Direct Surface Solar Irradiance for Photosynthesis in Australia

Giving access to direct surface solar irradiance measurements within the Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) spectral range of 400 to 700 nm. It is generated for the Australian continent and surrounding waters using the Qin et al. (2021a) algorithm applied to daytime Himawari-8/9 satellite imagery.

Use Cases

• Analyze spatial patterns of Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) across the Australian continent for ecological studies.
• Validate and calibrate the Qin et al. (2021a) algorithm for direct irradiance retrieval from Himawari-8/9 imagery.
• Compare irradiance data between the provided latitude/longitude grid and the original Himawari geostationary projection (WGS84, sub-satellite longitude = 140.7°E).
• Support the development of a near-real-time processor for future Himawari-10 satellite data (2028-2045).

Strengths

• Algorithm is peer-reviewed and published (Qin et al., 2021a).
• Data is generated for the specific Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) spectral range of 400 to 700 nm.
• Available in multiple projections, including a regular latitude/longitude grid and the original Himawari geostationary projection.

Limitations

• Data access requires contacting the authors and is hosted on the Australian National Computational Infrastructure (NCI), which may involve a request process.
• The dataset is described as 'Synthetic', indicating it is a model-derived product rather than direct sensor measurements.
• Current availability is limited as a near-real-time processor is still under development.

Provenance

Source

Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network's Data Discovery

Collection Method

Generated from daytime Himawari-8/9 satellite imagery using the Qin et al. (2021a) algorithm.

Time Range

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Freshness

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Geography

Australian continent and surrounding waters.