Solar constant and the energy distribution in the solar spectrum

Abstract

Available data on the solar energy flux and its spectral components are reviewed and critically analyzed. On the basis of extensive measurement data obtained by various methods, it is shown that the most reliable value of the solar constant is 195 cal/sq cm-sec (or 136 mWt/sq cm). Weighted-mean data on the energy distribution in the solar spectrum from 1400 A to 0.3 mm are presented. Among the topics studied are: the attenuation of radiation in the Earth's atmosphere, instrument probiems in absolute spectrophotometry, the influence of limb darkening of the soiar disk on the energy distribution in the solar spectrum, and the energy distribution in the spectrum of the solar photosphere. (IAA)