Irradiance- amount of electromagnetic energy incident on a surface per unit time

per unit area

Solar constant- (Isc) the rate at which solar radiation strikes earth s upper atmo
sphere is called solar constant.
Insolation- rate at which direct solar radiation is incident upon a unit horizon
tal surface at any point or above the surface of earth is called insolation
Radiosity- rate at which radiant energy leaves a surface per unit area by combin
ed emission, reflection & transmission.
Emissive power- .... by emission only.
Poles of earth- ends of axis of rotation of earth are called poles. One is north
& south.
Earth s equator- it is an imaginary great circle normal to earth s axis dividing the
distance bet earth s poles along its surface into two equal parts. 2 hemispheres
northern & southern.
Meridian- its necessary to select some reference location on earth for helping i
n locating a particular position. Location of royal observatory Greenwich, Londo
n, has been universally accepted as reference point. Any imaginary great circle
passing through this point and the 2 poles, intersecting the equator at right an
gles is called prime meridian.
Longitude- angular distance of location, measured east or west from prime meridi
an
Latitude(Q)- angle made by the radial line joining the location of centre of ear
th with the projection of line on equatorial plane. Vary from -90 to +90. Northe
rn hemisphere is positive
Hour angle(w)- angle through which earth must be rotated to bring the meridian o
f plane directly under the sun. Other words, angular displacement of sun east or
west of local meridian, due to rotation of earth on its axis at an angle 15 per
hour.
Declination(d)- angle made by line joining the centres of sun & earth with its p
rojection on equatorial plane. maximum value 23.5 degree on june 21 to minimum v
alue -23.5 on dec 21.
d=23.45 sin[(360 x (284+n)/365)]
where n is no. of days in year.
Altitude angle(a)- vertical angle bet projection of sun s rays on horizontal plane
and direction of sun s rays.
Zenith angle(Z)- complementary angle of sun s latitude angle. It is vertical angle
bet sun s rays and a line perp to horizontal plane through the pt.
?Z=p/2-a
Slope(ß)- angle bet plane surface under consideration and horizontal. Positive for
surface sloping towards south and negative for north.
surface azimuth angle(y)- angle in horizontal plane bet line due south and proje
ction of normal to surface on horizontal plane. Negative for northern hemisphere
and positive for southern.
Solar azimuth angle(Ys)- ..... south and projection of beam radiation on horizon
tal plane. It gives dir of shadow cast in horizontal plane by a vertical rod.
CosQ = sinQ (sind cosß + cosd cosy cosw sinß) + cosQ (cosd cosw cosß sind cosy sinß) + c
osd siny sinw sinß