Golubets et al. (2025) Evaluation of Cloud Fraction Data for Modelling Daily Surface Solar Radiation: Application to the Lake Baikal Region

⚠️ Warning: This summary was generated from the abstract only, as the full text was not available.

Identification

• Journal: Atmosphere
• Year: 2025
• Date: 2025-12-16
• Authors: Dmitry Golubets, N N Voropay, Egor Dyukarev, I.A. Aslamov
• DOI: 10.3390/atmos16121405

Research Groups

[Information not provided in the paper text.]

Short Summary

This study evaluates the performance of various open-access cloud cover products for modelling daily surface solar radiation (SSR) in the topographically complex Lake Baikal region. It finds that the AVHRR satellite product provides the most reliable SSR estimates, outperforming ground-based observations and reanalysis data.

Objective

• To evaluate the performance of open-access cloud cover products (from satellite sensors and ground-based observations) for modelling daily surface solar radiation (SSR) totals in topographically complex regions.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Lake Baikal region (topographically complex).
• Temporal Scale: Daily SSR totals.

Methodology and Data

• Models used: A physical radiation model.
• Data sources:
  • Satellite cloud cover products: AVHRR, MODIS.
  • Ground-based cloudiness observations.
  • In-situ surface solar radiation (SSR) measurements from 10 coastal stations (for validation).
  • ERA5 reanalysis dataset.

Main Results

• The choice of cloud data critically impacts the accuracy of surface solar radiation (SSR) models.
• The AVHRR satellite product yielded the most reliable SSR estimates, with an R² of 0.54 and a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 4.538 MJ/m².
• AVHRR significantly outperformed both ground-based cloudiness observations and the ERA5 reanalysis dataset in modelling SSR.
• Spatially continuous satellite data provide a superior representation of cloud attenuation for regional modelling compared to point-based ground observations or reanalysis.

Contributions

• Demonstrates the critical impact of cloud data choice on SSR model accuracy in complex terrain.
• Identifies the AVHRR satellite product as a superior data source for driving physical radiation models in regions with sparse ground measurements.
• Underscores the value of spatially continuous satellite data over point-based observations or reanalysis for regional cloud attenuation representation.
• Recommends a physical model driven by high-quality satellite cloud masks as an effective methodology for generating reliable SSR fields.

Funding

[Information not provided in the paper text.]

Citation

@article{Golubets2025Evaluation,
  author = {Golubets, Dmitry and Voropay, N N and Dyukarev, Egor and Aslamov, I.A.},
  title = {Evaluation of Cloud Fraction Data for Modelling Daily Surface Solar Radiation: Application to the Lake Baikal Region},
  journal = {Atmosphere},
  year = {2025},
  doi = {10.3390/atmos16121405},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos16121405}
}