Diffuse sky radiation

The radiation emitted from a radiation source of electromagnetic radiation, when it meets an obstacle during its propagation, reflected, absorbed / re-emitted, scattered, diffracted or refracted. The result of the uneven changes in the propagation direction, beam intensity, wavelength and / or frequency radiation is usually referred to as diffuse radiation and diffuse radiation or scattered radiation. Must be distinguished from the direct radiation.

In the special case of the radiation budget of the Earth this is called diffuse solar radiation or sky radiation, so that part of the incoming solar radiation on the earth's surface and global radiation, which interacted with the Earth's atmosphere. Since the diffuse sunlight has in comparison to the so-called direct sunlight long wavelengths, they are referred to as long-wave solar radiation. This term, however, is inaccurate and should not be used.

The diffuse and direct sky radiation can be measured with an actinometer.

• Radiation
• Meteorological size