Abstract
Simultaneous solar total irradiance observations performed by absolute radiometers on board satellites during the quiet-Sun period between solar cycles 21 and 22 (1985–1987), are analyzed to determine the solar total irradiance at 1 AU for the solar minimum. During the quiet-Sun period the total solar irradiance, UV irradiance, and the various solar activity indices show very little fluctuation. However, the absolute value of the solar total irradiance derived from the observations differ within the accuracy of the radiometers used in the measurements. Therefore, the question often arises about a reference value of the solar total irradiance for use in climate models and for computation of geophysical, and atmospheric parameters. This research is conducted as a part of the Solar Electromagnetic Radiation Study for Solar Cycle 22 (SOLERS22). On the basis of the study we recommended a reference value of 1367.0 ± 0.04 W m-2 for the solar total irradiance at 1 AU for a truly quiet Sun. We also find that the total solar irradiance data for the quiet-Sun period reveals strong short-term irradiance variations.
Paper presented at the SOLERS22 International Workshop, held at the National Solar Observatory, Sacramento Peak, Sunspot, New Mexico, USA, June 17–21, 1996.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Bouwer, S. D.: 1992, Solar Phys. 142, 365.
Brandt, P. N., Stix, M., and Weinhardt, H.: 1994, Solar Phys. 152, 119.
Brusa, R. W. and Fröhlich, C.: 1986, Appl Optics, 25, 4173.
Chao, B. F., Merriam, J. B., and Tamura, Y.: 1995, Geophys. J. Int. 122, 765.
Donnelly, R. F. and Puga, L.: 1990, Solar Phys. 130, 369.
Donnelly, R. F., Harvey, J. W., Heath, D. F., and Kepoff, T. P.: 1985, J. Geophys. Res. 90, 6267.
Foukal, P. A. and Lean, J. L.: 1988, Astrophys. J. 328, 347.
Foukal, P. A. and Lean, J. L.: 1986, Astrophys. J. 302, 826.
Foukal, P. A. and Lean, J. L.: 1990, Science 247, 505.
Fröhlich, C. and Pap, J. M..: 1989, Astron. Astrophys. 220, 272.
Fröhlich, C., Pap, J. M., and Hudson, H. S.: 1994, Solar Phys. 152, 111.
Harvey, K. L.: 1994, in J. M. Pap, C. Fröhlich, H. S. Hudson, and S. K. Solankii (eds), The Sun as a Variable Star: Solar and Stellar Irradiance Variations, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, p. 217.
Hickey, J. R., Alton, B. M., Kyle, H. L;, and Hoyt, D. V.: 1988, Space Sci. Rev. 48, 321.
Hoyt, D. V., Kyle, H. L., Hickey, J. R., and Maschoff, R. H.: 1992, J. Geophys. Res. 97, 51.
Hudson, H. S., Silva, S., Woodward, M., and Willson, R. C.: 1982, Solar Phys. 76, 211.
Kuhn, J. R., Libbrecht, K., and Dicke, R. H.: 1988, Science 242, 908.
Kyle, H. L., Hoyt, D. V., and Hickey, J. R.: 1994, Solar Phys. 152, 9.
Lean, J. and Foukal, P.: 1988, Science 240, 906.
Lee, R. B., III, Barkstrom, B. R., and Cess, R. D.: 1987, Appl Optics 26, 3090.
Lee, R. B., III, Gibson, M. A., Wilson, R. S., and Thomas, S.: 1995, J. Geophys. Res. 100, 1667.
Livingston, W. C., Wallace, L., and White, O. R.: 1988, Science 240, 1765.
Mecherikunnel, A. T.: 1994, Solar Phys. 155, 211.
Mecherikunnel, A. T.: 1996, J. Geophys. Res. 101, 17073.
Pap, J. M..: 1985, Solar Phys. 97, 21.
Pap, J. M. and Fröhlich, C.: 1992, in R. R Donnelly (ed.), Proc. Solar Electromagnetic Radiation Study for Solar Cycle 22, SEL NOAA ERL, Boulder, p. 62.
Pap, J. M., Vigouroux, A., and Delache, P.: 1996, Solar Phys. 167, 125.
Pap, J. M., Willson, R. C., Fröhlich, C., Donnelly, R. E, and Puga, L.: 1994, Solar Phys. 152, 13.
Ribes, E., Mein, P., and Mangeney, A.: 1985, Nature 318, 170.
Sivaraman, K. R., Gupta, S. S., and Kariyappa, R.: 1996, Solar Phys. 163, 93.
Willson, R. C.: 1982, J. Geophys.Res. 87, 4319.
Willson, R. C.: 1984, Space Sci. Rev. 38, 203.
Willson, R. C.: 1994, in J. M. Pap, C. Fröhlich, H. S. Hudson, and S. K. Solankii (eds), The Sun as a Variable Star: Solar and Stellar Irradiance Variations, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, p. 54.
Willson, R. C. and Hudson, H. S.: 1988, Nature 332, 810.
Willson, R. C. and Hudson, H. S.: 1991, Nature 351, 42.
Willson, R. C., Gulkis, S., Janssen, M., Hudson, H. S., and Chapman, G. A.: 1981, Science 211, 700.
Wolf, C. L.: 1984, Solar Phys. 93, 1.
Woodward, M. and Hudson, H. S.: 1983, Nature 305, 589.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1998 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
About this paper
Cite this paper
Mecherikunnel, A.T. (1998). Solar Total Irradiance: A Reference Value for Solar Minimum. In: Pap, J.M., Fröhlich, C., Ulrich, R.K. (eds) Solar Electromagnetic Radiation Study for Solar Cycle 22. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-5000-2_2
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-5000-2_2
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-010-6099-8
Online ISBN: 978-94-011-5000-2
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive