Summary
Careful measurements of surface radiation balance components provide, in principle, an important contribution to the understanding of the global energy cycle. They can be used to further improve climatologies of radiative flux components or in the validation of parameterization procedures in weather forecast and climate models. Existing literature lacks information on the distribution of global solar radiation and its two components for locations close to the Equator. The objective of this study is to identity and assess the distributions of global solar irradiation and the ratio of diffuse to direct solar irradiation at a site in Mbarara, Uganda, located at 00°37′S latitude, 30°39′E longitude and at 1413 m altitude. Results have shown that there are bigger and more frequent variations in daily global irradiation at the beginning and towards to the end of the year. The dominance of diffuse over direct solar radiation during the same periods has been demonstrated. The results have been compared with those from a similar measurement site and have shown some similarities and some differences.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
SH Alawaji SM Hasnain (1999) ArticleTitleRole of solar energy research in transferring of technology to Saudi Arabia Energy Sources 21 923–934 Occurrence Handle10.1080/00908319950014290
M Al-Riahi K Al-Jumaily I Kamies (2003) ArticleTitleMeasurements of net radiation and its components in semi-arid climate of Baghdad Energ Convers Manage 44 509–525 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0196-8904(02)00075-4
T Chiguera (2001) ArticleTitleSolar radiation in the Brazilian Northeast Renew Energy 22 565–578 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0960-1481(00)00116-6
U Cubasch R Voss (2000) ArticleTitleThe influence of total solar irradiance on climate Space Science Reviews 94 185–198 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1026719322987
M Geiger L Diabate L Menard L Wald (2002) ArticleTitleA web service for controlling the quality of measurements of global solar irradiation Solar Energy 73 IssueID6 475–480 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0038-092X(02)00121-4
JA Gonzalez J Calbo (1999) ArticleTitleInfluence of the global radiation variability on the hourly diffuse fraction correlations Solar Energy 65 IssueID2 119–131 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0038-092X(98)00121-2
AH Hassan (2001) ArticleTitleThe variability of daily solar radiation components over Helwan Renew Energy 23 641–649 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0960-1481(00)00144-0
M Iqbal (1983) Introduction to solar radiation Academic Press New York
MA Mosalam Shaltout AH Hassan AM Fathy (2001) ArticleTitleStudy of the solar radiation over Menia Renew Energy 23 621–639 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0960-1481(00)00136-1
NASA (2006) http://eosweb.larc.nasa.gov/sse/
HC Power (2003) ArticleTitleTrends in solar radiation over Germany and an assessment of the role of aerosols and sunshine duration Theor Appl Climatol 76 47–63 Occurrence Handle10.1007/s00704-003-0005-8
HC Power DM Mills (2005) ArticleTitleSolar radiation climate change over Southern Africa and an assessment of the radiative impact of volcanic eruptions Int J Climatol 25 295–318 Occurrence Handle10.1002/joc.1134
Santos BM, Queiroz MR, Borges TP (2004) A solar collector design procedure for crop drying. Proceedings of the 14th International Drying Symposium (IDS 2004) Sao Paulo, Brazil, Aug. 22–25, Vol. B, 1042–1048 pp
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mubiru, J., Banda, E., Otiti, T. et al. Assessing the distribution of solar irradiation in Mbarara, Uganda. Theor. Appl. Climatol. 90, 127–131 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-006-0270-4
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-006-0270-4