Incoming Solar Radiation over the Tropical Pacific

Abstract

THERE seems to be a much larger amount of total incoming solar radiation (direct and diffuse radiation on a horizontal surface as recorded by the Eppley pyranometer) at the ocean surface over the equatorial Pacific—and probably over much of the tropical Pacific as a whole—than has usually been thought. It also seems that the incoming solar radiation over the central and western parts of the equatorial Pacific dry zone would closely approach the extremely large amounts received over the tropical and subtropical desert areas of the continents. These statements are based on a study of recorded incoming solar radiation data for Wake and Canton Islands in relation to associated cloud distributions and also on comparisons of the long-term Canton Island cloud distribution with that of several other small islands in the central and western equatorial Pacific. (Both Wake and Canton seem to be reasonably representative marine sites by virtue of their small land areas, lack of relief and complete isolation from continental influence.)