XDS: NOAARAD

NOAA/ESRL GMD (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration / Earth System Research Laboratory, Global Monitoring Division) provides surface radiation data from Barrow, AK, part of a long-term surface solar irradiance monitoring network of globally remote sites (G-Rad). Data are available from 1976-02-18 to present.

See “Data User Notes” section below for more details on measurement availability.

• Shortwave direct normal irradiance, pyrheliometer (W/m^2)
• Downwelling shortwave hemispheric irradiance, pyranometer (W/m^2)
• Downwelling shortwave hemispheric Near-IR (695nm) irradiance, pyranometer (W/m^2)
• Downwelling shortwave diffuse hemispheric irradiance, pyranometer (W/m^2)
• Downwelling longwave hemispheric irradiance, shaded pyrgeometer (W/m^2)
• Downwelling pyrgeometer case thermistor temperature, shaded pyrgeometer (C)
• Downwelling pyrgeometer dome thermistor temperature, shaded pyrgeometer (C)
• Battery #1 Voltage (V)
• Sum of shortwave direct normal irradiance*cos(SZA) + downwelling shortwave diffuse hemispheric irradiance
• Upwelling shortwave hemispheric irradiance, pyranometer (W/m^2)
• Upwelling longwave hemispheric irradiance, pyrgeometer (W/m^2)
• Upwelling pyrgeometer case thermistor temperature, pyrgeometer (C)
• Upwelling pyrgeometer dome thermistor temperature, pyrgeometer (C)
• Battery #2 Voltage (V)

The data began on 1976-02-18. The newest data are available with a 4 or 5 day delay.

Only the data for Barrow, Alaska, are collected and archived in this data-stream.

Quality assured hourly averaged data, that went into Dutton et al. 2006, are available from NOAA/ESRL GMD Radiation Group (G-Rad), or from the ARM Archive.

Vasile Tudor Garbulet

ARM Data Center

Institution
NOAA/ESRL GMD Radiation Group (G-Rad)

The data were re-released by Ells Dutton on 2006-01-10.

The number of instruments and measurements taken has varied throughout the years. All irradiances are 3 minute averages before 1998-01-01, 1 minute averages after this date.

Here are the date ranges and available measurements:
(Note: *** indicates new measurement when compared to the previous time period)

1976-02-18 / 1984-12-31:

• Shortwave Direct Normal Irradiance
• Downwelling Shortwave Hemispheric Irradiance
• Downwelling Shortwave Hemispheric Near-IR (695 nm) Irradiance

1985-01-01 / 1993-04-19:

• Shortwave Direct Normal Irradiance
• Downwelling Shortwave Hemispheric Irradiance
• Downwelling Shortwave Hemispheric Near-IR (695 nm) Irradiance
• ***Upwelling Shortwave Hemispheric irradiance mounted at 2 m
• ***Battery #1 Voltage

1993-04-20 / 1995-07-05:

• Shortwave Direct Normal Irradiance
• Downwelling Shortwave Hemispheric Irradiance
• Downwelling Shortwave Hemispheric Near-IR (695 nm) Irradiance
• Upwelling Shortwave Hemispheric Irradiance mounted at 2 m
• ***Downwelling Longwave Hemispheric Irradiance
• ***Downwelling Pyrgeometer Case Thermistor Temperature
• ***Downwelling Pyrgeometer Dome Thermistor Temperature
• ***Upwelling Longwave Hemispheric Irradiance
• ***Upwelling Pyrgeometer Case Thermistor Temperature
• ***Upwelling Pyrgeometer Dome Thermistor Temperature
• Battery #1 Voltage

1995-07-06 / 1998-03-27:

• Shortwave Direct Normal Irradiance
• Downwelling Shortwave Hemispheric Irradiance
• Downwelling Shortwave Hemispheric Near-IR (695 nm) Irradiance
• Upwelling Shortwave Hemispheric Irradiance mounted at 2 m
• ***Downwelling Shortwave Diffuse Hemispheric Irradiance
• Downwelling Longwave Hemispheric Irradiance
• Downwelling Pyrgeometer Case Thermistor Temperature
• Downwelling Pyrgeometer Dome Thermistor Temperature
• Upwelling Longwave Hemispheric Irradiance
• Upwelling Pyrgeometer Case Thermistor Temperature
• Upwelling Pyrgeometer Dome Thermistor Temperature
• Battery #1 Voltage
• ***Sum of short_direct_normal*cos(SZA) + down_short_diffuse_hemisp

1998-03-28 / 2002-10-28:

• Shortwave Direct Normal Irradiance
• Downwelling Shortwave Hemispheric Irradiance
• Downwelling Shortwave Hemispheric Near-IR (695 nm) Irradiance
• Upwelling Shortwave Hemispheric Irradiance mounted at 2 m
• ***Upwelling Shortwave Hemispheric Irradiance mounted at 20 m
• Downwelling Shortwave Diffuse Hemispheric Irradiance
• Downwelling Longwave Hemispheric Irradiance
• Downwelling Pyrgeometer Case Thermistor Temperature
• Downwelling Pyrgeometer Dome Thermistor Temperature
• Upwelling Longwave Hemispheric Irradiance
• Upwelling Pyrgeometer Case Thermistor Temperature
• Upwelling Pyrgeometer Dome Thermistor Temperature
• Battery #1 Voltage
• Sum of short_direct_normal*cos(SZA) + down_short_diffuse_hemisp

2002-10-29 / 2003-11-27:
Note: Upwelling Shortwave Hemispheric Irradiance mounted at 20m has been removed.

