradiance Models , 1981 .

[10]  Albert Arking,et al.  Absorption of Solar Energy in the Atmosphere: Discrepancy Between Model and Observations , 1996, Science.

[11]  C. Wehrli,et al.  Comparison of Sun photometer calibration by use of the Langley technique and the standard lamp. , 1995, Applied optics.

[12]  C. Gueymard,et al.  UPDATED TRANSMITTANCE FUNCTIONS FOR USE IN FAST SPECTRAL DIRECT BEAM IRRADIANCE MODELS , 1994 .

[13]  K.Ya. Kondrat'yev,et al.  CHAPTER 3 – ABSORPTION OF LONG-WAVE RADIATION IN THE ATMOSPHERE , 1965 .

[14]  M. Iqbal.  An introduction to solar radiation , 1983 .

[15]  A. Berk,et al.  Models overestimate diffuse clear‐sky surface irradiance: A case for excess atmospheric absorption , 1998 .

[16]  Richard F. Davis.  Comparison of Modeled to Observed Global Irradiance , 1996 .

[17]  Christian A. Gueymard,et al.  Turbidity Determination from Broadband Irradiance Measurements: A Detailed Multicoefficient Approach , 1998 .

[18]  E. Vermote,et al.  Aerosol retrieval over land from AVHRR data-application for atmospheric correction , 1992, IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote. Sens..

[19]  L. Alados-Arboledas,et al.  Comparison of Cloudless Sky Parameterizations of Solar Irradianceat Various Spanish Midlatitude Locations , 2000 .

[20]  G. Paltridge,et al.  Radiative processes in meteorology and climatology , 1976 .

[21]  L. Alados-Arboledas,et al.  Parametric models to estimate photosynthetically active radiation in Spain. , 2000 .

[22]  C. Gueymard.  Mathermatically integrable parameterization of clear-sky beam and global irradiances and its use in daily irradiation applications , 1993 .

[23]  R. Bird,et al.  Simple Solar Spectral Model for Direct and Diffuse Irradiance on Horizontal and Tilted Planes at the Earth's Surface for Cloudless Atmospheres , 1986 .

[24]  E. Clothiaux,et al.  Uncertainties in modeled and measured clear‐sky surface shortwave irradiances , 1997 .

[25]  Y. Kaufman,et al.  Passive remote sensing of tropospheric aerosol and atmospheric , 1997 .

[26]  Gail P. Anderson,et al.  Comparison of model estimated and measured direct-normal , 1997 .

[27]  L. Alados-Arboledas,et al.  On shadowband correction methods for diffuse irradiance measurements , 1995 .

[28]  J. Fox.  Calculated Ångströim's Turbidity Coefficients for Fairbanks, Alaska , 1994 .

[29]  G. D. Robinson.  Absorption of solar radiation by atmospheric aerosol, as revealed by measurements at the ground , 1962 .