The origin of the asymmetry in the irradiation distribution at high latitudes

Document identifier: oai:dalea.du.se:2139
Publication year: 1999
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Abstract:

The possibility of using solar energy during winter depends on the available solar radiation and on the geometry of the receiving surface. For high latitudes, the annual distribution of the available radiation is characterized by high asymmetry with a large amount of solar radiation from high altitude angles during the summer and a small amount of direct radiation from small altitude angles during the winter. This article deals with the origin of the difference between available solar radiation during summer and winter at high latitudes. Factors like the tilt of the earth’s axis, the eccentricity of the earth’s orbit, absorption and scattering of radiation in the atmosphere and seasonal changes in the weather conditions are discussed. Numerical examples of how these factors contribute to the reduction of the winter radiation compared to the summer radiation on surfaces with different orientation in Stockholm, latitude 59.4°N, are given. It is shown that the influence of the atmosphere and seasonal changes in the climate, and not pure earth-sun geometry, are the main reasons why it is hard to utilize solar energy at high latitudes during the winter.

Authors

Mats Rönnelid

Högskolan Dalarna; Miljöteknik
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    header: 
        identifier: oai:dalea.du.se:2139
        datestamp: 2021-04-15T12:28:56Z
        setSpec: SwePub-du
    metadata: 
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            @attributes: 
                version: 3.7
            recordInfo: 
                recordContentSource: du
                recordCreationDate: 2006-05-29
            identifier: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:du-2139
            titleInfo: 
                @attributes: 
                    lang: eng
                title: The origin of the asymmetry in the irradiation distribution at high latitudes
            abstract: 
The possibility of using solar energy during winter depends on the available solar radiation and on the geometry of the receiving surface. For high latitudes the annual distribution of the available radiation is characterized by high asymmetry with a large amount of solar radiation from high altitude angles during the summer and a small amount of direct radiation from small altitude angles during the winter. This article deals with the origin of the difference between available solar radiation during summer and winter at high latitudes. Factors like the tilt of the earth’s axis the eccentricity of the earth’s orbit absorption and scattering of radiation in the atmosphere and seasonal changes in the weather conditions are discussed. Numerical examples of how these factors contribute to the reduction of the winter radiation compared to the summer radiation on surfaces with different orientation in Stockholm latitude 59.4°N are given. It is shown that the influence of the atmosphere and seasonal changes in the climate and not pure earth-sun geometry are the main reasons why it is hard to utilize solar energy at high latitudes during the winter.

            language: 
                languageTerm: eng
            genre: 
                conference/other
                vet
            note: 
                Published
                1
            name: 
                @attributes: 
                    type: personal
                    authority: du
                namePart: 
                    Rönnelid
                    Mats
                role: 
                    roleTerm: aut
                affiliation: 
                    Högskolan Dalarna
                    Miljöteknik
                nameIdentifier: mrd
            originInfo: 
                dateIssued: 1999
            relatedItem: 
                @attributes: 
                    type: host
                titleInfo: 
                    title: North Sun 
            location: 
                    url: http://du.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:521623/FULLTEXT01.pdf
                    url: http://du.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:521623/FULLTEXT02.pdf
            accessCondition: 
                gratis
                gratis
            physicalDescription: 
                form: electronic
            typeOfResource: text