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Solar constants and radiometric scales.

B W Forgan

    Applied Optics
    |February 20, 2010
    PubMed
    Summary

    Researchers recalibrated solar constant values using a unified radiometric scale. The revised solar constant estimate of 137.5 mW cm(-2) reconciles previous measurements and aligns with newer experimental data.

    Area of Science:

    • Radiometry
    • Solar physics
    • Atmospheric science

    Background:

    • Measurements of the solar constant historically used diverse radiometric scales, leading to significant data scatter.
    • The Committee on Solar Electromagnetic Radiation (CSER) derived a solar constant value based on these varied references.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To address discrepancies in solar constant measurements by converting values to a single, consistent radiometric reference.
    • To establish a more accurate and reliable estimate of the solar constant.

    Main Methods:

    • A radiometric scale based on electrical power equivalence was adopted as the unified reference.
    • Existing solar constant data were converted to this new radiometric scale.

    Main Results:

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    • The revised solar constant value was determined to be 137.5 mW cm(-2).
    • This revised value is closer to the CSER-derived value (135.3 mW cm(-2)) and falls within the error bounds of the original data set.
    • The new estimate shows better agreement with more recent experimental results.

    Conclusions:

    • Standardizing radiometric scales is crucial for accurate solar constant determination.
    • The revised solar constant value provides a more consistent benchmark for solar energy research and climate modeling.