On the Space–Time Scales of the Surface Solar Radiation Field

Abstract

The characteristic space–time scales of surface solar radiation fields measured by the 111-instrument MESONET in Oklahoma are estimated after removal of the diurnal cycle. These estimates of "within-day" variability are used to deduce the representativeness of surface solar radiation measurements made at the central ARM measurement site as a function of time-averaging interval. Nomograms of the relation between point measurements and area averages are given for different space–time-averaging intervals. Examples from the nomograms show, for instance, that under conditions of low mean radiation (cloudy days), the central site point measurements are representative of a spatial area the size of a T42 GCM grid box (280 km × 280 km) if one uses hourly averages and is willing to accept a correlation of 0.45 between area average and point measurement. The point data represent a 60 km × 60 km region at a 0.90 correlation level if a 5-min time average is used. The characteristic timescale for the within-day radiation variability was roughly 60 min. Estimates of scale lengths for days when the mean background radiation conditions are high are also given in the nomographs.