A satellite stand-alone procedure for deriving net radiation by using SEVIRI and MODIS products

In this study, a new stand-alone satellite approach for the estimation of net surface radiation (Rn) has been implemented and validated for the Italian territory. The method uses the MODIS and MSG-SEVIRI time series products and it is independent of the use of ancillary data (i.e. ground measurements). A database of daily measurements of Rn, provided by 9 stations of the FLUXNET network, was used to validate the method in different ecological scenarios in the period 2010-12. The Rn modelled by the proposed approach and the corresponding FLUXNET measurements were in good agreement, with RMSE and R2 of 19.8Wm−2 and 0.87, respectively, at 8-days scale, and 23.3Wm−2 and 0.92, respectively, at daily scale. Therefore, the proposed approach can be considered effective for the estimation of spatial and temporal variability of Rn, which is a key variable related to the management of water resources, agriculture, ecology and climate change.