Date of Award:

5-1970

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Science (MS)

Department:

Plants, Soils, and Climate

Department name when degree awarded

Soils and Meteorology

Committee Chair(s)

Inge Dirmhirn

Committee

Inge Dirmhirn

Committee

Ronald John Hanks

Committee

Gaylen L. Ashcroft

Abstract

The radiation climate of Cache Valley was established from the continuous recordings of global and diffuse sky radiation at Utah State University campus from June 1968 to July 1969 and August 1968 to July 1969, respectively. The influence of topographic features during summer and winter conditions at seven representative locations running on an east-west direction across the valley were determined by making short term measurements on clear days.

A comparison of the clear day average global radiation on approximate dates of the same solar declination shows higher values during late winter and spring than the values during late summer and autumn. This is mainly the influence of the higher atmospheric water vapor during the warmer months. An interesting fact is, that not only the direct, but also the scattered radiation shows higher values during the spring months. This is caused by additional reflection from the snow-covered mountain slopes . In the curve showing the distribution of the diffuse sky radiation on completely cloudy days, the effect of the multiple reflection between the ground surface and the bases of clouds is very prominent in the period when there is snow on the ground.

sky radiation at Utah State University campus and to study the local influences of local topography on the receipt of global and diffuse sky radiation at various locations across the valley on an east-west direction by making short term measurements under summer and winter conditions .

In a mountain valley like Cache Valley, the difference in climate between the two opposite sides can largely be attributed to differences in the amounts of radiation received. This study was conducted on a scale where the incoming solar radiation may be influenced by topographic features.

Checksum

c16139a42ecef3c1829559bd00891939

Included in

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