Sky conditions play an important role in the Earth’s climate system, altering the solar radiation reaching the Earth’s surface and determining the fraction of incoming direct and diffuse radiation. Sky conditions dictate the radiation distribution inside plant canopies and also the carbon dioxide uptake by forests during the growing season. On the long term these diffuse conditions may have a positive influence on forest growth in Northern Britain during the last 50 years. We compared the quantity (amount) and quality (spectral distribution) of direct and diffuse radiation above, inside and below a forest stand under sunny, cloudy and overcast conditions in a thinned Sitka spruce [Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr.] forest (28 years, with an leaf area index (LAI) of around 5 m2m-2). Similar radiation properties (sky conditions) were used for analysis of light response and canopy conductance measurements in the same and also in a different spruce forest of the same species (33 years, LAI of around 7 m2 m-2) over the growing season 2008 in order to compare canopy activity under these conditions. In order to integrate short-term and longterm studies, we were looking at how far these conditions are influencing forest growth over several decades. To do so, we used freshly cut tree discs of Sitka spruce from a felled forest (planting year 1953) in southern Scotland and solar direct and diffuse radiation along with other meteorological data from the nearest meteorological station. Our analysis show that the amount and quality of solar radiation is distributed differently inside forest stands under various sky conditions, leading to an enhanced carbon dioxide uptake and canopy stomatal activity under diffuse cloudy and overcast conditions. Furthermore we demonstrated which factors have influenced diffuse radiation distribution over the past 50 years and how these are correlated with forest growth in southern Scotland.

Orientador: Alexandre Dal Pai / Resumo: O presente trabalho sugere modelos de correção para a irradiância solar difusa medida com o disco de sombreamento. A irradiância global foi medida por um piranômetro Eppley-PSP; a irradiância normal direta por um pireliômetro Eppley-NIP adaptado a um dispositivo de rastreamento solar ST-3 e irradiância difusa por um piranômetro Eppley-PSP instalado em um disco de sombreamento. O Laboratório de Radiometria Solar da Universidade Estadual Paulista forneceu as medições durante os anos de 1997 a 2000. Os resultados mostraram que ambos os modelos sugeridos, o modelo para todas as coberturas de céu e o modelo para as diferentes coberturas de céu melhoram a medida da irradiância difusa pelo método do disco de sombreamento permitindo a geração de um banco de dados de radiação global, direta e difusa, sem altos investimentos financeiros. A medida da Irradiância difusa sem correção apresentou um MBE de -4,64% e um RMSE de 12,23%, enquanto que os modelos de correção para todas as coberturas de céu e para as diferentes coberturas de céu obtiveram MBE de 0,48% e 0,85 e RMSE de 10,52% e 9,91%, respectivamente. / Doutor

No description available.

After the epoch of reionisation the intergalactic medium (IGM) is kept at a high photoionisation level by the cosmic UV background radiation field. Primarily composed of the integrated contribution of quasars and young star forming galaxies, its intensity is subject to spatial and temporal fluctuations. In particular in the vicinity of luminous quasars, the UV radiation intensity grows by several orders of magnitude. Due to an enhanced UV radiation up to a few Mpc from the quasar, the ionised hydrogen fraction significantly increases and becomes visible as a reduced level of absorption in the HI Lyman alpha (Ly-alpha) forest. This phenomenon is known as the proximity effect and it is the main focus of this thesis. Modelling the influence on the IGM of the quasar radiation, one is able to determine the UV background intensity at a specific frequency (J_nu_0), or equivalently, its photoionisation rate (Gamma_b). This is of crucial importance for both theoretical and observational cosmology. Thus far, the proximity effect has been investigated primarily by combining the signal of large samples of quasars, as it has been regarded as a statistical phenomenon. Only a handful of studies tried to measure its signature on individual lines of sight, albeit focusing on one