Quantification of the Solar Radiative Regime Variability Based on the Clearness Index

Abstract The fluctuation of solar radiation at ground level represents a challenge in modeling the time series of solar irradiance. A procedure for the quantification of the instability of the solar radiative regime is reported. This procedure is based on the clearness index, as the ratio of the horizontal solar irradiance measured at ground level and the estimated one at extraterrestrial level. New quantities for classifying the days from the radiative stability point of view are being introduced. A procedure for classifying days according to their stability regime as stable, variable and unstable is presented.