The Net Radiation Budget of the St. Louis Metropolitan Area

Abstract

Ground and aircraft measurements of the shortwave and longwave radiative components were taken to derive the daily evolution of net radiation, and each of its components, during cloudless summer days in the St. Louis metropolitan area (Project METROMEX). Distinct divisional patterns are seen in the reflected solar radiation, emitted radiation and net radiation between the urban and rural land use types. Solar noontime albedo values varied from 15?17% for rural land uses in contrast to 12?13% for most urban land uses. An extreme difference of 15 K in maximum infrared surface temperatures occurred between industrial and undeveloped land uses. These two land uses also exhibited extreme differences in net radiation. Generally, the change in reflected, emitted and net radiative components showed some correlation with the amount of vegetative coverage within each land use.