Monthly Solar Irradiance Data from the 1992 ASTEX Campaign

LARC_ASDC provides monthly solar irradiance at the surface calculated from METEOSAT satellite observations during the 1992 Atlantic Stratocumulus Transition Experiment. Data is formatted as 376 by 326 pixel grids with a spatial resolution of 0.04 degrees per pixel. The dataset was last updated in June 1992.

Use Cases

• Validate GCM solar radiation parameterizations using the monthly surface flux [tenths of Joule/cm^2] data.
• Analyze spatial patterns of solar irradiance across the 376x326 pixel grid covering the eastern North Atlantic Ocean.
• Correlate satellite-derived surface irradiance with cloud life cycle observations from the ASTEX field campaign.
• Study the interannual variability of surface solar energy by comparing this 1992 monthly time series with other periods.

Strengths

• Data originates from the coordinated FIRE ASTEX field campaign combining satellite, airborne, and surface observations.
• Spatial data is provided at a 0.04-degree resolution across a 376 by 326 pixel grid.

Limitations

• Dataset is temporally limited, covering specific months in 1992 with no apparent updates since.
• Documentation inconsistency exists regarding the number of data channels per file.
• Sample data and column definitions are unavailable, complicating initial analysis.

Provenance

Source

LARC_ASDC (NASA Langley Research Center Atmospheric Science Data Center).

Collection Method

Calculations based on observations from the METEOSAT satellite.

Time Range

Months of 1992, specifically during the June 1992 ASTEX intensive field observation.

Freshness

null

Geography

Eastern North Atlantic Ocean, covering the region of the ASTEX campaign.