October 19th, 2020
Measuring direct, diffuse and global solar irradiance with a field spectroradiometer.

Haverhill, MA  – A SPECTRAL EVOLUTION field spectroradiometer such as the PSR+, RS-5400, RS-8800, or RS-3500 can be used to measure global, direct and diffuse solar irradiance.

Direct and diffuse solar irradiance are important components of environmental and climate research. Direct solar irradiance is the solar radiation that passes directly through the atmosphere from the sun without being scattered or absorbed by the atmosphere. Diffuse solar irradiance reaches the ground and has been scattered by an atmospheric component such as air and water molecules, dust, or clouds. Measurement of direct and diffuse solar irradiance can provide information on the transformation of energy on the earth and in the atmosphere, analysis and distribution of the properties of atmospheric components and verification of satellite measurements of radiation.

Global (downwelling) solar irradiance is the total amount of solar irradiance on an upward-facing horizontal surface and is the sum of the direct and diffuse solar irradiance. The global solar irradiance provides information on the total radiance that affects the earth’s weather and climate system and can be used in the study of climate change.

A SPECTRAL EVOLUTION spectroradiometer with a cosine corrected diffuser can measure global irradiance. A SPECTRAL EVOLUTION spectroradiometer with a Gershun tube can measure direct irradiance and the diffuse irradiance is calculated from this measurement. Our fiber and accessories are radiometrically calibrated to an instrument (NIST traceable calibration).

DARWin SP Data Acquisition software which comes with every SPECTRAL EVOLUTION instrument provides a tool accessed by a pull-down menu, for measuring energy. The pull-down utility allows users to calculate integrated energy levels as a function of wavelength interval (user adjustable).

SPECTRAL EVOLUTION spectroradiometers provide:

• Fast, full-spectrum UV-VIS-NIR measurements – 350-2500 nm with just one scan
• Superior reliability in the field with 100% diode array optics with no moving parts
• Bluetooth interface – no cables necessary for connection to the instrument
• Lithium-ion rechargeable batteries for field use
• Lightweight and rugged
• Standalone operation – internal memory holds 1000 scans (PSR+)
• Optional ALGIZ 8X rugged handheld tablet for field use running DARWin LT on Windows 10 with digital camera, and GPS
• Field switchable optics for varying target sizes and measurement modes

For more information visit: https://spectralevolution.com/applications/remote-sensing/measuring-direct-and-diffuse-solar-irradiance-with-a-spectroradiometer/

 

About SPECTRAL EVOLUTION

Established in 2004, SPECTRAL EVOLUTION is a leading manufacturer of laboratory and handheld portable spectrometers and spectroradiometers.  SPECTRAL EVOLUTION instruments are used worldwide for many mission-critical lab and field applications in mining, remote sensing, vegetative studies, ground truthing, environmental and climate studies, developing satellite calibrations, and more, due to their reliable, robust, rugged design and user-friendly one-touch features.

SPECTRAL EVOLUTION maintains a facility in Haverhill, Massachusetts which houses design, prototyping, manufacturing and service facilities for the instruments that it markets and sells worldwide, either through direct sales or through distributor agents.