Published in

European Geosciences Union, Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 6(8), p. 1047-1052, 2004

DOI: 10.5194/hess-8-1047-2004

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Statistical representation of mountain shading

Journal article published in 2004 by R. Essery ORCID
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

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Abstract

Abstract. Shadows cast by the mountains themselves have a strong influence on the surface energy balance of mountainous regions. If the influence of shadows is to be included on sub-grid scales in a surface energy balance model, a statistical representation has to be used. Slope components calculated from digital elevation models of areas in North Wales and the French Alps are found to have double-exponential distributions. From this result, expressions are developed for the fractions of the areas that will be either self-shaded or shaded by remote topography as functions of solar elevation and time of day. These expressions are in good agreement with results from a terrain shading model. Keywords: solar radiation, topography, surface energy balance, statistical parameterisation