Articles | Volume 14
https://doi.org/10.5194/asr-14-7-2017
https://doi.org/10.5194/asr-14-7-2017
08 Feb 2017
 | 08 Feb 2017

Evaluating meso-scale change in performance of several databases of hourly surface irradiation in South-eastern Arabic Pensinsula

Mathilde Marchand, Nasser Al-Azri, Armel Ombe-Ndeffotsing, Etienne Wey, and Lucien Wald

Abstract. The solar hourly global irradiation received at ground level estimated by the databases HelioClim-3v4, HelioClim-3v5 and CAMS Radiation Service are compared to coincident measurements made in five stations in Oman and Abu Dhabi. CAMS is an abbreviation of Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service. Each database describes the hour-to-hour changes in irradiation very well with correlation coefficients greater than 0.97 for all stations. Each database exhibits a tendency to underestimate the irradiation in this area; the bias is small and less than 5 % of the average of the measurements in absolute value. The RMSE ranges between 70 and 90 Wh m−2 (11 to 16 %). This validation of the three databases for this arid region on the edge of the Meteosat coverage reveals satisfactory results. Each database captures accurately the temporal and spatial variability of the irradiance field. It is found that the three databases do not exhibit noticeable geographical changes in performances and are reliable sources to assess the SSI in this region.

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Short summary
The solar hourly irradiation received at ground level estimated by the databases HelioClim-3v4, HelioClim-3v5 and Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) Radiation Service are compared to measurements made in stations in Oman and Abu Dhabi. The correlation coefficients are greater than 0.97. The relative bias is less than 5%. Each database captures accurately the temporal and spatial variability of the irradiance field. The three databases are reliable sources to assess solar radiation.