Modification of solar radiation components under different atmospheric conditions in the Greater Athens Area, Greece

The influence of the atmospheric turbidity on the spectral distribution of solar irradiance components is investigated using ground-based spectroradiometric measurements taken in Athens area during May 1995. It is found that both the diffuse-to-global and diffuse-to-direct-beam irradiance ratios exhibits a strong wavelength dependence and exponential curves associated with 99% of the variance can fit each parameter. These exponential curves are further modified as function of the solar zenith angle and atmospheric turbidity conditions. It is found that the slope of the curves strongly depends on the processes attenuating irradiance and aerosol optical characteristics in the short wavelengths. New relations are proposed, which allow the spectral distribution of diffuse irradiance to be estimated as a function of the measured broadband global and diffuse solar irradiances. The diffuse-to-direct-beam ratio, which is an indicator of the atmospheric transmittance, exhibits a strong wavelength and aerosol-loading dependence. The observed differences between turbid urban and clean rural atmospheres constitute a manifestation of contrasting air properties and influence solar irradiance spectra.