sight line only. Our aim is to perform a systematic investigation of large samples of quasars searching for the signature of the proximity effect, with a particular emphasis on its detection on individual lines of sight. We begin this survey with a sample of 40 high resolution (R~45000), high signal to noise ratio (S/N~70) quasar spectra at redshift 2.1<z<4.7, publicly available in the European Southern Observatory (ESO) archive. The extraordinary quality of this data set enables us to detect the proximity effect signature not only in the combined quasar sample, but also along each individual sight line. This allows us to determine not only the UV background intensity at the mean redshift of this sample, but also to estimate its intensity in small (Delta z~0.2) redshift intervals in the range 2<z<4. Our estimates (J_nu_0~ 3x10^{-22} erg s^{-1} cm^{-2} Hz^{-1} sr^{-1}) are for the first time in very good agreement with different constraints of its evolution obtained from theoretical predictions and numerical simulations. We continue this systematic analysis of the proximity effect with the largest search to date invoking the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) data set. The sample consists of 1733 quasars at redshifts z>2.3. In spite of the low resolution and limited S/N we detect the proximity effect on about 98% of the quasars at a high significance level. Thereby we are able to determine the evolution of the UV background photoionisation rate within the redshift range 2<z<5 finding Gamma_b~ 1.6x10^{-12} s^{-1}. With these new measurements we explore literature estimates of the quasar luminosity function and predict the stellar luminosity density up to redshift of about z~5. Our results are globally in good agreement with recent determinations inferred from deep surveys of high redshift galaxies. We then compare our measurements on the UV background photoionisation rate inferred from the two samples at high and low resolution. While these data sets show extreme differences, our determinations are in considerable agreement at z<3.3, even though they show less agreement at higher redshifts. We suspect that this may be caused by either the small number of high resolution quasar spectra at the highest redshifts considered or by some systematic effect due to the limited data quality of SDSS. Complementary to the observational investigation of the proximity effect on high redshift quasars, we exploit some theoretical aspects linked to and based on the results on this phenomenon. We employ complex numerical simulations of structure formation to achieve a better representation of the Ly-alpha forest. Modelling the signature of the proximity effect on randomly selected sight lines, we prove the advantages of dealing with individual lines of sight instead of combining their signal to investigate this phenomenon. Furthermore, we develop and test novel techniques aimed at a more precise determination of the proximity effect signal. With this investigation we demonstrate that the technique developed and employed in this thesis is the most accurate adopted thus far. Tighter determinations of the UV background are certainly based on suitable methods to detect its signature, but also on a deeper understanding of the environments in which quasars form and evolve. We initiate an investigation of complex numerical simulations including the radiative transport of energy to model in a more detailed way the proximity effect. Such a simulation may lead to the characterisation of the quasar environment based on the comparison between the observed and simulated statistical properties of the proximity effect signature. / Nach dem kosmologischen Zeitalter der Reionisation wird der hohe Photoionisationsgrad des intergalaktische Mediums (IGM) durch die kosmische UV-Hintergrundstrahlung aufrecht erhalten. Zur Intensitaet der Hintergrundstrahlung tragen hauptsaechlich Quasare und jungen Galaxien bei. Daher entstehen sowohl raeumliche als auch zeitliche Fluktuationen, wobei die Intensistaet insbesondere in der Naehe von leuchtkraeftigen Quasaren um mehrere Groessenordnungen ansteigt. Aufgrund der erhoehten UV-Strahlung in einer Entfernung von bis zu einigen Mpc von einem Quasar wird ein groesserer Anteil des intergalaktischen Wasserstoffs ionisiert, was als reduzierte Absorption im Lyman alpha (Ly-alpha) Wald sichtbar wird. Dieses Phaenomen wird proximity effect genannt und