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NOAA Climate Data Record (CDR) of Total Solar Irradiance (TSI), NRLTSI Version 2

Total Solar Irradiance

browse graphic30 years of the 133+ year record of daily-averaged Total Solar Irradiance (TSI) produced for this Climate Data Record (CDR) (dark green) and its comparison to contemporary TSI measurements by the NASA SORCE mission.
This Climate Data Record (CDR) contains total solar irradiance (TSI) as a function of time created with the Naval Research Laboratory model for spectral and total irradiance (version 2). Total solar irradiance is the total, spectrally integrated energy input to the top of the Earth's atmosphere, at a standard distance of one Astronomical Unit from the Sun. Its units are W per m2. The dataset was created by Judith Lean (Space Science Division, Naval Research Laboratory), Odele Coddington and Peter Pilewskie (Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Science, University of Colorado). The daily- and monthly-averaged TSI data range from 1882 to the present, and annual-averaged TSI data begin in 1610. The data file format is netCDF-4 following CF metadata conventions. The dataset is accompanied by algorithm documentation, data flow diagram and source code for the NOAA CDR Program.
Cite this dataset when used as a source: Odele Coddington, Judith L. Lean, Doug Lindholm, Peter Pilewskie, Martin Snow, and NOAA CDR Program (2015): NOAA Climate Data Record (CDR) of Total Solar Irradiance (TSI), NRLTSI Version 2. [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. doi:10.7289/V55B00C1 [access date].
Dataset Information
Download Data
Distribution Formats
  • NetCDF (Version: 4)
Distributor Customer Engagement Branch
DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCEI > National Centers for Environmental Information, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
1-828-271-4800
ncei.orders@noaa.gov
Dataset Point of Contact NOAA Climate Data Record Program Office
DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCEI > National Centers for Environmental Information, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
+1 (828) 271-4800
cdr_program.ncdc@noaa.gov or
Dataset Point of Contact Coddington, Odele
UCO/LASP > Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado
+1 (303) 492-9318
odele.coddington@lasp.colorado.edu
General Documentation
Processing Documents
  • CDR Source Code
    • CDR Source Code (download)
      This source code is for reference only. The source code is provided to maintain transparency of the algorithm and processes used in creating the Climate Data Record (CDR). The source code is not intended to be portable to any computer system(s) beyond that of the original CDR producer's environment.
  • CDR Data Flow Diagram
  • Climate Algorithm Theoretical Basis Document
Associated Resources
Date(s)
  • publication: 2015-07-22
Edition: Version 2
Data Presentation Form: Digital table - digital representation of facts or figures systematically displayed, especially in columns
Dataset Progress Status On Going
Data Update Frequency: Quarterly
Purpose: The purpose of this Climate Data Record is to provide a continuous and long-term record of total solar irradiance (TSI) for scientists and modelers in the solar, atmospheric and chemistry sciences as well as the energy industry.
Use Limitations
  • For a complete description of use limiataions for this CDR, see the Algorithm Theoretical Basis Document.
Principal Investigator(s)
  • Lean, Judith L.
    DOD/USNAVY/NRL/SSD > Space Science Division, Naval Research Laboratory, U.S. Navy, U.S. Department of Defense
  • Pilewskie, Peter
    UCO/LASP > Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado
Collaborator(s)
  • Coddington, Odele
    UCO/LASP > Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado
  • Lindholm, Doug
    UCO/LASP > Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado
  • Snow, Martin
    UCO/LASP > Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado
  • NOAA CDR Program
Publisher(s)
  • DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCEI > National Centers for Environmental Information, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
Time Period: 1882-01-01 to Present
Spatial Bounding Box Coordinates:
N: 90.0
S: -90.0
E: 180.0
W: -180.0
Spatial Coverage Map:
Theme keywords Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science and Services Keywords
  • EARTH SCIENCE > SUN-EARTH INTERACTIONS > SOLAR ACTIVITY > SOLAR IRRADIANCE
Data Center keywords Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords
  • DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCEI > National Centers for Environmental Information, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
  • DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCDC > National Climatic Data Center, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
  • UCO/LASP > Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado
Platform keywords Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Platform Keywords
  • SORCE > Solar Radiation and Climate Experiment
Place keywords Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords
  • GEOGRAPHIC REGION > GLOBAL
Use Constraints
  • Cite this dataset when used as a source: Odele Coddington, Judith L. Lean, Doug Lindholm, Peter Pilewskie, Martin Snow, and NOAA CDR Program (2015): NOAA Climate Data Record (CDR) of Total Solar Irradiance (TSI), NRLTSI Version 2. [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. doi:10.7289/V55B00C1 [access date].
  • NCEI cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in the data, nor as a result of the failure of the data to function on a particular system. NCEI makes no warranty, expressed or implied, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty. NCEI can only certify that the data it distributes are an authentic copy of the records that were accepted for inclusion in the NCEI archives.
Fees
  • Electronic downloads of the data are free, however fees may apply for data certifications and data distribution on physical media.
  • In most cases, electronic downloads of the data are free, however fees may apply for data certifications, copies of analog materials, and data distribution on physical media.
Lineage information for: dataset
Lineage Statement The data were produced by the Naval Research Laboratory and the University of Colorado, and are archived at the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). Version 2 indicates the current version of the Naval Research Laboratory solar variability models, denoted NRLTSI2 and NRLSSI2, for total solar irradiance and solar spectral irradiance, respectively. This version labeling distinguishes the models from their original formulation, NRLTSI and NRLSSI (i.e,. Version 1, or original version). The Solar Irradiance Climate Data Record transitioned to the NOAA CDR program is specific to Version 2, although the original formulation of the model has created solar irradiance records used in many previous climate modeling studies, including for the IPCC.
Processor
  • UCO/LASP > Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado
Processing Steps
  • For a complete description of the processing steps, see the Algorithm Theoretical Basis Document and Data Flow Diagram.
Processing Documents
    • CDR Source Code
      • CDR Source Code (download)
        This source code is for reference only. The source code is provided to maintain transparency of the algorithm and processes used in creating the Climate Data Record (CDR). The source code is not intended to be portable to any computer system(s) beyond that of the original CDR producer's environment.
Source Datasets
  • Naval Research Laboratory Total Solar Irradiance version 2 (NRLTSI2) model
    • Solar activity indices (University of Bremen Mg II index and USAF white-light sunspot regions)
      • Bolometric linear regression coefficients
        Lineage information for: repository
        Processing Steps
        • 2015-04-22T00:00:00 - NOAA created the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) by merging NOAA's National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC), and National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC), including the National Coastal Data Development Center (NCDDC), per the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015, Public Law 113-235. NCEI launched publicly on April 22, 2015.
        Last Modified: 2016-12-04
        For questions about the information on this page, please email: ncdc.metadata@noaa.gov