What is solar radiation?

Solar radiation is the radiant (electromagnetic) energy from the sun. It provides light and heat to the Earth and energy for photosynthesis. This radiant energy is necessary for the metabolism of the environment and its inhabitants. The three related bands or ranges along the solar radiation spectrum are ultraviolet, visible light (PAR), and infrared. Infrared radiation accounts for 49.4 percent of the light that reaches the Earth’s surface, while visible light accounts for 42.3 percent. Ultraviolet radiation accounts for just over 8 percent of the sun’s total radiation. Each of these bands has a different impact on the environment. Most of the solar radiation reaching Earth consists of visible and infrared light. Only a small amount of UV radiation reaches the surface. Solar radiation sensors can better aid monitoring.

The amount and intensity of solar radiation received by a location or body of water depends on a variety of factors. These include latitude, season, time of day, cloud cover and altitude. Not all radiation from the sun reaches the Earth’s surface. Much of it is absorbed, reflected or scattered in the atmosphere. At the surface, solar energy can be absorbed directly from the sun, known as direct radiation, or from light scattered as it enters the atmosphere, known as indirect radiation.

How do you measure solar radiation?

Peak-to-peak wavelength periods are measured in nanometers (nm). The shorter the wavelength, the more energy it has. Blue light has more energy than red light. Solar radiation is measured in wavelength or frequency. When light travels as a wave, the wavelength is defined as the distance between peaks, measured in nanometers (nm). Frequency is defined as wavelength period per second, expressed in Hertz (Hz). Shorter wavelengths produce higher frequencies. Similarly, the longer the wavelength, the longer it takes to complete a cycle, resulting in lower frequencies.

The energy of a wavelength decreases with increasing frequency and with increasing wavelength. In other words, shorter wavelengths are more powerful than longer ones. This means that ultraviolet radiation is more energetic than infrared radiation. Because of this extra energy, shorter wavelengths tend to do more damage than longer ones. The more energy a wavelength has, the easier it is to destroy the molecules that absorb it. Ultraviolet light (the highest energy) causes damage to DNA and other important cellular structures.

Why are solar and photosynthetically active radiation important?

Solar radiation provides heat, light and energy for all living organisms. Infrared radiation provides heat for all habitats on land and in water. Without solar radiation, the Earth’s surface would be about 32°C cooler. Solar radiation provides heat and light necessary for life on Earth. Photosynthetically active radiation is the band that provides energy for photosynthesis. Light is also provided by solar radiation. Without light from the sun, predators will not be able to hunt prey effectively, and prey will not be able to take advantage of dark areas if predators adapt to dark habitats. The human eye is adapted to the visible spectrum, but in addition to color, some other species can see ultraviolet light.

The level of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) received by an area is particularly important. This is because different plants respond to different wavelengths of PAR. Most plants reflect green wavelengths while absorbing the rest of the visible spectrum. In addition, shade plants responded to lower levels of PAR, while sunward plants harvested PAR more efficiently at higher light levels. In other words, as solar irradiance (intensity) increases, the photosynthetic rate of sunward plants is higher. The leaves of sunward plants are small and thick, and special cells allow for these higher rates. Shade plants perform photosynthesis at lower levels of radiation intensity. Their leaves are thinner, longer, and contain fewer chlorophyll cells. This allows photosynthesis to occur more easily in low-light conditions.

Although the main benefit of photosynthesis is to provide energy for plants, it has other important consequences. Oxygen is a byproduct of photosynthesis. The process ensures that more oxygen is produced than is consumed by organisms in the surrounding environment. If photosynthesis doesn’t produce enough dissolved oxygen underwater, it can create anoxic conditions that make it impossible for fish and other organisms to survive. Photosynthesis also consumes carbon dioxide, which lowers carbon dioxide levels in the air and water.

JXCT Solar Radiation Sensor

The core device of the total solar radiation sensor (transmitter) is a high-precision photosensitive element, which has good stability and high precision. At the same time, a quartz glass cover made of precision optical cold processing is installed outside the sensing element. Effectively prevent the impact of environmental factors on its performance. The product can be widely used in meteorology, energy, agriculture, construction and other fields.

The illuminance sensor is a light-precision photosensitive sensor, and the output value measurement unit is Lux. The equipment adopts a waterproof shell, wall-mounted installation, and has a high degree of protection. Optional 4-20mA/0-10V/0-5V multiple analog output signals. The product power supply is 12-24V. The illuminance sensor is mainly used in agricultural greenhouses, flower cultivation greenhouses, farmland, electronic equipment production lines, etc. Monitoring occasions.