An algorithm to provide UK global radiation for use with models
Decision support systems which include crop growth models require long-term average values of global radiation to simulate future expected growth. Global radiation is rarely available as there are relatively few meteorological stations with long-term records and so interpolation between sites is difficult. Global radiation data across a good geographical spread throughout the UK were obtained and sub-divided into coastal and inland sites. Monthly means of global radiation (S) were extracted and analysed in relation to irradiance in the absence of atmosphere (So) calculated from site latitude and the time of year. The ratio S/So was fitted to the month of the year (t) and site latitude using a nonlinear fit function in which 90% of the variance was accounted for. An algorithm is presented which provides long-term daily values of global radiation from information on latitude, time of year and whether the site is inland or close to the coast.
decision support systems simulation model global radiation algorithm meteorological models