Solar Insolation (8 day)
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About this dataset
These maps show where and how much sunlight fell on Earth's surface during the time period indicated. Scientists call this measure solar insolation. Knowing how much of the Sun's energy reaches the surface helps scientists understand weather and climate patterns as well as patterns of plant growth around our world. Solar insolation maps are also useful to engineers who design solar panels and batteries designed to convert energy from the Sun into electricity to power appliances in our homes and work places.What do the colors mean?
The colors in these maps show how much sunlight (in Watts per square meter) fell on the Earth's surface during the given time period.
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1. Order the FLASHFlux Level 3 product from here: CERES Data Products
2. You will be able to select individual parameters on the "Order Data" page here
Related Websites
Further Reading
On a Clear Day
Power to the People
Global Garden Gets Greener
Winter and Summer Solstice
Climate and Earth's Energy Budget
The Arctic is Absorbing More Sunlight
Smog Smothers Solar Energy in China
Credits
Imagery produced by the NASA Earth Observations team based on FLASHFlux data. FLASHFlux data are produced using CERES observations convolved with MODIS measurements from both the Terra and Aqua satellite. Data provided by the FLASHFlux team, NASA Langley Research Center.
Federal Geographic Data Committee Geospatial Metadata
View the FGDC Metatdata for Solar Insolation (8 day)