A model for the estimation of the daily global sunshine duration from meteorological geostationary satellite data

In this research a simple model was proposed for the estimation of daily global sunshine duration and constructing spatially continous sunshine duration map from meteorological geostationary satellite sensor data. First cloud cover index and then daily mean cloud cover index value for each pixel were computed using a time-series of Meteosat C3D visible type images. The statistical relationship between daily mean cloud cover index and measured bright sunshine duration values was tested and found to be linear. Using regression parameters daily sunshine duration of each pixel was calculated and then daily sunshine duration and monthly mean daily sunshine duration maps were constructed. It was shown that, by using the suggested model it is possible to calculate daily sunshine duration values over a large area where the sunshine duration data are not available and construct spatially continious long-term sunshine duration maps.