1 Estimating the irradiance spectrum from measurements in a limited number of spectral bands

Accurate measurement and characterisation of fluctuations in the irradiance environment is important for many areas of optical remote sensing. This paper describes a method of estimating spectral irradiance over the region 400 – 1000 nm from the radiance of a calibrated reference panel, measured in four narrow spectral bands (FWHM approx.10 nm). The reproducibility of the method was found to have an average root mean squared error of approximately 30 mWm-2nm-1 over the region 400 nm to 1000 nm when applied to spectra covering a range of clear sky conditions typical of mid-latitude temperate regions