Ground reflection

The radiation reflected back from the ground depends on the reflectivity of the ground $\rho_\text{A}$ (Albedo, the “Whiteness” – not Wisdom:) – of the ground) and the geometric conditions.

In most models, the radiation reflected from the ground to the module level is calculated as follows:

$ RTI = GHI \cdot \rho_\text{A} \cdot \frac {1}{2}\left(1- \cos \left(\gamma_M \right)\right) $

Albedo values of different surfaces

Surfaces Albedo $\rho_\text{A}$ in %
Water surfaces
Water in low sunlight 50 – 80
Water surface (angle of inclination > 10°) 22
Water surface (angle of inclination > 20°) 12
Water surface (angle of inclination > 30°) 8
Water surface (angle of inclination > 45°) 5
Rivers and lakes 5-10
Sea 3-8
Ice and snow
Fresh snow 80 – 90
Old snow 45 – 90
Glaciers 20 – 45
Sea ice 30 – 40
Rock and sand
Sandy ground 20 - 40
Dry sand and dunes 25 - 35
Rock (cliffs) 10 - 40
Vegetation
Veldt 20 - 30
Broadleaf and mixed forest of temperate latitudes 10 - 20
Tropical rain forest 10 - 20
Coniferous forest 5 - 12
Dark soil (e.g. brown earth) 5 - 10
Settlement and farming
Grassland, agricultural crops 15 - 30
Uncultivated fields 26
Lawn 18 - 23
Residential areas 15 - 20
Cropland 5 - 20
Asphalt 15

Sources

MÖLLER, Fritz, 1973. Einführung in die Meteorologie - Band 2. Bibliographisches Institut . ISBN 3411002883
SCHÖNWIESE, Christian-Dietrich, 1974. Climatology. Stuttgart: UTB. ISBN 3825217930