Radiative Transfer Model - SOLARNET Data Network

Radiative Transfer Model

SOLARNET Environmental Data Network

Background

Beginning in 2004 the computer-based radiative transfer model (StarSci) is being used to generate full spectrum for the SOLARNET field sites. The model used 12 minutes averages collected from the field sites as input. Output is in the form of spectral values in the 280-700 nanometer wavelength range. Correlation with the Smithsonian Spectral Irradiance spectophotometer (SR18) is extremely good. Historical SR18 data collected from the Edgewater, MD, Miami, Fl and Phoenix, AZ are currently being used to generate an archive of full spectral irradiance data from 1995-2003. This data will be available for download from this site in mid-2004.

Example Plot:

Radiative Transfer Model full spectra file format (text space delimited fields)

Site ID

Data acquisition date

Data acquisition time

Wavelength values

1=Edgewater, MD

3=Miami, FL

4=Ocean City, NJ

5=Phoenix, AZ

6=Madison, WS

7=Lincoln, NE

8=Table Mountain, CO

9=West Lafayette, IN

mm/dd/yy

hhmm

173 values at - 12 minute intervals (wavelengths 280-700), mWm² units

References:

"Incident and in situ irradiance in Lakes Cadagno and Lucerne: A comparison of Methods and Models," Neale, Patrick J., Bossard, Peter, Huot, Yannick, Aquatic Sciences, Basel, Switzerland (2001).

"Modeling The Effects of Ultraviolet Radiation on Estuarine Phytoplankton Production: Impact of Variations In Exposure and Sensitivity to Inhibition," Neale, Patrick, J., Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology. Elsevier Science B.V. (2001).

"Smithsonian--NIST-USDA Network For Monitoring Solar Ultraviolet Irradiance: Comparison of Radiometer Measurements and Radiative Transfer Model Calculations," Neal, Patrick J., Proceedings of the 3rd International Symposium on Service Life Prediction, JCt Research (2004-In Review).