ist das Hauptthema dieser Arbeit. Durch Modellierung des Einflusses des Quasars auf das IGM kann die Intensitaet des UV-Hintergrunds bei einer bestimmten Frequenz (J_nu_0) bzw. die entsprechende Photoionisationrate (Gamma_b) bestimmt werden. Dies ist sowohl fuer die theoretische als auch fuer die beobachtende Kosmologie eine wichtige Groesse. Bisher wurde der Proximity-Effekt als ein statistisches Phaenomen untersucht, wobei die Signale vieler einzelner Quasare kombiniert wurden. Nur in wenigen Analysen wurde versucht, den Effekt in einzelnen Sehlinien zu detektieren. Das Ziel dieser Arbeit ist eine systematische Untersuchung des Proximity-Effekts in einer grossen Anzahl von Quasaren, wobei der besonderen Schwerpunkt auf seiner Detektion in einzelnen Sehlinien liegt. Zunaechst werden 40 Quasare im Rotverschiebungsbereich 2.1<z<4.7 untersucht, deren Spektren mit hoher Aufloesung (R=45000) und hohem Signal-zu-Rausch-Verhaeltnis (S/N~70) im Archiv des European Southern Observatory (ESO) vorliegen. Die ausserordentlich gute Qualitaet dieser Daten ermoeglicht die Detektion des Proximity-Effekts nicht nur als kombiniertes Signal aller Quasare sondern auch in jeder einzelnen Sehlinie. Daher konnten wir nicht nur die Intensitaet des UV-Hintergrunds bei der mittleren Rotverschiebung ermitteln sondern auch in kleineren Rotverschiebungsintervallen (Delta z~0.2) im Bereich 2<z<4. Unsere Ergebnisse (J_nu_0}~3x10^{-22} erg s^{-1} cm^{-2} Hz^{-1} sr^{-1}) stimmen zum ersten Mal gut anderen Bestimmungen ueberein, die auf theoretischen Voraussagen und auf numerischen Simulationen beruhen. Unsere systematische Analyse des Proximity-Effekts wird mit dem bisher groessten Datensatz bestehend aus 1733 Quasaren mit Rotverschiebungen z>2.3 aus dem Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) fortgefuehrt. Trotz der niedrigen Aufloesung und dem begrenzten S/N detektieren wir den Proximity-Effekt mit einer hohen Signifikanz in etwa 98% der Sehlinen. Dabei kann die Entwicklung der Photoionisationsrate Gamma_b~1.6x10^{-12} s^{-1} im Rotverschiebungsbereich 2<z<5 bestimmt werden. Mit diesen neuen Messungen diskutieren wir verschiedene Quasar-Leuchtkraftfunktionen aus der Literatur und berechnen die stellare Emissivitaet bis z~5. Unsere Ergebnisse stimmen im Allgemeinen gut mit denen von neueren Himmelsdurchmusterungen nach hochrotverschobenen Galaxien ueberein. Dann vergleichen wir die auf den hoch bzw. niedrig aufgeloesten Spektren basierenden Photoionisationsraten miteinander. Obwohl die Datensaetze sehr unterschiedlich sind, fuehren sie bei z<3.3 zu den selben Ergebnissen, waehrend die Resultate bei hoeheren Rotverschiebungen weniger gut uebereinstimmen. Wir vermuten, dass dies entweder durch die kleine Anzahl von hochaufgeloesten Quasarspektren bei den hoechsten Rotverschiebungen, oder durch systematische Effekte der geringen SDSS Datenqualitaet hervorgerufen wird. Ergaenzend zu der Auswertung der Beobachtungsdaten fuehren wir basierend auf unseren Ergebnissen einige theoretische Untersuchugen durch. Wir benutzen komplexe Strukturbildungssimulationen, um eine bessere Beschreibung des Ly-alpha-Walds zu gewinnen. Mit Hilfe der Modellierung des Proximity-Effekts in zufaellig ausgesuchten Sehlinien zeigen wir den Vorteil auf, den die Analyse einzelner Sehlinien im Vergleich zur kombinierten Auswertung mehrerer Spektren hat. Ausserdem entwickeln und testen wir neue Ansaetze zur genaueren Bestimmung des Proxmity-Effekts. Dabei zeigen wir, dass die im Rahmen dieser Arbeit entwickelte und angewendete Methode bisher zu den genauesten Ergebnissen fuehrt. Fuer eine noch bessere Bestimmung des UV-Hintergurnds brauchen wir neben der optimalen Detektionsmethode auch ein tieferes Verstaendnis der Umgebung, in der Quasare entstehen und sich entwickeln. Wir beginnen eine Analyse komplexer numerischer Simulationen, die auch Strahlungstransportrechungen beinhalten, um weitere Details des Proximity-Effekts zu verstehen. Der Vergleich der statistischen Eigenschaften des Proximity-Effekts in solchen Simulationen mit Beobachtungen koennte in Zukunft zu einer genaueren Beschreibung der Umgebung von Quasaren fuehren.