Climate of Minnesota: Part XVI Incoming and Reflected Solar Radiation at St. Paul

Abstract

Solar radiation is the driving force for weather systems that constantly form , dissipate, and reform as they circle the globe. The same can be said for the relationship of the hydrologic cycle to solar radiation. A portion of the solar beam is collected in green matter as an integral element in photosynthesis, and, in a different form, solar energy has been stored in the coal , oil , and gas reserves of the earth. In effect, solar radiation is the essential element for all natural processes taking place on the earth. Today, the direct capture of solar radiation for heat and energy is part of a technology developing to replace or supplement the more standard energy sources of coal, oil, and gas. The objective of this study is to provide solar radiation information that is both broader and more detailed than provided in the preceding publications dealing with solar radiation in Minnesota (Baker, 1971; Baker and Klink, 1975; and Baker, 1977).