Solar radiation

From Glossary of Meteorology



solar radiation

The total electromagnetic radiation emitted by the sun.

To a first approximation, the sun radiates as a blackbody at a temperature of about 5700 K; hence, about 99.9% of its energy output falls within the wavelength interval from 0.15 to 4.0 μm, with peak intensity near 0.5 μm. About one-half of the total energy in the solar beam is contained within the visible spectrum from 0.4 to 0.7 μm, and most of the other half lies in the near-infrared, a small additional portion lying in the ultraviolet.
See insolation, direct solar radiation, diffuse sky radiation, global radiation, extraterrestrial radiation, solar constant, total solar irradiance.

Fritz, S. 1951. Compendium of Meteorology. 17–19.


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