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:31:35Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2002-02Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:02:18Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 frisina_va_dr_botfca.pdf: 1312468 bytes, checksum: ca7b42d8db8b8eda91794d6210b272a5 (MD5) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / Realizou-se neste trabalho o estudo das variações da radiação fotossinteticamente ativa (PAR) em ambiente protegido com cobertura de polietileno de baixa densidade (100 m), em condições de solo descoberto e com cultura de pimentão (Capsicum annuum, L). Foram determinados os albedos PAR e de ondas curtas, nos dois meios. Caracterizou-se também as relações entre os parâmetros de crescimento e produtividade da cultura com a radiação fotossinteticamente ativa. Utilizando-se a base de dados das radiações global e difusa fotossinteticamente ativa e de ondas curtas, foram determinadas equações de regressão para estimar as radiações internas em função das externas. O experimento foi realizado no período de 01/06/1999 a 05/09/2000, em ambiente protegido, com orientação no sentido leste-oeste e cobertura de polietileno de baixa densidade e laterais de sombrite 50%. Na aquisição dos dados, foi utilizado Datalogger Campbell, operando na frequência de 1 Hz. Através do estudo variacional, determinou-se a transmissividade atmosférica média da radiação global Kt = 55,43% e da PAR Ktp = 61,50%; as frações médias da PAR em relação à radiação global... / A study into photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) variability has been carried out and inside sheltered environment in uncovered soil and cultivated with sweet pepper crop (Capsicum annuum, L). PAR and shortwave albedo values have been determined in the environments. The relationship between growth parameters and crop yield versus photosynthetically active radiation has also been characterized. Regression models have been provided by photosynthetically active and shortwave global and diffuse radiation data to estimate internal radiation as a function of external radiation. The experiment has been carried out from June 1st/1999 to September 5th/2000, in sheltered environment, in a east-west orientation, using polyethylene covering and a 50% shadowband polypropylene screen. A Datalogger Campbell has been used for data aqcuisition, operating at 1 Hz frequency. …(Complete abstract, click electronic access below)

Orientador: João Francisco Escobedo / Resumo: Realizou-se neste trabalho o estudo das variações da radiação fotossinteticamente ativa (PAR) em ambiente protegido com cobertura de polietileno de baixa densidade (100 m), em condições de solo descoberto e com cultura de pimentão (Capsicum annuum, L). Foram determinados os albedos PAR e de ondas curtas, nos dois meios. Caracterizou-se também as relações entre os parâmetros de crescimento e produtividade da cultura com a radiação fotossinteticamente ativa. Utilizando-se a base de dados das radiações global e difusa fotossinteticamente ativa e de ondas curtas, foram determinadas equações de regressão para estimar as radiações internas em função das externas. O experimento foi realizado no período de 01/06/1999 a 05/09/2000, em ambiente protegido, com orientação no sentido leste-oeste e cobertura de polietileno de baixa densidade e laterais de sombrite 50%. Na aquisição dos dados, foi utilizado Datalogger Campbell, operando na frequência de 1 Hz. Através do estudo variacional, determinou-se a transmissividade atmosférica média da radiação global Kt = 55,43% e da PAR Ktp = 61,50%; as frações médias da PAR em relação à radiação global ...(Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: A study into photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) variability has been carried out and inside sheltered environment in uncovered soil and cultivated with sweet pepper crop (Capsicum annuum, L). PAR and shortwave albedo values have been determined in the environments. The relationship between growth parameters and crop yield versus photosynthetically active radiation has also been characterized. Regression models have been provided by photosynthetically active and shortwave global and diffuse radiation data to estimate internal radiation as a function of external radiation. The experiment has been carried out from June 1st/1999 to September 5th/2000, in sheltered environment, in a east-west orientation, using polyethylene covering and a 50% shadowband polypropylene screen. A Datalogger Campbell has been used for data aqcuisition, operating at 1 Hz frequency. …(Complete abstract, click electronic access below) / Doutor

