A Note on the Diurnal, Latitudinal and Seasonal Variation of the Surface Reflection Coefficient

Abstract

The diurnal variation of the surface reflection coefficient is quantified using an exponential function of solar zenith angle. The coefficients of this relationship reveal the effects of surface roughness, cloud cover, and forenoon-afternoon surface changes. The relationship is used also to estimate the potential seasonal and latitudinal variation of the daily reflection coefficient. Such variation can be significant enough to incorporate into surface net radiation prediction equations.