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Balloon‐based measurements of the profile of downwelling shortwave irradiance in the troposphere
Author(s) -
Hagan Denise,
Crisp David,
Blavier JeanFrancois,
DiGirolamo Larry,
Ackerman Tom
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/98gl01238
Subject(s) - shortwave , downwelling , irradiance , troposphere , atmospheric sciences , environmental science , atmosphere (unit) , solar irradiance , shortwave radiation , longitude , radiative transfer , latitude , climatology , meteorology , geology , physics , geodesy , optics , radiation , oceanography , upwelling
Using a helium plus reversible fluid balloon system as the observing platform, multiple profiles of shortwave irradiance between 4 and 10 km were recently obtained over the Los Angeles basin. Measurements of downwelling hemispheric broadband irradiance were made over a period of six hours in conditions that could be characterized by a mid‐latitude, summer model atmosphere. These data are described and compared to model computations using a spectrally‐resolving, plane parallel, multiple scattering model. The systematic difference between model and observations (10%) at high altitudes is discussed in terms of possible factors that affect the instrument measurement response under cold temperature conditions. The measurements and calculations of downwelling irradiance agree to better than 5% in the lower troposphere.