Made available in DSpace on 2014-08-20T14:25:47Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 dissertacao_idilio_victoria.pdf: 1654854 bytes, checksum: 63d14081692d278d90a8f7bfc029dbb0 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008-06-10 / In Brazil, most of the Institutions that measure solar radiation and the display only the global radiation incide on a horizontal surface. In the region of Pelotas - RS, the Estação Agroclimatológica de Pelotas, linked to Embrapa, has had the data of global solar radiation daily estimated from 1971 to 1992 and measurements starting in 1993. Considering that the solar systems should be installed so that a larger amount of energy is collected, the element collectors should be installed with a certain inclination related to horizontal surface and oriented to towards the Equator. That means that the radiation data made available by the Institutions that measure global solar radiation should be worked in a way that it is possible to obtain an estimation of the solar radiation incident on a sloping surface. The existing procedures used by solar system designers in Brazil to estimate the global solar radiation incident on a sloping surface, use statist methods originating from the diffuse measurement incident in other countries. With the objective of better estimating the solar radiation incident on a sloping surface and spreading the diffuse solar radiation measurement through the use of pyranometers which use photoelectric sensors, of low cost, in substitution to the thermoelectric sensors, this work describes and validates the procedures of measurement of global and diffuse solar radiation so as for these to be considered of good quality. For this experience three metallic bases were used. Two of them set up under the inspiration of the Robinson and Stoch model, attached to a radiometric platform, at CEFET RS, at a height of 19m. They received shadow bands on the measurement of diffuse radiation with the band axis in the N-S direction. Pyranometers with photoelectric sensors and thermobattery were used. The termobattery considered a secondary pattern, as reference in measurements with global and diffuse solar radiations. These, linked to the data acquisition system and to the microcomputer had the data measured interpreted in the calibrating of the pyranometers study and the measurements of the radiations mentioned before. Considering the work with solar radiation data, the recommended statistic tests were applied: medium deviation error (MBE), medium quadratic error (RMSE) and the correlational coefficient (CC). It is possible to conclude that the use of Licor LI 200 pyranometer, with the photoelectric sensor, for measurement of the global and diffuse solar radiation must be preceded by a good calibration, performed periodically. The global solar radiation data obtained presented good quality, coinciding with the values measured with the standard Eppley PSP pyranometer, observing the uncertainty of the equipments. Regarding the diffuse solar radiation measurements, although the Licor pyranometer operated under less proper conditions of performance, in other words, in very cloudy days, after the corrections due to shadowing, at atmospheric and temperature conditions, it was possible to obtain better quality results, reducing significantly the error values of MBE and RMSE. / No Brasil, a maior parte das Instituições que medem radiação solar disponibiliza apenas dados de radiação global incidente em uma superfície horizontal. Na região de Pelotas-RS, a Estação Agroclimatológica de Pelotas, vinculada à Embrapa, tem os dados de radiação solar global diária estimados desde 1971 até 1992 e medidos a partir de 1993. Considerando que os sistemas solares devem ser instalados objetivando uma maior quantidade de energia a ser captada, seus elementos captadores de radiação devem ser instalados com uma determinada inclinação em relação à horizontal e voltados para o Equador. Isso significa dizer que os dados de radiação disponibilizados pelas Instituições que medem radiação solar global devem ser trabalhados de modo que se tenha uma estimativa da radiação solar incidente em uma superfície inclinada. Os procedimentos existentes e utilizados pelos projetistas de sistemas solares no Brasil para estimar a radiação solar global incidente em uma superfície inclinada utilizam métodos estatísticos oriundos de medições da radiação difusa incidente em outros países. Com o