Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions
www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net
1680-7367
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2007
10.5194/acpd-7-12807-2007
http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/7/12807/2007/
http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/7/12807/2007/acpd-7-12807-2007.html
http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/7/12807/2007/acpd-7-12807-2007.pdf
12807
12843
2007-08-30
Performance of the meteorological radiation model during the solar eclipse of 29 March 2006
B. E. Psiloglou
bill@meteo.noa.gr
H. D. Kambezidis
Atmospheric Research Team, Institute of Environmental Research & Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens, Athens, Greece
Various solar broadband models have been developed in the last half of the
20th century. The driving demand has been the estimation of available
solar energy at different locations on earth for various applications. The
motivation for such developments, though, has been the ample lack of solar
radiation measurements at global scale. Therefore, the main goal of such
codes was to generate artificial solar radiation series or calculate the
availability of solar energy at a place.
<br><br>
One of the broadband models to be developed in the late 80's was the
Meteorological Radiation Model (MRM). The main advantage of MRM over other
similar models was its simplicity in acquiring and using the necessary input
data, i.e., air temperature, relative humidity, barometric pressure and
sunshine duration from any of the many meteorological stations.
<br><br>
The present study describes briefly the various steps (versions) of MRM and
in greater detail the latest version 5. To show the flexibility and great
performance of the MRM, a harsh test of the code under the (almost total)
solar eclipse conditions of 29 March 2006 over Athens was performed and
comparison of its results with real measurements was made. From this hard
comparison it is shown that the MRM can simulate solar radiation during a
solar eclipse event as effectively as on a typical day. The value of this
comparison is further enhanced if it said that the sky was cloudy almost all
the duration of the solar eclipse event.
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