Solar radiation
From the Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that anyone can change
Solar radiation is the energy given off by the sun in all directions. When this energy reaches the earth's surface, it is called insolation.
Solar radiation gives out light and heat to the earth in the form of electromagnetic waves. It has different wave lengths. Radiation such as ultraviolet radiation, X rays and visible light have short wave lengths. Infrared radiation has a long wave length.
Solar radiation is measured with a pyranometer or pyrheliometer.
The atmosphere affects the amount of solar radiation received. When solar radiation travels through the atmosphere, some of it is absorbed by the atmosphere(16%). Some of it is scattered to space (6%). Some of it is reflected by clouds (28%). About 47% of it reaches the earth's surface.
[change] Other websites
- Solar radiation - Encyclopedia of Earth
- Total solar irradiance data archive 1978-2007 at the website of the National Geophysical Data Center
- A Comparison of Methods for Providing Solar Radiation Data to Crop Models and Decision Support Systems, Rivington et al.
- Evaluation of three model estimations of solar radiation at 24 UK stations, Rivington et al.
- High resolution spectrum of solar radiation from Observatoire de Paris
- Solar Position Calculator Compute the position of the sun, or rise and set times and positions.
- Measuring Solar Radiation : A lesson plan from the National Science Digital Library.
- Websurf astronomical information : Online tools for calculating Rising and setting times of Sun, Moon or planet, Azimuth of Sun, Moon or planet at rising and setting, Altitude and azimuth of Sun, Moon or planet for a given date or range of dates, and more.
- Daylength - Formulas to calculate the daylength depending from latitude and day of year.
- An Excel workbook with a solar position and solar radiation time-series calculator; by Greg Pelletier
- DOE information about the ASTM standard solar spectrum for PV evaluation.
- ASTM Standard for solar spectrum at ground level in the US (latitude ~ 37 degrees).