SunEarth Geometric Relationship

The amount and intensity of solar radiation reaching the Earth s surface depends on the geometric relationship of the Earth with respect to the Sun. Figure 2.1 shows this geometric relationship and its effects for different seasons in both hemispheres. The position of the Sun, at any moment at any place on Earth, can be estimated by two types of calculations: first, by simple equations where the inputs are the day of the year, time, latitude, and longitude, and, secondly, by calculations through complex algorithms providing the exact position of the Sun. Mostly, such algorithms are valid for a limited period varying from 15 to 100 years; the best uncertainties achieved are greater than }0.01 (Blanco-Muriel et al. 2001; Michalsky 1988). Ibrahim and Afshin (2004) summarized a stepbystep procedure for implementing an algorithm developed by Meeus (1998) to calculate the solar angles in the period from the years 2000 B.C. to 6000 A.D. for which uncertainties of }0.0003 were accomplished. This chapter includes only calculations from geometry in order to understand the nature of the variant incoming solar radiation.
8 Solar Energy: Renewable Energy and the Environment

2.2.1 EarthSun Distance

The Earth has a diameter of 12.7 103 km, which is approximately 110 times less than the Sun s. The Earth orbits approximately once around the Sun every 365 days. The Earth s orbits eccentricity is very small, about 0.0167, which causes the elliptical path to be nearly circular. The elliptical path of the Earth varies from 14.7 107 km in early Januarythe closest distance to the Sun, called perihelionto 15.2 107 km in early Julythe farthest distance, called aphelion. The average EarthSun distance of 14.9 107 km is defined as the astronomical unit (AU), which is used for calculating distances within the solar system. However, the Earth is about 4% closer to the Sun at the perihelion than the aphelion. The Sun subtends an angle of 32 on the Earth at a 1 AU distance. Equation 2.1 (derived by Spencer, 1971, in terms of Fourier series) gives the Earth Sun distance (E0) in astronomical units with a maximum error of }0.0001.
E r r 0=

0 2

= + +

1.000110 0.03422cos 0.00128 0 000719 2 0000077 2 sin . cos . sin + + +

(2.1) where r0 is equal to 1 AU, r is the EarthSun distance, is the daily angle in radians given as
2 1 365 n , (2.2)

and n is the day of the year (1 n 365) and can be calculated from Table 2.1. A less complex expression for E0 was proposed by Duffie and Beckman (1991). Slight differences are found between both equations; for simplicity, calculations within this text use Equation 2.3.
NH Northern Hemisphere December solstice Winter in NH Summer in SH Perihelion (early January) March equinox Spring in NH Fall in SH September equinox Fall in NH Spring in SH Earth Sun Aphelion (early July) June solstice Summer in NH Winter in SH 32' 1 AU = 14.9107 km 13.9105 km 12.7103 km 15.2107 km 14.7107 km 23.45 23.45 23.45 23.45 Sun SH Southern Hemisphere

Figure 2.1 EarthSun geometric relationships.