This paper presents the first prototype of a new method, for assessing solar surface irradiance, benefiting from advanced products derived from recent Earth Observation missions. This method -called Heliosat-4is based on the radiative transfer model libRadtran and will provide direct, diffuse components and spectral distribution of solar surface irradiance every 3 km and 1⁄4 h over Europe and A...

Based on a quantitative study of the common fluctuations of 14C and 10Be production rates, we have derived a time series of the solar magnetic variability over the last 1200 years. This record is converted into irradiance variations by linear scaling based on previous studies of sun-like stars and of the sun’s behavior over the last few centuries. The new solar irradiance record exhibits low va...

We present new services, developed also under the GMES ENDORSE (ENergy DOwnstream SErvices) project, for the performance analysis and the support in the planning of solar plants (photovoltaic, CSP, CPV) that combine a detailed model of each part of the plant (solar field, thermal storage system, electrical power system and inverters) and the near real-time remote sensing of the global (or direc...

The results of two methods retrieving actinic flux and ozone photolysis frequencies (JO1D), from measurements of irradiance with a Brewer MKIII spectroradiometer are investigated in this paper. The first method uses actinic flux retrieved from irradiance measurements by the use of known formulas while the second is an empirical method converting irradiance to JO1D through polynomials extracted ...

The response of atmospheric CO2 and climate to the reconstructed variability in solar irradiance and radiative forcing by volcanoes over the last millennium is examined by applying a coupled physical-biogeochemical climate model that includes the Lund-Potsdam-Jena dynamic global vegetation model (LPJ-DGVM) and a simplified analogue of a coupled atmosphere-ocean general circulation model. The mo...

[1] We study, by using a wavelet decomposition methodology, the solar signature on global surface temperature data using the ACRIM total solar irradiance satellite composite by Willson and Mordvinov. These data present a +0.047%/decade trend between minima during solar cycles 21–23 (1980–2002). We estimate that the ACRIM upward trend might have minimally contributed 10–30% of the global surface...

Long-term trends in downwelling solar irradiance and associated climatic factors over China are studied in the paper. Decreasing trends in global and direct radiation are observed over much of China. The largest decrease occurs in South and East China (east of about 100 E and south of about 40 N). The spatial pattern of observed trends in diffuse irradiance is complex and inhomogeneous. An intr...

Cloud properties and the Earth’s radiation budget are defined as essential climate variables by the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS). The cloud albedo is a measure for the portion of solar radiation reflected back to space by clouds. This information is essential for the analysis and interpretation of the Earth’s radiation budget and the solar surface irradiance. We present and discuss a ...