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Data element numbers

In most of our data files, four-digit codes called element numbers are used to indicate data type. Generally, the fourth digit is used to separate identical types of measurements made with distinct instruments. For example, "1000" and "1002" are global measurements made with instrument number 0 and instrument number 2, respectively. The following three tables list the established meaning for each of the element numbers we have used:

Solar radiation data
First three digits indicate data type
Fourth digit differentiates duplicate types
1st 2nd 3rd
0 — Voltage output of solar cell array (millivolts)
[Note: Newer files use '6XXX' instead of '0XXX'.]
  1 — Tilted 15 degrees
  6 — South-facing
2 — Tilted 25 degrees
  4 — West-facing
6 — South-facing
8 — East-facing
3 — Tilted 30 degrees
  6 — South-facing
5 — Tilted 45 degrees
  6 — South-facing
6 — Tilted 60 degrees
  6 — South-facing
1 — Global and total solar radiation (watt hours per square meter per hour)
  0 — Horizontal
  0 — Horizontal
9 — Ground-facing
1 — Tilted 15 degrees
  6 — South-facing
2 — Tilted 25 degrees
  4 — West-facing
5 — Southwest-facing
6 — South-facing
8 — East-facing
3 — Tilted 30 degrees
  6 — South-facing
4 — Tilted 35 degrees
  6 — South-facing
5 — Tilted 45 degrees
  6 — South-facing
6 — Tilted 60 degrees
  6 — South-facing
9 — Tilted 90 degrees
  2 — North-facing
6 — South-facing
2 — Direct solar radiation (watt hours per square meter per hour)
  0 — Beam
  1 — Normal incident
3 — Diffuse solar radiation (watt hours per square meter per hour)
  0 — Horizontal
  0 — Horizontal
4 — Current output of solar cell array (milliampere hours per hour)
[For code '4006', see explanation at bottom of page.]
  1 — Tilted 15 degrees
  6 — South-facing
2 — Tilted 25 degrees
  4 — West-facing
6 — South-facing
8 — East-facing
3 — Tilted 30 degrees
  6 — South-facing
5 — Tilted 45 degrees
  6 — South-facing
6 — Tilted 60 degrees
  6 — South-facing
5 — Power output of solar cell array (watts)
[For code '5006', see explanation at bottom of page.]
  1 — Tilted 15 degrees
  6 — South-facing
2 — Tilted 25 degrees
  4 — West-facing
6 — South-facing
8 — East-facing
3 — Tilted 30 degrees
  6 — South-facing
5 — Tilted 45 degrees
  6 — South-facing
6 — Tilted 60 degrees
  6 — South-facing
6 — Voltage output of solar cell array (millivolts)
[For code '6006', see explanation at bottom of page.]
  1 — Tilted 15 degrees
  6 — South-facing
2 — Tilted 25 degrees
  4 — West-facing
6 — South-facing
8 — East-facing
3 — Tilted 30 degrees
  6 — South-facing
5 — Tilted 45 degrees
  6 — South-facing
6 — Tilted 60 degrees
  6 — South-facing

Spectral solar radiation data
All four digits indicate data type
1st 2nd 3rd 4th
7 — Spectral data (watt hours per square meter per hour, except for illuminance values which are kilolux hours per hour)
  0 — Horizontal
  0 — Horizontal
  0 — OG 570
1 — RG 630
2 — RG 695
3 — UVA
4 — UVB
5 — Zenith illuminance
6 — Diffuse illuminance
7 — Global illuminance
8 — Maximum illuminance
9 — Minimum illuminance
0 — Beam
  1 — Normal incident
  0 — OG 570
1 — RG 630
2 — RG 695
3 — UVA
4 — UVB
7 — Beam illuminance
8 — Maximum illuminance
9 — Minimum illuminance

Meteorological data
First three digits indicate data type
Fourth digit differentiates duplicate types
1st 2nd and 3rd
9 — Meteorological data
  10 — Sky condition
11 — Ceiling height (meters)
12 — Visibility (kilometers)
13 — Weather (10-digit code)
15 — Total rainfall (inches)
17 — Barometric pressure (millibars)
20 — Average wind direction (degrees)
21 — Average wind speed (meters per second)
22 — Standard deviation of wind direction
30 — Ambient temperature (degrees Celsius)
31 — Dew point temperature (degrees Celsius)
33 — Relative humidity (percent)
37 — Solar cell temperature (degrees Celsius)
38 — Minimum ambient temperature (degrees Celsius)
39 — Maximum ambient temperature (degrees Celsius)
37 — Solar cell temperature (degrees Celsius)
40 — Average barometric pressure (millibars)
51 — Total sky cover (10ths of sky dome)
52 — Opaque sky cover (10ths of sky dome)
53 — Precipitable water (millimeters)
54 — Aerosol optical depth
55 — Snow depth (centimeters)
56 — Albedo
65 — Days since last snowfall

[Note: The Cannon Beach monitoring station uses the non-standard codes '4006', '5006', and '6006', to represent average battery current, power, and voltage, respectively.]

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© 2011, UO Solar Radiation Monitoring Laboratory.
Last revised: March 28, 2022.


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