The Influence of Atmospheric Aerosol on Solar Radiation Degradation in Each Region of Thailand

Abstract

The analyses on the influence of atmospheric aerosol using solar radiation and meteorological data, during January-December 2004 from twenty agro-meteorological and meteorological stations were carried out. The investigation was based on the comparison of solar radiation obtained from measurement. It was found that the highest monthly solar radiation due to aerosols in the atmosphere with aerosol on clear sky day amount during April was about 23 %. While the monthly average depletion of solar radiation occurred in the North, Central, North-East and South were about 21.76 %, 20.71 %, 17.16 % and 13.10% respectively. Statistical analysis by F-test comparison on the regional of solar radiation depletion was found that Northern, North-Eastern and Southern were significantly different at 95% confidence level except in the North and Central, which was found to be non-significantly different at 95%.The solar radiation depletion due to aerosols in the atmosphere during summer solstice (April-May) and rainy solstice in Thailand (July-September) indicated that the solar radiation depletion during the summer solstice was about 18 %, which was greater than the one during the rainy solstice which was about 11 % due to the forest fire during summer season.