Book Description

The solar constant and solar spectrum were measured from a research aircraft flying at 38,000 feet, above the highly variable and absorbing constituents of the atmosphere. A wide range of solar zenith angles was covered during six flights for over 14 hours. Eleven instruments, five for total irradiance and six for spectral irradiance, were employed. The instruments complemented each other in the measuring techniques employed and wavelength range covered, and were calibrated and operated by different experimenters. The combined results of these experiments are presented, and also a proposed standard for the solar constant and zero air mass solar spectral irradiance. The solar constant is found to equal 135.3 mW cm−2 or 1.90 cal min−1 cm−2