Aircraft and Ground-based Measurements of Spectral Solar Radiation
Sebastian Schmidt1 [Sebastian.Schmidt@lasp.colorado.edu], Peter Pilewskie1,2, Odele
Coddington1, and Shi Song2
1
2
LASP, Univ. of Colorado, Boulder
Dept of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, Univ. of Colorado, Boulder
Our understanding of how solar energy is distributed and deposited on our planet has
benefitted from global satellite data. Yet these data are also incomplete for two reasons: (1)
Current space-borne instruments are either limited to a few wavelengths, or they integrate over a
broad wavelength range and therefore miss potentially important details in the radiative
processes involving atmospheric constituents and the surface. We show a few examples where
aircraft observations of spectral solar radiation have helped to fill this gap. (2) The derivation of
the surface radiation budget from top-of-atmosphere observations requires a number of
assumptions and parameterizations. Since a significant portion of the solar energy is absorbed
by the surface, it would be desirable to extend current ground-based spectral measurements since
they offer a different perspective on clouds and aerosols in particular, as we show. Finally, we
discuss the role that ground-based and airborne spectrally resolved observations could play in
reconciling the view from above with that from within or below the atmosphere.