On the Assessment of Hourly Means of Solar Irradiance at Ground Level in Clear-Sky Conditions by the ERA5, JRA-3Q, and MERRA-2 Reanalyses

Meteorological reanalyses are one of the means to assess the solar irradiance reaching the ground. This paper deals with estimates of the hourly means of irradiance in clear-sky conditions provided by the ERA5, JRA-3Q, and MERRA-2 reanalyses. They are compared to coincident ground-based measurements from 28 BSRN stations located worldwide, selected by a new algorithm for detecting cloud-free instants. Although ERA5 most often underestimates measurements, it is quite reliable over time because it captures the temporal variability of measurements well and provides a constant level of uncertainty. JRA-3Q offers a complex pattern with negative and positive biases depending on station and season. It captures well the temporal variability but, as a whole, is not reliable over time. None of the three reanalyses is reliable in space. Because of its use of the mean solar time instead of the true solar time, MERRA-2 suffers many drawbacks over intraday scales. Its statistical indicators exhibit marked patterns depending on the season and station. Its assimilation of aerosol properties offers advantages when compared to the climatologies used in ERA5 and JRA-3Q. This work exposes the strengths and weaknesses of each reanalysis in clear-sky conditions and formulates suggestions to providers for further improvements.