Relations Between Net and Solar Radiation

Abstract

This paper describes an extensive experimental study of two parameters which have recently been developed and proposed as useful statistical and descriptive indexes of net and solar radiation relations over natural surfaces. These two parameters are the "heating coefficient, " proposed to be indicative of the rate of change of net long-wave radiation loss per unit increase in net irradiation; and the "long-wave exchange coefficient", proposed to be indicative of the rate of change of net long-wave radiation income per unit increase in net solar irradiation. The results of the study indicate that both the heating coefficient and the long-wave exchange coefficient are found to be less than adequate in both the statistical and descriptive categories. It is further demonstrated that no other single parameter should be expected to be developed to do what these parameters fail to do.