Study on Radiative Flux of Road Resolution during Winter Based on Local Weather and Topography

Abstract

Large-scale traffic accidents caused by black ice on roads have increased rapidly; hence, there is an urgent need to prepare safety measures for their prevention. Here, we used local weather road observations and the linkage between weather prediction and a radiation flux model (LDAPS-SOLWEIG) to calculate prediction information regarding habitual shade areas, sky view factor (SVF), and downward shortwave radiative flux by road direction and lane. Using the LDAPS-SOLWEIG model system, a set of real-time weather prediction data (temperature, humidity, wind speed, and insolation at 1.5 km resolution) was applied, and 5 m resolution radiative flux prediction data, with road resolution blocked by local weather and topography, were calculated. We found that the habitual shaded area can be divided by the direction and lane of the road according to the height and shape of the terrain around the road. The downward shortwave radiation flux data from local meteorological observation data and that calculated from the LDAPS-SOLWEIG model system were compared. When road-freezing occurred on a case day, the RMSE was 20.41 W·m−2, MB was −5.04 W·m−2, and r was 0.78. The calculated information, habitual shaded area, and SVF can highlight road sections vulnerable to winter freezing and can be helpful in the special management of these areas.

Editorial on New Challenges in Solar Radiation, Modeling and Remote Sensing

“…In this Special Issue, Zhang et al used geostationary satellites (Himawari-8), along with the high temporal resolution and high spatial resolution of polar-orbiting satellites, to determine the daily average solar radiation with a high spatial resolution [11]. Another example is the use of the weather prediction and radiation flux model LDAPS-SOLWEIG to estimate information regarding usually shaded areas, sky-view factor and downward shortwave radiative flux in roads and lanes that also incorporates local topography [12]. This application was tested in South Korea and may be very useful in the management of roads vulnerable to winter freezing.…”