Definitions for solar constant
so·lar con·stant

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. solar constantnoun

   the rate at which radiant solar energy is received at the outer layer of the earth's atmosphere

WiktionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. solar constantnoun

   The amount of incoming solar radiation per unit area, measured on the outer surface of Earth's atmosphere, in a plane perpendicular to the rays.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Solar constant

   The solar constant (GSC) is a flux density measuring mean solar electromagnetic radiation (total solar irradiance) per unit area. It is measured on a surface perpendicular to the rays, one astronomical unit (au) from the Sun (roughly the distance from the Sun to the Earth). The solar constant includes radiation over the entire electromagnetic spectrum. It is measured by satellite as being 1.361 kilowatts per square meter (kW/m2) at solar minimum (the time in the 11-year solar cycle when the number of sunspots is minimal) and approximately 0.1% greater (roughly 1.362 kW/m2) at solar maximum.The solar "constant" is not a physical constant in the modern CODATA scientific sense; that is, it is not like the Planck constant or the speed of light which are absolutely constant in physics. The solar constant is an average of a varying value. In the past 400 years it has varied less than 0.2 percent. Billions of years ago, it was significantly lower. This constant is used in the calculation of radiation pressure, which aids in the calculation of a force on a solar sail.

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1. solar constant

   The solar constant is a measure of the amount of electromagnetic energy that the Sun emits in all directions. It is defined as the amount of energy received from the Sun in a unit area perpendicular to the rays of the Sun at the average distance between the Earth and the Sun, under clear sky conditions. Its approximate average value is reported to be around 1361 watts per square meter.

WikidataRate this definition:4.0 / 1 vote

1. Solar constant

   The solar constant, a measure of flux density, is the amount of incoming solar electromagnetic radiation per unit area that would be incident on a plane perpendicular to the rays, at a distance of one astronomical unit. When solar irradiance is measured on the outer surface of Earth's atmosphere, the measurements can be adjusted using the inverse square law to infer the magnitude of solar irradiance at one AU and deduce the solar constant. Solar output is nearly, but not quite, constant. Variations in total solar irradiance were too small to detect with technology available before the satellite era. Total solar output is now measured to vary by approximately 0.1%; see solar variation for details. The solar constant includes all types of solar radiation, not just the visible light. It is measured by satellite to be roughly 1.361 kilowatts per square meter at solar minimum and approximately 0.1% greater at solar maximum. The actual direct solar irradiance at the top of the atmosphere fluctuates by about 6.9% during a year due to the Earth's varying distance from the Sun, and typically by much less than 0.1% from day to day. Thus, for the whole Earth, the power is 1.740×10^17 W, plus or minus 3.5%. The solar constant does not remain constant over long periods of time, but over a year varies much less than the variation of direct solar irradiance at the top of the atmosphere arising from the ellipticity of the Earth's orbit. The approximate average value cited, 1.361 kW/m², which is 81.66 kJ/m² per minute in SI units, is equivalent to approximately 1.952 calories per minute per square centimeter, or 1.952 langleys.26

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How to pronounce solar constant?

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Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of solar constant in Chaldean Numerology is: 3

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of solar constant in Pythagorean Numerology is: 9

References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNet
   http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=solar constant
2. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Solar_Constant
3. ^ Wikipedia
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_Constant
4. ^ ChatGPT
   https://chat.openai.com
5. ^ Wikidata
   https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=solar constant