Local enhanced solar irradiance on the ground generated by cirrus: measurements and interpretation

Gérard Thuillier; Jean-Marie Perrin; Philippe L. Keckhut; Francois Huppert

doi:10.1117/1.JRS.7.073543

25 June 2013 Local enhanced solar irradiance on the ground generated by cirrus: measurements and interpretation

Gérard Thuillier, Jean-Marie Perrin, Philippe L. Keckhut, Francois Huppert

Author Affiliations +

Journal of Applied Remote Sensing, Vol. 7, Issue 1, 073543 (June 2013). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.JRS.7.073543

Abstract

This study concerns the influence of thin cirrus on the solar irradiance budget on the ground, using data obtained by remote sensing from a set of instruments operated at the Observatoire de Haute Provence (France). Comparisons between solar irradiance ground-based measurements obtained during clear and cloudy days usually show a lower irradiance in the latter case as expected. However, there are cases lasting a maximum of 30 min for which the solar irradiance is greater in the presence of cumulus than in clear-sky conditions, and this phenomenon was named enhanced solar irradiance. Our pyranometer measurements reveal the same phenomenon associated with the presence of thin clouds alone, as revealed by a daytime wide-field camera and occurring both in total and UVB* (280 to 320 nm) solar irradiance. In the case of thin cirrus, this phenomenon can last up to several hours. To understand this phenomenon, we have developed a model of solar light scattering within thin cirrus clouds that takes into account the presence of the atmosphere. The model reproduces the enhanced solar irradiance phenomenon in total and UBV* spectral range. Monoscattering and multiscattering processes inside the cirrus clouds also will be discussed.

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Gérard Thuillier, Jean-Marie Perrin, Philippe L. Keckhut, and Francois Huppert "Local enhanced solar irradiance on the ground generated by cirrus: measurements and interpretation," Journal of Applied Remote Sensing 7(1), 073543 (25 June 2013). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.JRS.7.073543

Published: 25 June 2013

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