Solar Radiation

The continuity equation relates average daily solar radiation adjusted for wet or dry conditions to the average daily solar radiation for the month:

μradmondaystot=μWradmondayswet+μDradmondaysdry\mu rad_{mon}*days_{tot}=\mu Wrad_{mon}*days_{wet}+\mu Drad_{mon}*days_{dry} 1:3.4.19

where μradmon\mu rad_{mon} is the average daily solar radiation for the month (MJ m2^{-2}), daystotdays_{tot} are the total number of days in the month, μWradmon\mu Wrad_{mon} is the average daily solar radiation of the month on wet days (MJ m2^{-2}), dayswetdays_{wet} are the number of wet days in the month, μDradmon\mu Drad_{mon}is the average daily solar radiation of the month on dry days (MJ m2^{-2}), and daysdrydays_{dry} are the number of dry days in the month.

The wet day average solar radiation is assumed to be less than the dry day average solar radiation by some fraction:

μWradmon=bRμDradmon\mu Wrad_{mon}=b_R*\mu Drad_{mon} 1:3.4.20

where μWradmon\mu Wrad_{mon} is the average daily solar radiation of the month on wet days (MJ m2^{-2}), μDradmon\mu Drad_{mon} is the average daily solar radiation of the month on dry days (MJ m2^{-2}), and bRb_R is a scaling factor that controls the degree of deviation in solar radiation caused by the presence or absence of precipitation. The scaling factor, bRb_R, is set to 0.5 in SWAT+.

To calculate the dry day average solar radiation, equations 1:3.4.19 and 1:3.4.20 are combined and solved for μDradmon\mu Drad_{mon}:

μDradmon=μradmondaystotbRdayswet+daysdry\mu Drad_{mon}=\frac{\mu rad_{mon}*days_{tot}}{b_R*days_{wet}+days_{dry}} 1:3.4.21

Incorporating the modified values into equation 1:3.4.12, SWAT+ calculated the solar radiation on a wet day using the equation:

Hday=μWradmon+χi(3)σradmonH_{day}=\mu Wrad_{mon}+\chi_i(3)*\sigma rad_{mon} 1:3.4.22

and the solar radiation on a dry day using the equation:

Hday=μDradmon+χi(3)σradmonH_{day}=\mu Drad_{mon}+\chi_i(3)*\sigma rad_{mon} 1:3.4.23

Table 1:3-4: SWAT+ input variables that pertain to generation of temperature and solar radiation.

Variable NameDefinitionFile Name

TMPSIM

Temperature input code: 1-measured, 2-generated

file.cio

SLRSIM

Solar radiation input code: 1-measured, 2-generated

file.cio

TMPMX(mon)

μmxmon\mu mx_{mon}: average maximum air temperature for month (°C)

.wgn

TMPSTDMX(mon)

σmxmon\sigma mx_{mon}: standard deviation for maximum air temperature in month (°C)

.wgn

TMPMN(mon)

μmnmon\mu mn_{mon}: average minimum air temperature for month (°C)

.wgn

TMPSTDMN(mon)

σmnmon\sigma mn_{mon}: standard deviation for minimum air temperature in month (°C)

.wgn

SOLARAV(mon)

μradmon\mu rad_{mon}: average daily solar radiation for month (MJ m2^{-2})

.wgn

PCPD(mon)

dayswetdays_{wet}: average number of days of precipitation in month

.wgn

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