New Radiative Flux Analysis VAP Now Operational

 
Published: 5 May 2016
Radiative flux analysis of irradiance and cloud fraction for the Southern Great Plains.
Radiative flux analysis data of irradiance and cloud fraction are shown here for the Southern Great Plains.

The Radiative Flux Analysis VAP is an implementation of a series of algorithms that estimate clear-sky broadband surface irradiances, cloud fraction, optical depth, cloud transmissivity, and cloud radiative effects. This VAP is an updated version of the Shortwave Flux Analysis VAP that includes several improvements and will replace the Shortwave Flux Analysis as the operational VAP that provides clear-sky broadband shortwave irradiance and cloud fraction.

The most important improvement over the Shortwave Flux Analysis is that the Radiative Flux Analysis VAP has been extended to include estimates of longwave parameters including clear-sky irradiances and cloud fraction, allowing for a more complete picture of the surface energy budget and cloud effects. Second, the VAP uses the Quality Control Radiation (QCRAD) VAP as input instead of the SIRS/SKYRAD/GNDRAD instrument datastreams, thus including a more comprehensive data quality control (QC).

Two data levels are available, c1 and c2, which correspond to the data level of the QCRAD input data. When available, c2-level data should be used as they contain instrument-specific corrections for infrared loss; however, they will only be available with a delay. Data are currently available at all Southern Great Plains extended and Central Facility sites, for the Tropical Western Pacific and North Slope of Alaska sites, and for many of the ARM Mobile Facility deployments.

Feedback and use of the data are welcomed and encouraged. For questions or to report data problems, please contact Laura Riihimaki. To access the data set, please browse the ARM Data Archive. (Go here to create an account to download the data.)

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The ARM Climate Research Facility is a national scientific user facility funded through the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science. The ARM Facility is operated by nine Department of Energy national laboratories.