Remote Evaluation of Albedo Using Photorecording Equipment

Abstract

We developed and tested the method for determining the surface albedo using photorecording devices and solar radiation equipment. Our method is based on the utilization of commercially available measurement equipment, which allows us to correctly estimate the albedo, reducing the time spent on data collection. The calculated exposure data, parameters of the lens and photorecording devices affecting the exposure, and data on capture parameters are taken into account in the analysis of the collected photographic data to calculate the brightness of the scene. The brightness is normalized to exclude the impact of exposure metering errors. Albedo is represented as a function of the measured total solar radiation and the normalized luminance. The theoretical basics of the developed method and the results of field tests have been considered. We concluded based on the obtained results on the possibility of using the method, its further improvement and its use to collect field data.