Standard Tables for Reference Solar Spectral Irradiances: Direct Normal and Hemispherical on 37° Tilted Surface

SCOPE
1.1 These tables contain terrestrial solar spectral irradiance distributions for use in terrestrial applications that require a standard reference spectral irradiance for hemispherical solar irradiance (consisting of both direct and diffuse components) incident on a sun-facing, 37° tilted surface or the direct normal spectral irradiance. The data contained in these tables reflect reference spectra with uniform wavelength interval (0.5 nanometer (nm) below 400 nm, 1 nm between 400 and 1700 nm, an intermediate wavelength at 1702 nm, and 5 nm intervals from 1705 to 4000 nm). The data tables represent reasonable cloudless atmospheric conditions favorable for photovoltaic (PV) energy production, as well as weathering and durability exposure applications.
1.2 The 37 slope of the sun-facing tilted surface was chosen to represent the average latitude of the 48 contiguous United States. A wide variety of orientations is possible for exposed surfaces. The availability of the SMARTS model (as an adjunct to this standard) used to generate the standard spectra allows users to evaluate differences relative to the surface specified here.
1.3 The air mass and atmospheric extinction parameters are chosen to provide (1) historical continuity with respect to previous standard spectra, (2) reasonable cloudless atmospheric conditions favorable for photovoltaic (PV) energy production or weathering and durability exposure, based upon modern broadband solar radiation data, atmospheric profiles, and improved knowledge of aerosol optical depth profiles. In nature, an extremely large range of atmospheric conditions can be encountered even under cloudless skies. Considerable departure from the reference spectra may be observed depending on time of day, geographical location, and changing atmospheric conditions. The availability of the SMARTS model (as an adjunct to this standard) used to generate the standard spectra allows users to evaluate spectral differences relative to the spectra specified here.

General Information

Status
Historical
Publication Date
09-Jan-2003
Drafting Committee
Current Stage
Ref Project

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ASTM G173-03e1 - Standard Tables for Reference Solar Spectral Irradiances: Direct Normal and Hemispherical on 37° Tilted Surface
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NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
e1
Designation:G173–03
Standard Tables for
Reference Solar Spectral Irradiances: Direct Normal and
1
Hemispherical on 37° Tilted Surface
This standard is issued under the fixed designation G173; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision.Anumber in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1
e NOTE—The reference to ADJG0173CD was added editorially in March 2006.
INTRODUCTION
A wide variety of solar spectral energy distributions occur in the natural environment and are
simulatedbyartificialsourcesduringproduct,material,orcomponenttesting.Tocomparetherelative
optical performance of spectrally sensitive products a reference standard solar spectral distribution is
required. These tables replaceASTM standard G159, which has been withdrawn. The solar spectral
energydistributionpresentedinthisstandardarenotintendedasabenchmarkforultravioletradiation
in weathering exposure testing of materials. The spectra are based on version 2.9.2 of the Simple
Model of theAtmospheric RadiativeTransfer of Sunshine (SMARTS) atmospheric transmission code
2
(1,2). SMARTS uses empirical parameterizations of version 4.0 of the Air Force Geophysical
Laboratory (AFGL) Moderate Resolution Transmission model, MODTRAN (3,4) for some gaseous
absorption processes, and recent spectroscopic data for others. An extraterrestrial spectrum differing
only slightly from the extraterrestrial spectrum in ASTM E490 is used to calculate the resultant
spectra (5). The hemispherical tilted spectrum is similar to the hemispherical spectrum in use since
1987,butdiffersfromitbecause:(1)thewavelengthrangeforthecurrentspectrumhasbeenextended
deeper into the ultraviolet; (2) uniform wavelength intervals are now used; (3) more representative
atmospheric conditions are represented,; and (4) SMARTS Version 2.9.2 has been used as the
generating model. For the same reasons, and particularly the adoption of a remarkably less turbid
atmospherethanbefore,significantdifferencesexistinthereferencedirectnormalspectrumcompared
to previous versions of this standard.The input parameters used in conjunction with SMARTS for the
selected atmospheric conditions are tabulated. The SMARTS model and documentation are available
3
as an adjunct (ADJG0173 ) to this standard.
1. Scope from 1705 to 4000 nm). The data tables represent reasonable
cloudless atmospheric conditions favorable for photovoltaic
1.1 These tables contain terrestrial solar spectral irradiance
(PV) energy production, as well as weathering and durability
distributions for use in terrestrial applications that require a
exposure applications.
standard reference spectral irradiance for hemispherical solar
1.2 The 37° slope of the sun-facing tilted surface was
irradiance (consisting of both direct and diffuse components)
chosen to represent the average latitude of the 48 contiguous
incidentonasun-facing,37°tiltedsurfaceorthedirectnormal
United States. A wide variety of orientations is possible for
spectral irradiance. The data contained in these tables reflect
exposed surfaces. The availability of the SMARTS model (as
reference spectra with uniform wavelength interval (0.5 na-
3
an adjunct, ADJG0173CD ) to this standard) used to generate
nometer (nm) below 400 nm, 1 nm between 400 and 1700 nm,
the standard spectra allows users to evaluate differences
an intermediate wavelength at 1702 nm, and 5 nm intervals
relative to the surface specified here.
1.3 The air mass and atmospheric extinction parameters are
1
ThesetablesareunderthejurisdictionofASTMCommitteeG03onWeathering
chosen to provide (1) historical continuity with respect to
and Durability and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee G03.09 on
previous standard spectra, (2) reasonable cloudless atmo-
Radiometry.
spheric conditions favorable for photovoltaic (PV) energy
Current edition approved Jan. 10, 2003. Published April 2003.
2
Theboldfacenumbersinparenthesesrefertothelistofreferencesattheendof
production or weathering and durability exposure, based upon
this standard.
modern broadband solar radiation data, atmospheric profiles,
3
Available from ASTM International Headquarters. Order Adjunct No.
and improved knowledge of aerosol optical depth profiles. In
ADJG0173CD.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
1

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e1
G173–03
nature,anextremelylargerangeofatmosphericconditionscan field of view of a tilted plane from the portion of the sky dome
be encountered even under cloudless skies. Considerable and the foreground included in the plane’s field of view,
departure from the referen
...

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