A Simple Semi-Empirical Model for the Estimation of Photosynthetically Active Radiation from Satellite Data in the Tropics

This paper presents a simple semi-empirical model for estimating global photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) under all sky conditions. The model expresses PAR as a function of cloud index, aerosol optical depth, total ozone column, solar zenith angle, and air mass. The formulation of the model...

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Main Authors: S. Janjai, A. Sripradit, R. Wattan, S. Buntoung, S. Pattarapanitchai, I. Masiri
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2013-01-01
Series:International Journal of Photoenergy
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/857072
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author S. Janjai
A. Sripradit
R. Wattan
S. Buntoung
S. Pattarapanitchai
I. Masiri
author_facet S. Janjai
A. Sripradit
R. Wattan
S. Buntoung
S. Pattarapanitchai
I. Masiri
author_sort S. Janjai
collection DOAJ
description This paper presents a simple semi-empirical model for estimating global photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) under all sky conditions. The model expresses PAR as a function of cloud index, aerosol optical depth, total ozone column, solar zenith angle, and air mass. The formulation of the model was based on a four-year period (2008–2011) of PAR data obtained from the measurements at four solar monitoring stations in a tropical environment of Thailand. These are Chiang Mai (18.78°N, 98.98°E), Ubon Ratchathani (15.25°N, 104.87°E), Nakhon Pathom (13.82°N, 100.04°E), and Songkhla (7.20°N, 100.60°E). The cloud index was derived from MTSAT-1R satellite, whereas the aerosol optical depth was obtained from MODIS/Terra satellite. For the total ozone column, it was retrieved from OMI/Aura satellite. The model was validated against independent data set from the four stations. It was found that hourly PAR estimated from the proposed model and that obtained from the measurements were in reasonable agreement, with the root mean square difference (RMSD) and mean bias difference (MBD) of 14.3% and −5.8%, respectively. In addition, for the case of monthly average hourly PAR, RMSD and MBD were reduced to 11.1% and −5.1%, respectively.
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institution Kabale University
issn 1110-662X
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language English
publishDate 2013-01-01
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series International Journal of Photoenergy
spelling doaj-art-2526574d1c244f39ae6bd5f3deefb34a2025-08-20T03:54:52ZengWileyInternational Journal of Photoenergy1110-662X1687-529X2013-01-01201310.1155/2013/857072857072A Simple Semi-Empirical Model for the Estimation of Photosynthetically Active Radiation from Satellite Data in the TropicsS. Janjai0A. Sripradit1R. Wattan2S. Buntoung3S. Pattarapanitchai4I. Masiri5Solar Energy Research Laboratory, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Silpakorn University, Nakhon Pathom 73000, ThailandSolar Energy Research Laboratory, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Silpakorn University, Nakhon Pathom 73000, ThailandSolar Energy Research Laboratory, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Silpakorn University, Nakhon Pathom 73000, ThailandSolar Energy Research Laboratory, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Silpakorn University, Nakhon Pathom 73000, ThailandSolar Energy Research Laboratory, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Silpakorn University, Nakhon Pathom 73000, ThailandSolar Energy Research Laboratory, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Silpakorn University, Nakhon Pathom 73000, ThailandThis paper presents a simple semi-empirical model for estimating global photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) under all sky conditions. The model expresses PAR as a function of cloud index, aerosol optical depth, total ozone column, solar zenith angle, and air mass. The formulation of the model was based on a four-year period (2008–2011) of PAR data obtained from the measurements at four solar monitoring stations in a tropical environment of Thailand. These are Chiang Mai (18.78°N, 98.98°E), Ubon Ratchathani (15.25°N, 104.87°E), Nakhon Pathom (13.82°N, 100.04°E), and Songkhla (7.20°N, 100.60°E). The cloud index was derived from MTSAT-1R satellite, whereas the aerosol optical depth was obtained from MODIS/Terra satellite. For the total ozone column, it was retrieved from OMI/Aura satellite. The model was validated against independent data set from the four stations. It was found that hourly PAR estimated from the proposed model and that obtained from the measurements were in reasonable agreement, with the root mean square difference (RMSD) and mean bias difference (MBD) of 14.3% and −5.8%, respectively. In addition, for the case of monthly average hourly PAR, RMSD and MBD were reduced to 11.1% and −5.1%, respectively.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/857072
spellingShingle S. Janjai
A. Sripradit
R. Wattan
S. Buntoung
S. Pattarapanitchai
I. Masiri
A Simple Semi-Empirical Model for the Estimation of Photosynthetically Active Radiation from Satellite Data in the Tropics
International Journal of Photoenergy
title A Simple Semi-Empirical Model for the Estimation of Photosynthetically Active Radiation from Satellite Data in the Tropics
title_full A Simple Semi-Empirical Model for the Estimation of Photosynthetically Active Radiation from Satellite Data in the Tropics
title_fullStr A Simple Semi-Empirical Model for the Estimation of Photosynthetically Active Radiation from Satellite Data in the Tropics
title_full_unstemmed A Simple Semi-Empirical Model for the Estimation of Photosynthetically Active Radiation from Satellite Data in the Tropics
title_short A Simple Semi-Empirical Model for the Estimation of Photosynthetically Active Radiation from Satellite Data in the Tropics
title_sort simple semi empirical model for the estimation of photosynthetically active radiation from satellite data in the tropics
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/857072
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