The angular distribution of diffuse sky radiance; An assessment of the effects of haze

Journal Article · Thu Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1991 · Journal of Solar Energy Engineering; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1115/1.2930493· OSTI ID:5767693

Rosen, M A ^[1]

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1. Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Ryerson Polytechnical Inst., Toronto, ON, M5B 2K3 (CA)

In this paper the effects of haze on the angular distribution of the diffuse sky radiance are investigated by examining and comparing data for individual clear skies with and without haze, and for other selected sky types, and by modeling and comparing data for such skies. It is found that haze appears to affect the radiance distributions only for clear, partly cloudy, and lightly overcast skies, and that for clear skies, increasing haze increases the absolute sky radiance values. In addition, the radiance distributions for clear skies with haze are found to exhibit characteristics generally similar to those for the nonopaque overcast skies. However, it is also found that the normalized radiance distributions for clear skies with haze, which generally provide clearer illustrations of distribution shape than the absolute radiance distributions, exhibit slightly less intense circumsolar and horizon brightening components than do the normalized distributions for clear skies without haze. In general, a systematic, but complex, relationship appears to exist between haze and the distribution of the diffuse sky radiance. The results may prove useful to several disciplines, including the design of solar technologies.

• OSTI ID: 5767693
• Journal Information: Journal of Solar Energy Engineering; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Solar Energy Engineering; (United States) Vol. 113:3; ISSN 0199-6231; ISSN JSEED
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140100* -- Solar Energy-- Resources & Availability
ANGULAR DISTRIBUTION
CLOUD COVER
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DIFFUSE SOLAR RADIATION
DISTRIBUTION
ENERGY
ENERGY SOURCES
EVALUATION
RADIATIONS
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
SKY
SOLAR ENERGY
SOLAR FLUX
SOLAR RADIATION
STELLAR RADIATION