Modeling Surface Solar Irradiance for Satellite Applications on a Global Scale

TLDR

Satellite observations have recently enabled the derivation of surface radiation budget components, highlighting the need for accurate SRB data across various spatial and temporal scales and prompting global validation frameworks. This study expands a physical model to compute surface solar irradiance from satellite data, focusing on its current status and global implementation using ISCCP C1 observations. The model, grounded in radiative transfer theory, generates direct and diffuse spectral components (0.2–4.0 µm) while accounting for atmospheric absorption, scattering, surface interactions, and bidirectional top‑of‑atmosphere radiation.

Abstract

During the last few years, the feasibility of deriving surface radiation budget (SRB) components from satellite observations has been demonstrated and a better understanding of the need for SRB information in climate research was formulated. Much attention has been given to the scales at which such information is needed and to the accuracies required at different spatial and temporal scales. Recently, global acts of satellite observations became available, allowing implementation of satellite models for SRB on a global scale, and international frameworks were established for validating such models. To respond to these developments, we modified and expanded an early version of a physical model to derive surface solar irradiance from satellite observations. The model is based on radiative transfer theory, and can produce both direct and diffuse spectral components in the 0.2–4.0-μm interval. Attention is given to the absorption and scattering processes in the atmosphere and the interaction of radiation with the surface. The bidirectional nature of the exiting radiation at the top of the atmosphere is also accounted for. In this paper the emphasis will be on describing the current status of the model and its implementation on a global scale with the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) C1 data.