The influence of cloud cover index on the accuracy of solar irradiance model estimates

Summary Cloud cover index (CCI) obtained from satellite images contains information on cloud amount and their optical thickness. It is the chief climate data for the assessment of solar energy resources in most radiative transfer models, particularly for the model BRASIL-SR that is currently operational at CPTEC. The wide range of climate environments in Brazil turns CCI determination into a challenging activity and great effort has been directed to develop new methods and procedures to improve the accuracy of these estimations from satellite images (Martins 2001; Martins et al. 2003a; Ceballos et al. 2004). This work demonstrates the influence of CCI determination methods on estimates of surface solar irradiances obtained by the model BRASIL-SR comparing deviations among ground data and model results. Three techniques using visible and/or thermal infrared images of GOES-8 were employed to generate the CCI for input into the model BRASIL-SR. The ground-truth data was provided by the solar radiation station located at Caicó/PE, in Brazilian Northeast region, which is part of the UNEP/GEF project SWERA (Solar and Wind Energy Resources Assessment). Results have shown that the application of the bi-spectral techniques have reduced mean bias error up to 66% and root mean square error up to 50% when compared to the usual technique for CCI determination based on the straightforward determination of month-by-month extremes for maximum and minimum cloud states. Correspondence: Fernando R. Martins, Brazilian Institute for Space Research (INPE), P.O. Box 515, S?o José dos Campos, 12245-970 S?o Paulo, Brazil     

2000—2013年北京及周边地区大气气溶胶光学厚度时空变化特征及气象影响因素分析

利用NASA Terra卫星搭载的MODIS传感器观测到的2000—2013年气溶胶光学厚度数据和河北省142个观测站同期的气象数据,对北京及周边区域大气气溶胶的时空变化特征进行了分析,并通过研究光学厚度与各气象要素的关系,对影响大气气溶胶时空变化的关键气象因素进行探讨。结果表明：北京以南区域的气溶胶光学厚度在夏季最大,其次为春季,秋冬季相对较低,河北省西北部低于东南部;坝上地区的光学厚度年际变化小于其他地区,平原区与沿海地区的年际变化基本一致,春夏高于秋冬。春季相对湿度是影响光学厚度值的重要因素,气溶胶光学厚度的高值出现在5—7月,并伴随较高的相对湿度、较低的能见度、南风、较低的地面风速和稳定的大气层结。北京以南的河北省各台站污染程度与北京类似,南部站点的光学厚度高于东北部,这与人为气溶胶的排放主要集中于北京南部的工业城市,以及南风控制的污染物扩散方向有关。     

利用静止卫星MTSAT反演大气气溶胶光学厚度

卫星遥感是获取气溶胶光学特性的重要手段,利用静止卫星可见光通道资料反演气溶胶光学厚度(AOD)的算法使用日本静止气象卫星MTSAT可见光通道资料反演了2008年5月中国地区陆地上的气溶胶光学厚度,将得到的结果分别与AERONET站点的地面观测值进行比较,得到了较好的线性相关关系,再将其与相应的MODIS气溶胶光学厚度产品进行比较,也得到了较为一致的分布,表明MTSAT反演的气溶胶光学厚度产品可以反映大气气溶胶光学厚度的日变化信息。最后对这种反演算法的误差来源进行了分析。     

Seasonal variations in the vertical structure of water vapor optical depth in the lower troposphere over a tropical station

Spatio-temporal variations of water vapor optical depth in the lower troposphere (450-3850 m) over Punt (18o32’N, 73o51’E, 559 m Above Mean Sea Level), India have been studied over a period of five years. The mean ver-tical structure showed that the moisture content is greatest at the lowest level and decreases with increasing altitude, except in the south-west monsoon season (June to September) where an increase upto 950 m has been found. Optical depths are maximum in the monsoon season. The increase from pre-monsoon (March-May) to monsoon season in moisture content on an average is by about 58% in the above altitude range. The temporal variations in surface Rela-tive Humidity and optical depth at 450 m show positive correlation. The amplitude of seasonal oscillation is the larg-est at 1465 m altitude. The time-height cross-sections of water vapor optical depths in the lower troposphere showed a contrast between years of good and bad monsoon.     

Seasonal Variations in the Vertical Structure of Water Vapor Optical Depth in the Lower Troposphere over a Tropical Station

Spatio-temporal variations of water vapor optical depth in the lower troposphere (450-3850 m) over Pune (18o32’N, 73o51’E, 559 m Above Mean Sea Level), India have been studied over a period of five years. The mean ver-tical structure showed that the moisture content is greatest at the lowest level and decreases with increasing altitude, except in the south-west monsoon season (June to September) when an increase upto 950 m has been found. Optical depths are maximum in the monsoon season. The increase from pre-monsoon (March-May) to monsoon season in moisture content on an average is by about 58% in the above altitude range. The temporal variations in surface Rela-tive Humidity and optical depth at 450 m show positive correlation. The amplitude of seasonal oscillation is the larg-est at 1465 m altitude. The time-height cross-sections of water vapor optical depths in the lower troposphere showed a contrast between years of good and bad monsoon.     

