Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society ISSN:1598-6411(Print) 2508-3562(Online) 한국태양에너지학회 논문집

Clear sky indices were estimated by various ways based on in-situ observation and satellite-derived solar irradiance. In principle, clear sky index defined by clear sky solar irradiance indicates the impacts of cloud on the incoming solar irradiance. However, clear sky index widely used in energy sciences is formulated by extraterrestrial irradiance, which implies the extinction of solar irradiance due to mainly aerosol, water vapor and clouds drops. This study examined the relative difference of clear sky indices and then major characteristics of clear sky irradiance when sky is clear are investigated. Clear sky is defined when clear sky index based on clear sky irradiance is higher than 0.9. In contrast, clear sky index defined by extraterrestrial irradiance is distributed between 0.4 and 0.8. When aerosol optical depth and air mass coefficient are relative larger, solar irradiance is lower due to enhanced extinction, which leads to the lower value of clear sky index defined by extraterrestrial irradiance.