Variability of surface solar irradiance and aerosol optical depth during partial solar eclipse of January 4, 2011 in Kishinev, Moldova

Abstract

Variation of surface solar irradiance and aerosol optical depth (AOD) during the partial solar eclipse on January 4, 2011 is analyzed on the basis of the ground observations at the Kishinev (Chisinau) site. Maximum of magnitude of the eclipse obscuration was 0.701. Evaluations of reduction of solar irradiance or "dimming" effect are derived. "Dimming" effect at the maximum magnitude of the solar eclipse was defined as the ratio of measured values of solar irradiance to the values estimated in the absence of the eclipse and it was 77.9% for global UV-B radiation and 73.6% for global solar radiation (280-3000 nm), respectively. The reduction in solar irradiance due to the solar eclipse event ranged from 36.5% to 41.7% for partial sums during the period of eclipse and from 17.2% to 19.6 % for daily totals. The existence of non-uniform variability of the derivative of the function of solar irradiance on time in the course of the solar eclipse was shown.