太湖地区气溶胶光学厚度的分布及其在大气校正中的应用

采用太湖地区水面光谱数据以及MODIS遥感影像数据,利用辐射传输模式6S,选择自定义气溶胶类型,反演得到太湖地区气溶胶光学厚度(aerosol optical depth,AOD)分布,将其与太阳光度计CE318实测气溶胶光学厚度分别应用于太湖区域的大气校正中,得到不同的水面反射率,并参考实测水面反射率进行对比分析。结果表明:反演的太湖地区气溶胶光学厚度分布较为合理,造成此分布的原因可能是太湖北岸工业较发达,污染较严重。太湖颗粒物的吸收特性和卫星接收到的表观反射率导致反演数据的差异,是反演气溶胶光学厚度分布不均匀的主要原因。使用MODIS数据反演得到的太湖地区AOD进行大气校正,更加精确。该研究方法和结果可为气溶胶光学厚度反演、精确卫星数据大气校正提供参考。     

云天地表总辐射和净辐射瞬时值的计算方法

为减少计算机时,满足实时预报要求,全球数值预报模式中的辐射计算频率通常设定为三小时。这样处理会大大减少计算量,但也同时导致较大辐射日变化偏差,并影响模式对地面能量平衡,对流及降水的模拟。为改进这一缺陷,我们开发了一种辐射快速计算方案,可用于计算瞬时地面太阳总辐射和净辐射,使到达地面的太阳辐射计算可与模式积分同步进行,从而改善地面太阳辐射日变化模拟。本文介绍云天的计算方法。该方案所用的输入变量均为预报模式或卫星观测所能提供的量。结果表明：该方案既可用于数值预报模式也可利用观测资料独立计算地面太阳辐射。经与美国能源部大气辐射观测资料检验,该方案的精度很高,地面总辐射瞬时值的平均计算误差小于7%。     

Investigation of the ozone and trace gases contribution to the total optical depth in the polluted urban environment of Athens

This study focuses on the determination of optical depths caused by ozone and trace gases absorption in the Chappuis band, 500–700 nm, and the contribution to the Total Minus Rayleigh Optical Depth (TMROD). The optical depths were derived using the transmission functions implemented in the SMARTS parametric model, while the Total Optical Depths (TODs) were derived by solar extinction measurements obtained in Athens during May 1995. From the data analysis it is obvious that both the ozone and trace gases contribute significantly to TMROD in the Chappuis band. More specifically, the trace gases contributions are higher for air with high pollution levels, while ozone's contribution can be significant under clear-sky conditions. Therefore, the correction in TMROD due to ozone and trace gases optical depths is necessary for an accurate determination of the Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) in the Chappuis band. The optical depth of ozone is generally removed during the process of the AOD retrievals, since the significance of its absorption in the Chappuis band is well understood. Nevertheless, the optical depth of the trace gases (mainly NO₂) is not always taken into account in the AOD retrievals, though its contribution can be significant in urban polluted atmospheres. In this respect, the present study attempts to quantify the ozone and trace gases contributions in an urban environment and to provide some new functions that help estimate the contribution of ozone to the TMROD in the Chappuis band.     

A study of aerosol particle sizes in the atmosphere of Athens, Greece, retrieved from solar spectral measurements

This work aims at determining the aerosol particle radii in the atmosphere of Athens. Such a work is carried out in Athens for the first time. For this purpose, solar spectral direct-beam irradiance measurements were used in the spectral range 310–575 nm. To estimate the particle radius from aerosol optical depth retrieval, a minimization technique was employed based on the golden-section search of the difference between experimental and theoretical values of the aerosol optical depth. The necessary Mie computations were performed based on the algorithm LVEC.In this study, the mean particle radius of a given distribution was calculated every 30 min during cloudless days in the period November 1996 to September 1997. The largest particles were observed in the summer and the smallest during winter. The result was verified by the increased values of the aerosol optical depth and the turbidity factors calculated in the summer. The differences in the diurnal variation from season to season are attributed to the prevailing wind regime, pollutant emission and sink rates in the atmosphere of Athens.     

