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Statistical representation of mountain shading
Centre for Glaciology, Institute of Geography and Earth Sciences, University of Wales, Aberystwyth SY23 3DB, UK
Email for author: rie@aber.ac.uk
Abstract. Shadows cast by the mountains themselves have a strong influence on the surface energy balance of mountainous regions. If the influence of shadows is to be included on sub-grid scales in a surface energy balance model, a statistical representation has to be used. Slope components calculated from digital elevation models of areas in North Wales and the French Alps are found to have double-exponential distributions. From this result, expressions are developed for the fractions of the areas that will be either self-shaded or shaded by remote topography as functions of solar elevation and time of day. These expressions are in good agreement with results from a terrain shading model.
Keywords: solar radiation, topography, surface energy balance, statistical parameterisation
Final Revised Paper (PDF, 637 KB)
Citation: Essery, R.: Statistical representation of mountain shading, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 8, 1047-1052, 2004. Bibtex EndNote Reference Manager
