Clear-sky atmospheric radiative transfer : a model intercomparison for shortwave irradiances

Abstract

This study consists of an intercomparison of clear-sky shortwave irradiances calculated by the Doubling Adding model of KNMI (DAK) and the Simple Model of the Atmospheric Radiative Transfer of Sunshine (SMARTS). The DAK and SMARTS models are run with identical input (state profiles, water vapour, ozone, aerosols, etc.) and the differences between the models are examined in terms of broadband shortwave irradiances as a function of solar zenithangle. The DAK and SMARTS models agree very well. For a pure Rayleigh atmosphere the differences in the irradiances are less than 5 W/m2. For cases with aerosols the differences of the irradiances are within 10 W/m2.