• Atmosphere
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.1-14
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• 2008

The cloud amount, one of the basic parameter in atmospheric observation, have been observed by naked eyes of observers, which is affected by the subjective view. In order to ensure reliable and objective observation, a new algorithm to retrieve cloud amount was constructed using true color images composed of red, green and blue (RGB). The true color image is obtained by the Skyview, an all-sky imager taking pictures of sky, at the Science Building of Yonsei University, Seoul for a year in 2006. The principle of distinguishing clear sky from cloudy sky lies in the fact that the spectral characteristics of light scattering is different for air molecules and cloud. The result of Skyview's algorithm showed about 77% agreement between the observed cloud amount and the calculated, for the error range, the difference between calculated and observed cloudiness, within ${\pm}2$. Seasonally, the best accuracy of about 83% was obtained within ${\pm}2$ range in summer when the cloud amounts are higher, thus better signal-to-noise ratio. Furthermore, as the sky turbidity increased, the error also increased because of increased scattering which can explain the large error in spring. The algorithm still need to be improved in classifying sky condition more systematically with other complimentary instruments to discriminate thin cloud from haze to reduce errors in detecting clouds.

• Atmosphere
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.131-142
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• 2011

Spectral solar irradiances were observed using a visible and UV Multi-Filter Rotating Shadowband Radiometer on the rooftop of the Science Building at Yonsei University, Seoul ($37.57^{\circ}N$, $126.98^{\circ}E$, 86 m) during one year period in 2006. 1-min measurements of global(total) and diffuse solar irradiances over the solar zenith angle (SZA) ranges from $20^{\circ}$ to $70^{\circ}$ were used to examine the effects of clouds and total optical depth (TOD) on enhancing four solar irradiance components (broadband 395-955 nm, UV channel 304.5 nm, visible channel 495.2 nm, and infrared channel 869.2 nm) together with the sky camera images for the assessment of cloud conditions at the time of each measurement. The obtained clear-sky irradiance measurements were used for empirical model of clear-sky irradiance with the cosine of the solar zenith angle (SZA) as an independent variable. These developed models produce continuous estimates of global and diffuse solar irradiances for clear sky. Then, the clear-sky irradiances are used to estimate the effects of clouds and TOD on the enhancement of surface solar irradiance as a difference between the measured and the estimated clear-sky values. It was found that the enhancements occur at TODs less than 1.0 (i.e. transmissivity greater than 37%) when solar disk was not obscured or obscured by optically thin clouds. Although the TOD is less than 1.0, the probability of the occurrence for the enhancements shows 50~65% depending on four different solar radiation components with the low UV irradiance. The cumulus types such as stratoculmus and altoculumus were found to produce localized enhancement of broadband global solar irradiance of up to 36.0% at TOD of 0.43 under overcast skies (cloud cover 90%) when direct solar beam was unobstructed through the broken clouds. However, those same type clouds were found to attenuate up to 80% of the incoming global solar irradiance at TOD of about 7.0. The maximum global UV enhancement was only 3.8% which is much lower than those of other three solar components because of the light scattering efficiency of cloud drops. It was shown that the most of the enhancements occurred under cloud cover from 40 to 90%. The broadband global enhancement greater than 20% occurred for SZAs ranging from 28 to $62^{\circ}$. The broadband diffuse irradiance has been increased up to 467.8% (TOD 0.34) by clouds. In the case of channel 869.0 nm, the maximum diffuse enhancement was 609.5%. Thus, it is required to measure irradiance for various cloud conditions in order to obtain climatological values, to trace the differences among cloud types, and to eventually estimate the influence on solar irradiance by cloud characteristics.