Automotive Ergonomics

107Thermal Environments and Vehicles

this. The earth’s atmosphere attenuates the amount of energy actually reaching the

surface, the maximum levels measured are in the region of 1000 Wm

–2

. These high

levels of direct solar radiation are rare and occur generally where the sun has a high

altitude, and the point is high above sea level.

Factors that need to be considered when predicting the intensity of solar radiation

are; solar incidence (azimuth and altitude of the sun), geographical location (altitude

and latitude), the cross-sectional area of the body exposed to the sun, cloud cover,

dust, carbon dioxide and water vapour and the surrounding ...