Statistical representation of mountain shading
Shadows cast by the mountains themselves have a strong influence on the surface energy balance of mountainous regions. If the influence of shadows is to be included on sub-grid scales in a surface energy balance model, a statistical representation has to be used. Slope components calculated from d...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2004-01-01
|
| Series: | Hydrology and Earth System Sciences |
| Online Access: | http://www.hydrol-earth-syst-sci.net/8/1047/2004/hess-8-1047-2004.pdf |
| Summary: | Shadows cast by the mountains themselves have a strong influence on the surface energy balance of mountainous regions. If the influence of shadows is to be included on sub-grid scales in a surface energy balance model, a statistical representation has to be used. Slope components calculated from digital elevation models of areas in North Wales and the French Alps are found to have double-exponential distributions. From this result, expressions are developed for the fractions of the areas that will be either self-shaded or shaded by remote topography as functions of solar elevation and time of day. These expressions are in good agreement with results from a terrain shading model. </p> <p style='line-height: 20px;'><b>Keywords: </b>solar radiation, topography, surface energy balance, statistical parameterisation |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 1027-5606 1607-7938 |