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An improved estimation of daily clear-sky biologically EER from broadband global solar radiation

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Abstract

To establish a relation between biologically effective erythemal radiation (EER) and global solar radiation, the hourly and daily clear-sky broadband (310–2,800 nm) global solar radiation (G) and spectral ultraviolet radiation incident on a horizontal surface at Esfahan, Iran (32°37′N, 51°40′E) were measured during the period 2001–2005. Good correlations at statistically significant levels between the daily values of EER and the daily G were found. The seasonal variability of EER/G is also discussed and the correction factors are determined for inclusion of vertical column ozone and solar zenith angle (SZA) cycles. The comparison of the estimated daily EER against the independent observed EER revealed that under clear sky conditions the estimations are accurate to 10% or better over SZA of 10–60° and column ozone of 250–350 Dobson. The comparison of the results with the similar works that have used shorter period of experimental data showed more accurate estimates. The deduced relations could be used to a rough estimate of the daily EER from G in arid climate regions, where there is no measured UV radiation or there are instrumental and other difficulties encountered in measuring UV radiation.

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Abbreviations

Ao3 :

Ozone absorption coefficient for the waveband 300–316 nm (Dobson)−1

CF:

Cloud factor (%)

CIE:

Commission Internationale De L’e Clairage

EER:

Effective erythemal radiation (kJ m−2 day−1)

Gclear-sky :

Clear-sky global solar radiation at the surface (kJ m−2 day−1)

Gall-sky :

All-sky global solar radiation at the surface (kJ m−2 day−1)

K:

Correction factor for the effect of ozone and solar zenith angle

mi :

The monthly mean air mass at noon

MPE:

Mean percentage error (%)

n/N:

Ratio of bright sunshine hours

NCD:

Total number of clear-sky days

NDD:

Total number of dusty days

r :

Correlation coefficient

R 2 :

Coefficient of determination

RH (%):

Relative humidity (%)

SE (α):

Standard error of the intercepts (kJ m−2 day−1)

SE (β):

Standard error of the slope of equation (kJ m−2 day−1)

TCO:

Total column ozone

WOUDC:

World Ozone and UV Data Center

ΔΩ:

The monthly mean difference between TCO in a given month and long-term climatological value at the same month (Dobson)

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Acknowledgements

The first author is grateful to Mr. M. Karimi from Esfahan Ozone Data Center (Iran) for his effort in preparing the UV and ozone data. This work was the continuance of the research project, which was previously funded by the Bu-Ali Sina University. We also appreciate the anonymous reviewers for their useful comments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Agriculture, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, 65174, I.R. of Iran

    Ali A. Sabziparvar

  2. Institute of Geophysics, University of Tehran, Kargar Avenue, Tehran, I.R. of Iran

    M. M. Farahani

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  1. Ali A. Sabziparvar
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  2. M. M. Farahani
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Correspondence to Ali A. Sabziparvar.

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Sabziparvar, A.A., Farahani, M.M. An improved estimation of daily clear-sky biologically EER from broadband global solar radiation. Int J Biometeorol 53, 239–245 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-009-0209-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-009-0209-4

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