和静县太阳总辐射计算及太阳能资源评估

基于焉耆国家基准气候站1993-2012年逐月太阳总辐射和日照观测资料以及和静、巴音布鲁克1961-2012年月日照百分率资料,建立回归分析方程,推算和静县山区及平原地区逐月的太阳总辐射,对比分析了和静县山区及平原地区太阳总辐射变化特征,从太阳能资源丰富度、资源稳定性及可利用价值等方面对和静县太阳能资源状况进行评估。结果表明：1961-2012年和静县平原及山区太阳总辐射均呈减少的趋势,平原地区7月太阳总辐射最多,山区5月最多,最少值均出现在1月;平原地区属太阳能资源很丰富区,山区为丰富区;平原地区及山区太阳能资源均较稳定;平原地区年平均可利用太阳辐射的天数为286 d,山区为267 d;平原和山区一天中上午和中午是最有利的利用时段。     

Influence of atmospheric circulation patterns on local cloud and solar variability in Bergen,Norway

In a previous paper, we have shown that long-term cloud and solar observations (1965–2013) in Bergen, Norway (60.39°N, 5.33°E) are compatible with a largely cloud dominated radiative climate. Here, we explicitly address the relationship between the large scale circulation over Europe and local conditions in Bergen, identifying specific circulation shifts that have contributed to the observed cloud and solar variations. As a measure of synoptic weather patterns, we use the Grosswetterlagen (GWL), a daily classification of European weather for 1881–2013. Empirical models of cloud cover, cloud base, relative sunshine duration, and normalised global irradiance are constructed based on the GWL frequencies, extending the observational time series by more than 70 years. The GWL models successfully reproduce the observed increase in cloud cover and decrease in solar irradiance during the 1970s and 1980s. This cloud-induced dimming is traced to an increasing frequency of cyclonic and decreasing frequency of anticyclonic weather patterns over northern Europe. The changing circulation patterns in winter can be understood as a shift from the negative to the positive phase of the North Atlantic and Arctic Oscillation. A recent period of increasing solar irradiance is observed but not reproduce by the GWL models, suggesting this brightening is associated with factors other than large scale atmospheric circulation, possibly decreasing aerosol loads and local cloud shifts.     

A method for spaceborne synthetic remote sensing of atmospheric aerosol optical depth and vegetation reflectance

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Case studies of spectral atmospheric transmittance in the ultraviolet and visible regions in Athens, Greece: I. Total transmittance

This work accounts for an investigation about the diurnal variation of total spectral transmittance of solar irradiance under dominant wind conditions as case studies. Such a work is carried out in Athens for the first time. The spectral transmittance values estimated were derived using ground-based spectral measurements of beam irradiance in the range 310–575 nm (UV and VIS). The data were recorded by a system consisting of an automatic solar tracker and a spectrometer. All data were recorded under clear-sky conditions in the city center of Athens and the spectral total atmospheric transmittance was estimated towards zenith to avoid optical mass effects. The comparison reveals that the total atmospheric transmittance is higher under the influence of strong Etesian compared to sea-breeze conditions. The influence of low-pressure systems also plays a depollution role in the basin. Various features of diurnal variation are discussed with respect to emission sources, topographic peculiarities and wind pattern.     

Investigation about the dependence of spectral diffuse-to-direct-beam irradiance ratio on atmospheric turbidity and solar zenith angle

Summary The modifications of the solar spectral diffuse and direct-beam irradiances as well as the diffuse-to-direct-beam ratio, E_dλ/E_bλ, as a function of the aerosol optical depth, AOD, and solar zenith angle, SZA, is investigated. The E_dλ/E_bλ ratios decrease rapidly with wavelength and exponential curves in the form E_dλ/E_bλ = aλ^−b can be fitted with a great accuracy. These curves are strongly modified by the solar spectrum distribution, which is affected by the aerosol loading, aerosol optical properties and SZA. The spectral dependence of the above E_dλ/E_bλ ratios in logarithmic coordinates does not yield a straight line, while a significant departure from the linearity is revealed. The reasons for this departure are investigated in detail and it is established that the aerosol physical properties such as single scattering albedo and size distribution along with the effect of SZA are responsible. These parameters strongly affect the scattering processes in the atmosphere and as a consequence the diffuse spectral distribution. The E_dλ/E_bλ ratio, which is an indicator of the atmospheric transmittance (King, 1979), exhibits a strong wavelength and aerosol-loading dependence. The observed differences between turbid and clear atmospheres constitute a manifestation of contrasting air properties and influence solar irradiance spectra. The present work aims at investigating the effect of atmospheric turbidity and SZA on the E_dλ/E_bλ ratio. For this reason, two distinct cases are examined: one having different atmospheric turbidity conditions but same SZA and a second having different SZAs and same atmospheric turbidity levels.     

