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This paper presents a proposed method for predicting the transmittance of aerosol in the atmosphere for solar radiation models. The results from the application of the developed expression have been used to check its consistency with that of a universal direct solar transmittance model due to King and Buckius (1979) for ‘clear atmosphere' and ‘haze atmosphere' conditions. The trends in the variations of the two models are identical but the disparity in the magnitudes of the transmittances tends to widen with increasing value of air mass under the specified conditions, particularly for air masses 20. Appropriate reasons have been given for the observed differences. It is proposed that the developed model may be relevant for the prediction of the transmittances of gases at different strata of the atmosphere for solar radiation models, provided the ‘scaled heights' of the gases are known.


KEY WORDS: Transmittance, atmospheric aerosols, clear atmosphere, haze atmosphere, scaled heights.


Global Jnl of Pure and Applied Sciences Vol.10(4) 2004: 619-622