Aerosol effect on solar irradiation in the coastal zones: metropolitan areas of Baixada Santista (SP) and Rio de Janeiro

• Grant number: 19/26361-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: March 01, 2020
• End date: February 28, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Geosciences
• Principal Investigator: Madeleine Sánchez Gácita Casagrande
• Grantee: Giovanna Bonafé Mauricio
• Host Institution: Instituto do Mar (IMar). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus Baixada Santista. Santos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Brazil has a significant potential for the use of solar energy, classified as a renewable source. The use of solar energy has the potential of to increase the country's energy security and to contribute with the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. The present study focuses on understanding and assessing the impact of aerosols on the incidence of solar irradiation in two highly urbanized coastal locations: Santos (SP) and Rio de Janeiro (RJ). The magnitude of the impact of aerosols on the solar resource will be assessed through time series analysis of aerosol optical depth (AOD) from satellite (MODIS), surface station (AERONET) and meteorological reanalysis (MERRA-2) data.