• Shortwave Direct Normal Irradiance
• Downwelling Shortwave Hemispheric Irradiance
• Downwelling Shortwave Hemispheric Near-IR (695 nm) Irradiance
• Upwelling Shortwave Hemispheric Irradiance mounted at 2 m
• Downwelling Shortwave Diffuse Hemispheric Irradiance
• Downwelling Longwave Hemispheric Irradiance
• Downwelling Pyrgeometer Case Thermistor Temperature
• Downwelling Pyrgeometer Dome Thermistor Temperature
• Upwelling Longwave Hemispheric Irradiance
• Upwelling Pyrgeometer Case Thermistor Temperature
• Upwelling Pyrgeometer Dome Thermistor Temperature
• Battery #1 Voltage
• Sum of short_direct_normal*cos(SZA) + down_short_diffuse_hemisp

2003-11-28 / 2006-08-13:
Note: Upwelling data (see variables, Upwelling Shortwave Hemispheric Irradiance,Upwelling Longwave Hemispheric Irradiance, Upwelling Pyrgeometer Case Thermistor Temperature, Upwelling Pyrgeometer Dome Thermistor Temperature, including Battery #2 Voltage) is being recorded from a new albedo rack, which is at a higher location than the previous albedo rack.

• Shortwave Direct Normal Irradiance
• Downwelling Shortwave Hemispheric Irradiance
• Downwelling Shortwave Hemispheric Near-IR (695 nm) Irradiance
• Downwelling Shortwave Diffuse Hemispheric Irradiance
• Downwelling Longwave Hemispheric Irradiance
• Downwelling Pyrgeometer Case Thermistor Temperature
• Downwelling Pyrgeometer Dome Thermistor Temperature
• Battery #1 Voltage
• Sum of short_direct_normal*cos(SZA) + down_short_diffuse_hemisp
• Upwelling Shortwave Hemispheric Irradiance mounted at 2 m
• Upwelling Longwave Hemispheric Irradiance
• Upwelling Pyrgeometer Case Thermistor Temperature
• Upwelling Pyrgeometer Dome Thermistor Temperature
• Battery #2 Voltage

2006-08-13 / present:
Additional measurements Shortwave Direct Normal Irradiance and Downwelling Shortwave Diffuse Hemispheric Irradiance were added for redundancy.

• Shortwave Direct Normal Irradiance
• Shortwave Direct Normal Irradiance, redundant
• Downwelling Shortwave Hemispheric Irradiance
• Downwelling Shortwave Hemispheric Near-IR (695 nm) Irradiance
• Downwelling Shortwave Diffuse Hemispheric Irradiance
• Downwelling Shortwave Diffuse Hemispheric Irradiance, redundant
• Downwelling Longwave Hemispheric Irradiance
• Downwelling Pyrgeometer Case Thermistor Temperature
• Downwelling Pyrgeometer Dome Thermistor Temperature
• Battery #1 Voltage
• Sum of short_direct_normal*cos(SZA) + down_short_diffuse_hemisp
• Upwelling Shortwave Hemispheric Irradiance mounted at 2 m
• Upwelling Longwave Hemispheric Irradiance
• Upwelling Pyrgeometer Case Thermistor Temperature
• Upwelling Pyrgeometer Dome Thermistor Temperature
• Battery #2 Voltage

This is a sample data record for the input data file as provided by NOAA.
Sample entry for 20060801, 001000 GMT:

2006 8 1 0 10 1.77 190.79 87.40 191.29 324.03 3.98 4.15 13.21 192.31 30.79 346.92 5.65 5.58 13.5500

2006 8 1    Date, YYYY MM DD
0 10        GMT TIME, HH mm
1.77        Shortwave direct normal irradiance
190.79      Downwelling shortwave hemispheric irradiance
87.40       Downwelling shortwave hemispheric near-IR (695nm) irradiance
191.29      Downwelling shortwave diffuse hemispheric irradiance
324.03      Downwelling longwave hemispheric irradiance
3.98        Downwelling pyrgeometer Case Thermistor Temperature
4.15        Downwelling Pyrgeometer Dome Thermistor Temperature
13.21       #1 Battery Voltage
192.31      Sum of shortwave direct normal irradiance*cos(SZA) + downwelling shortwave diffuse hemispheric irradiance
30.79       Upwelling shortwave hemispheric irradiance
346.92      Upwelling Longwave Hemispheric Irradiance, Pyrgeometer
5.65        Upwelling Pyrgeometer Case Thermistor Temperature
5.58        Upwelling Pyrgeometer Dome Thermistor Temperature
13.5500     #2 Battery Voltage

Watanabe, T, T Takamatsu, TY Nakajima. 2016. “Evaluation of Variation in Surface Solar Irradiance and Clustering of Observation Stations in Japan.” Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology 55(10): 2165-2180, doi: 10.1175/jamc-d-15-0227.1