On the calculation of solar radiation in dust-free atmospheres in Ibadan

Abstract

In an earlier work [Ideriah (1985), Solar Energy34, 271], a previous theoretical model [Ideriah (1981), Solar Energy26, 447] for calculating the direct and diffuse solar radiation was examined in detail for the harmattan haze season (November-January) of 1975–1980 at Ibadan, when the atmosphere is often heavily overcast with dust. This led to an improved method of calculating the transmission coefficients of insolation. This study extends the previous work to compute the daily global insolation received at Ibadan during the dust-free seasons (February-October) of the years 1975–1980. The calculated values of the daily global insolation generally fall within 10%, while the calculated 6-year monthly average values are largely within 6% of the experimental data provided by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (I.I.T.A.), Ibadan.