Comparison of Surface Solar Irradiance from Ground Observations and Satellite Data (1990–2016) over a Complex Orography Region (Piedmont—Northwest Italy)
Climate Monitoring Satellite Application Facility (CM SAF) surface solar irradiance (SSI) products were compared with ground-based observations over the Piedmont region (north-western Italy) for the period 1990–2016. These products were SARAH-2.1 (Surface Solar Radiation DataSet—Heliosat version 2.1...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2020-11-01
|
| Series: | Remote Sensing |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/12/23/3882 |
| _version_ | 1797546573576536064 |
|---|---|
| author | Veronica Manara Elia Stocco Michele Brunetti Guglielmina Adele Diolaiuti Davide Fugazza Uwe Pfeifroth Antonella Senese Jörg Trentmann Maurizio Maugeri |
| author_facet | Veronica Manara Elia Stocco Michele Brunetti Guglielmina Adele Diolaiuti Davide Fugazza Uwe Pfeifroth Antonella Senese Jörg Trentmann Maurizio Maugeri |
| author_sort | Veronica Manara |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Climate Monitoring Satellite Application Facility (CM SAF) surface solar irradiance (SSI) products were compared with ground-based observations over the Piedmont region (north-western Italy) for the period 1990–2016. These products were SARAH-2.1 (Surface Solar Radiation DataSet—Heliosat version 2.1) and CLARA-A2 (Cloud, Albedo and Surface Radiation dataset version A2). The aim was to contribute to the discussion on the representativeness of satellite SSI data including a focus on high-elevation areas. The comparison between SSI averages shows that for low OCI (orographic complexity index) stations, satellite series have higher values than corresponding ground-based observations, whereas for high OCI stations, SSI values for satellite records are mainly lower than for ground stations. The comparison between SSI anomalies highlights that satellite records have an excellent performance in capturing SSI day-to-day variability of ground-based low OCI stations. In contrast, for high OCI stations, the agreement is much lower, due to the higher uncertainty in both satellite and ground-based records. Finally, if the temporal trends are considered, average low-elevation ground-based SSI observations show a positive trend, whereas satellite records do not highlight significant trends. Focusing on high-elevation stations, the observed trends for ground-based and satellite records are more similar with the only exception of summer. This divergence seems to be due to the relevant role of atmospheric aerosols on SSI trends. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T14:31:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-168013071fb14f54a8cab9b9419bce4b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-4292 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T14:31:44Z |
| publishDate | 2020-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Remote Sensing |
| spelling | doaj.art-168013071fb14f54a8cab9b9419bce4b2023-11-20T22:31:15ZengMDPI AGRemote Sensing2072-42922020-11-011223388210.3390/rs12233882Comparison of Surface Solar Irradiance from Ground Observations and Satellite Data (1990–2016) over a Complex Orography Region (Piedmont—Northwest Italy)Veronica Manara0Elia Stocco1Michele Brunetti2Guglielmina Adele Diolaiuti3Davide Fugazza4Uwe Pfeifroth5Antonella Senese6Jörg Trentmann7Maurizio Maugeri8Department of Environmental Science and Policy, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milano, ItalyDepartment of Environmental Science and Policy, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milano, ItalyInstitute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, ISAC-CNR, via Gobetti 101, 40129 Bologna, ItalyDepartment of Environmental Science and Policy, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milano, ItalyDepartment of Environmental Science and Policy, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milano, ItalySatellite-Based Climate Monitoring, Deutscher Wetterdienst, 63067 Offenbach, GermanyDepartment of Environmental Science and Policy, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milano, ItalySatellite-Based Climate Monitoring, Deutscher Wetterdienst, 63067 Offenbach, GermanyDepartment of Environmental Science and Policy, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milano, ItalyClimate Monitoring Satellite Application Facility (CM SAF) surface solar irradiance (SSI) products were compared with ground-based observations over the Piedmont region (north-western Italy) for the period 1990–2016. These products were SARAH-2.1 (Surface Solar Radiation DataSet—Heliosat version 2.1) and CLARA-A2 (Cloud, Albedo and Surface Radiation dataset version A2). The aim was to contribute to the discussion on the representativeness of satellite SSI data including a focus on high-elevation areas. The comparison between SSI averages shows that for low OCI (orographic complexity index) stations, satellite series have higher values than corresponding ground-based observations, whereas for high OCI stations, SSI values for satellite records are mainly lower than for ground stations. The comparison between SSI anomalies highlights that satellite records have an excellent performance in capturing SSI day-to-day variability of ground-based low OCI stations. In contrast, for high OCI stations, the agreement is much lower, due to the higher uncertainty in both satellite and ground-based records. Finally, if the temporal trends are considered, average low-elevation ground-based SSI observations show a positive trend, whereas satellite records do not highlight significant trends. Focusing on high-elevation stations, the observed trends for ground-based and satellite records are more similar with the only exception of summer. This divergence seems to be due to the relevant role of atmospheric aerosols on SSI trends.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/12/23/3882surface solar irradiancePiedmontground-based datasatellite datacomplex orography |
| spellingShingle | Veronica Manara Elia Stocco Michele Brunetti Guglielmina Adele Diolaiuti Davide Fugazza Uwe Pfeifroth Antonella Senese Jörg Trentmann Maurizio Maugeri Comparison of Surface Solar Irradiance from Ground Observations and Satellite Data (1990–2016) over a Complex Orography Region (Piedmont—Northwest Italy) Remote Sensing surface solar irradiance Piedmont ground-based data satellite data complex orography |
| title | Comparison of Surface Solar Irradiance from Ground Observations and Satellite Data (1990–2016) over a Complex Orography Region (Piedmont—Northwest Italy) |
| title_full | Comparison of Surface Solar Irradiance from Ground Observations and Satellite Data (1990–2016) over a Complex Orography Region (Piedmont—Northwest Italy) |
| title_fullStr | Comparison of Surface Solar Irradiance from Ground Observations and Satellite Data (1990–2016) over a Complex Orography Region (Piedmont—Northwest Italy) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Comparison of Surface Solar Irradiance from Ground Observations and Satellite Data (1990–2016) over a Complex Orography Region (Piedmont—Northwest Italy) |
| title_short | Comparison of Surface Solar Irradiance from Ground Observations and Satellite Data (1990–2016) over a Complex Orography Region (Piedmont—Northwest Italy) |
| title_sort | comparison of surface solar irradiance from ground observations and satellite data 1990 2016 over a complex orography region piedmont northwest italy |
| topic | surface solar irradiance Piedmont ground-based data satellite data complex orography |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/12/23/3882 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT veronicamanara comparisonofsurfacesolarirradiancefromgroundobservationsandsatellitedata19902016overacomplexorographyregionpiedmontnorthwestitaly AT eliastocco comparisonofsurfacesolarirradiancefromgroundobservationsandsatellitedata19902016overacomplexorographyregionpiedmontnorthwestitaly AT michelebrunetti comparisonofsurfacesolarirradiancefromgroundobservationsandsatellitedata19902016overacomplexorographyregionpiedmontnorthwestitaly AT guglielminaadelediolaiuti comparisonofsurfacesolarirradiancefromgroundobservationsandsatellitedata19902016overacomplexorographyregionpiedmontnorthwestitaly AT davidefugazza comparisonofsurfacesolarirradiancefromgroundobservationsandsatellitedata19902016overacomplexorographyregionpiedmontnorthwestitaly AT uwepfeifroth comparisonofsurfacesolarirradiancefromgroundobservationsandsatellitedata19902016overacomplexorographyregionpiedmontnorthwestitaly AT antonellasenese comparisonofsurfacesolarirradiancefromgroundobservationsandsatellitedata19902016overacomplexorographyregionpiedmontnorthwestitaly AT jorgtrentmann comparisonofsurfacesolarirradiancefromgroundobservationsandsatellitedata19902016overacomplexorographyregionpiedmontnorthwestitaly AT mauriziomaugeri comparisonofsurfacesolarirradiancefromgroundobservationsandsatellitedata19902016overacomplexorographyregionpiedmontnorthwestitaly |