Abstract
In this work, the effect that two basic air quality indexes, aerosols and tropospheric NO2, exert on surface solar radiation (SSR) is studied, along with the effect of liquid and ice clouds over 16 locations in Greece, in the heart of the Eastern Mediterranean. State-of-the-art satellite-based observations and climatological data for the 15-year period 2005–2019, and a radiative transfer system based on a modified version of the Santa Barbara DISORT Atmospheric Radiative Transfer (SBDART) model are used. Our SSR simulations are in good agreement with ground observations and two satellite products. It is shown that liquid clouds dominate, with an annual radiative effect (RE) of −36 W/m2, with ice clouds (−19 W/m2) and aerosols (−13 W/m2) following. The radiative effect of tropospheric NO2 is smaller by two orders of magnitude (−0.074 W/m2). Under clear skies, REaer is about 3–4 times larger than for liquid and ice cloud-covered skies, while RENO2 doubles. The radiative effect of all the parameters exhibits a distinct seasonal cycle. An increase in SSR is observed for the period 2005–2019 (positive trends ranging from 0.01 to 0.52 W/m2/year), which is mostly related to a decrease in the aerosol optical depth and the liquid cloud fraction.
Highlights
Laboratory of Atmospheric Physics, Physics Department, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Citation: Alexandri, G.; Georgoulias, A.K.; Balis, D
The manuscript is organized as follows: in Section 2 we present the datasets used in the radiative transfer calculations, the data aggregation methodology followed, the radiative transfer system developed for the scopes of this research, as well as the methodology followed for the evaluation of the surface solar radiation (SSR) produced by the system, the radiative effect calculation, and the calculation of the trends
To gain confidence in the monthly solar radiation patterns and the corresponding radiative effects calculated by our radiative transfer system, our SSR simulations (SBDART)
Summary
Laboratory of Atmospheric Physics, Physics Department, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Citation: Alexandri, G.; Georgoulias, A.K.; Balis, D. Many more stations were established in Europe and around the globe, shaping global networks such as the Global Energy Balance Archive (GEBA) [10], the Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN) [11], the Word Radiation Data Center (WRDC), and regional/national networks. These networks cannot offer coverage over every single spot on Earth, a gap filled by satellite measurements during the last four decades (since the early 1980s) [12]
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