全天空成像仪云量计算方法的改进

全天空成像仪（total sky imager 440,TSI-440）可以实现白天全天空云量的持续自动监测,时空分辨率较高,得到的云量计算结果更精确.首先介绍了TSI-440的基本原理和资料格式,并基于太湖地区2008年5-10月的TSI-440资料及无锡站地面观测资料,采用统计方法详细地分析了不同天气情况下图像的成像特征及云量的计算误差.结果发现：图像的成像特征与能见度密切相关,红蓝比值随着能见度的减小而增大.另外,仪器在处理阴天图像及复杂天空（多云）图像时,易造成一定的云量计算误差.针对上述问题,本文通过直方图分析,重新选定了红蓝比阈值（晴空点阈值0.62,云点阈值0.66）,基于新阈值计算的云量结果较仪器自带的处理结果更为准确,减小了因天气状况不同而产生的云量计算误差.     

关于硝酸盐气溶胶光学特征和辐射强迫的研究进展

在过去的20多年里,中外对硫酸盐气溶胶做了大量的研究,对它在大气中的排放、含量、光学特征和辐射强迫有了深入的认识;由于硝酸盐气溶胶在大气中平均含量比硫酸盐低很多,因此过去人们对硝酸盐的研究没有给予重视。然而,近年来的研究表明,硝酸盐气溶胶的散射性质在某些波段甚至强于硫酸盐;同时,由于未来对人为硫酸盐前体物的减排,硫酸盐气溶胶排放会大幅度减少,而硝酸盐气溶胶的排放却增长迅速,其在人为气溶胶中所占的比重越来越高,将会导致其在未来造成的辐射强迫有可能超过硫酸盐,使得其在地区范围内和季节尺度上成为重要的辐射强迫和气候影响因子。中国是硝酸盐气溶胶排放量较大的地区,硝酸盐对未来中国气候和气候变化的影响显得越来越重要。因此,就近年来有关硝酸盐气溶胶的排放和在大气中的浓度变化、光学厚度分布特征及其辐射强迫的研究进展做了回顾和介绍,并对其未来的研究做了展望。     

中国典型地区夏季气溶胶时空分布及其对云和降水的影响

利用2006—2016年夏季中分辨率成像光谱仪（Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer,MODIS）气溶胶和云资料以及热带降水测量计划（Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission,TRMM）降水数据,分析了中国8个典型地区气溶胶、云和降水的时空分布特征,探讨了气溶胶与云和降水的相互关系。结果表明：中国8个典型地区夏季平均气溶胶光学厚度（Aerosol Optical Depth,AOD）、云光学厚度（Cloud Optical Depth,COD）、云水路径（Cloud Water Path,CWP）、水云云滴有效粒子半径（Cloud Effective Radius Water,CERW）、冰云云滴有效粒子半径（Cloud Effective Radius Ice,CERI）和降水强度变化范围分别为0.21—1.05、15.01—24.02、151.98—219.20 g·m^-2、12.93—15.37 μm、28.85—39.14 μm和0.44—8.54 mm·d^-1;黄土高原和四川盆地AOD有显著降低趋势,年倾向分别为-2.30%和-3.20%,长江三角洲COD年增幅为29.11%,华北平原、长江三角洲和珠江三角洲CERI及塔克拉玛干沙漠CERW变化趋势分别为-21.60%、-15.77%、-18.94%和-10.31%;AOD与COD和CWP呈正相关,与云滴有效粒子半径（Cloud Effective Radius,CER）关系较为复杂,受水汽影响较大,在云层含水量较低的情况下,CERI（CERW）与AOD呈负（正）相关,而在云层含水量较高的情况下,二者呈正（负）相关;气溶胶和降水关系复杂,整体来看,气溶胶促进了中国地区的夏季降水。     

风云二号卫星的冰云光学厚度反演偏差分析

冰云的微物理特性参数反演是云参数反演的难点和热点问题,目前风云二号(FY-2)卫星还没有相关的业务产品。考虑薄卷云覆盖在中低云上的两层云情况,采用六棱柱形状的冰云,在云相态识别基础上,利用FY-2 卫星观测数据,采用双通道算法反演冰云光学厚度。选取2013年8月的EOS/Terra和EOS/Aqua云参数产品对反演的FY-2云光学厚度精度进行比对分析。研究结果表明,联合FY-2的可见光通道和中波红外通道可反演冰云光学厚度。基于匹配得到的34个分析个例,FY-2反演的云光学厚度分布态势与EOS/ MODIS云产品相同,但FY-2云光学厚度反演值小于EOS/MODIS 云光学厚度产品值。FY-2 反演云光学厚度与EOS/MODIS云光学厚度产品的平均偏差为6.41,相关系数平均为0.92,线性拟合平均斜率为0.74。FY-2 与EOS/MODIS云光学厚度值偏差出现原因除了反演算法存在差异外,与反演所用数据的不同存在密切关系,基础观测数据越相近,FY-2 与EOS/MODIS云光学厚度反演结果的偏差越小。