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Shortwave Radiation Focus Area
 Through the supported activities of ARM, the measurement of solar fluxes both spectral and broadband, including diffuse and global, has progressed. Radar observations, in conjunction with radiometric observations, provide an important opportunity to test out transfer calculations in cloudy skies containing clouds that are more optically thick than can be penetrated by the ARM micropulse lidar. The relationship between measured fluxes and the atmospheric properties that affect these fluxes vitally needs testing. Spectral fluxes will offer important insight here since we will be able to identify key absorption bands and more rigorously test transport calculations with these measurements.

Instruments that Measure Shortwave Radiation
A number of special instruments that measure solar radiative transfer in the atmosphere are being used by the ARM, as well as several types of conventional, broadband solar and infrared radiation instruments:

  • MFRSR - multi-filter rotating shadowband radiometer at extended facilities (including one at central facility); direct, diffuse, and total solar irradiances in six selected wave bands and a wide band with an unfiltered silicon cell
  • MFR - at central facility on 10-m SIR tower and at 25-m level of 60-m tower; upwelling hemispherical solar irradiance above pasture and wheat field in same bands as MFRSR
  • NFOV - narrow field of view zenith radiometer at the central facility; downwelling zenith spectral radiance
  • SIRS - at extended facilities (including one at central facility)
    1. downwelling hemispherical solar irradiances
    2. upwelling hemispherical solar irradiances above pasture
    3. direct-beam solar irradiance
    4. diffuse hemispherical solar irradiance from the sky

Shortwave Measurements
Radiation, solar
Radiation, solar, direct-beam normal irradiance
Radiation, solar, downwelling hemispheric diffuse irradiance
Radiation, solar, downwelling hemispheric irradiance
Radiation, solar, total daily
Radiation, std. dev. of radiances for shortwave and longwave wavenumbers