The European Solar Radiation Atlas: a valuable digital tool

摘要: The new CD-ROM based European Solar Radiation Atlas (ESRA) is now available. It published by Les Presses de l’Ecole des Mines Paris on behalf of the Commission. This atlas, in 2 volumes, an instrument dedicated to providing knowledge and aiding exploitation solar resources across a wide sweep Europe, from Urals Azores Northern Africa Polar Circle. powerful tool for architects, engineers, meteorologists, agronomists, local authorities, tourism professionals, as well researchers students. input data are period 1981-1990. first volume provides broad overview with supporting maps. starts describing course Sun sky it varies year geographical location. Then interactions radiation atmosphere its components (haze, turbidity, clouds, etc.) separation into direct diffuse parts discussed. outline structures database ESRA software package next described. Sixteen coloured maps provide monthly mean global, beam, irradiation horizontal surface clearness index March, June, September December. mapped values averages over 10-year Additionally there corresponding four annual maps, also country-based relief map ground observing stations used. There two special giving zones similar biomass productivity. second more technical comprises book 296 pages CD-ROM. describes detailed content CD-ROM, explaining how was constructed use software. contains database, which offers spatial (every 10 km approximately) temporal climatic information different time scales (from climatological means - than 700 hourly 7 stations). includes resources: (global components), sunshine duration, air temperatures, precipitation, water vapour pressure, pressure number stations. exploit database. uses either “map” or “station” mode at user choice. In case, any site can be designated. mode, only available measuring selected. algorithms covering following fields: geometry, optical properties atmosphere, estimation slope under cloudless skies, (going daily values, conversion tilted surfaces), spectral irradiance, illuminance,