[pp.7-14]
Megumi YAMASHITA and Mitsunori YOSHIMURA (Survey College of KINKI / Center for Remote Sensing Technology of Japan)
Abstract:
Photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) is the source of incident light energy for plants activity. PAR is an important parameter in estimating such quantities as carbon exchange and the productivities of forest and agriculture. Total incoming radiation is influenced by sky conditions. To date, estimation formulas have been proposed for a cloudless sky condition. In reality, clouds usually repeatedly appear, move, change shape and disappear. Therefore, to estimate the PAR incident on the ground surface, it is necessary to understand the sky condition and its characteristics. We propose a method for determining sky conditions using whole-sky images and analyze diurnal global and diffuse PAR changes due to different sky conditions. This study confirms a relationship between sky conditions and PAR and relationships between cloud effects and both sky brightness and sun appearance.
Key Word:
sky conditions, whole-sky image, cloud cover , global PAR, diffuse PAR