objetivo de melhor estimar a radiação solar incidente em uma superfície inclinada e difundir a medição de radiação solar difusa através da utilização de piranômetros que utilizam sensores fotoelétricos, de baixo custo, em substituição aos que utilizam sensores termoelétricos, esse trabalho descreve e valida os procedimentos de medição e correção a serem efetuadas na realização das medições de radiação solar global e difusa a fim de que as mesmas possam ser consideradas de boa qualidade. Foram utilizadas três bases metálicas, duas montadas sob inspiração do modelo de Robinson e Stoch, fixadas em plataforma radiométrica no CEFET-RS a 19m de altura, que receberam, na medição de radiação difusa, anéis de sombreamento, com o eixo do anel na direção N-S geográfica. Usou-se piranômetros com sensores fotoelétricos e termopilha, este último, considerado padrão secundário tido como de referência, em medições de radiações solares global e difusa, que ligados a sistema de aquisição de dados e micro-computador, teve os dados medidos trabalhados e interpretados no estudo da calibração dos piranômetros e das medições das radiações citadas anteriormente. Tendo em vista o trabalho com dados de radiação solar, aplicou-se os testes estatísticos recomendados: erro do desvio médio (MBE), erro médio quadrático (RMSE) e o do coeficiente de correlação (CC). Conclui-se que o uso de piranômetro Licor LI 200, com sensor fotoelétrico, para medição de radiação global e difusa, deve ser precedido de uma boa calibração, realizada periodicamente. Os dados obtidos de radiação solar global foram de boa qualidade, praticamente coincidindo com os valores medidos com o piranômetro padrão da Eppley PSP, observadas as incertezas dos equipamentos. Com relação às medidas de radiação solar difusa, apesar de o piranômetro Licor ter operado nas condições menos propícias de desempenho, ou seja, em dias de céu muito nublado, após as correções devido ao sombreamento, à temperatura e às condições atmosféricas, obteve-se resultados de melhor qualidade, reduzindo-se significativamente os valores dos erros MBE e RMSE.

Avec l’essor actuel de la sophistication et de l’efficacité des codes de cosmologie hydrodynamique,il est devenu possible d’inclure le transfert radiatif (RT) des photons ionisants dansles simulations cosmologiques, soit en post-traitement, soit en simulations couplées rayonnement+hydrodynamique (RHD). Malgré de nombreux obstacles, il y a eu cette derniéredécennie beaucoup de recherches menées sur les différentes stratégies et implémentations,dû au fait qu’un nombre de problèmes intéressants peuvent être désormais abordés par laRT et RHD, par exemple comment et quand l’Univers s’est réionisé, comment l’émissionradiative des étoiles et des noyaux actifs de galaxies se comportent pour réguler la formationdes structures à des échelles petites et grandes, et quelles prédictions et interprétationsnous pouvons faire des phénomènes observés, tels que la forêt Lyman-alpha et des sourcesdiffuses de rayonnement.Cela coïncide avec l’avènement du télescope spatial James Webb (JWST) et d’autresinstruments de pointe qui sont sur le point de nous donner un aperçu sans précédent sur lafin des âges sombres de l’Univers, quand le cosmos est passé d’un état froid et neutre à unétat chaud et ionisé, à la suite de l’apparition des sources radiatives.Notre préoccupation principale étant les rétroactions radiatives des premieres structures,nous avons mis en place une version RHD du code cosmologique Ramses, que nous appelonsRamsesRT, basée sur la méthode des moments. Ce code nous permet d’étudier les effets durayonnement ionisant dans les simulations cosmologiques RHD qui tirent pleinement profitdes stratégies de raffinement adaptif de grille et de parallélisation de Ramses. Pour rendreauto-cohérent le RHD nous avons également mis en oeuvre une thermochimie hors-équilibreincluant des espèces de l’Hydrogène et de l’Hélium qui interagissent avec le rayonnementtransporté.Je présente dans cette thèse une description détaillée de RamsesRT et de nombreux testscontribuant à sa validation.Jusqu’à présent nous avons utilisé RamsesRT pour étudier l’émission Lyman-alpha decourants d’accrétion, qui sont prédits à grand redshift par les simulations cosmologiques,mais n’ont jamais été clairement identifiés par les observations. Nous avons également étudiéle chauffage gravitationnel dans ces courants pour déterminer si ce dernier pouvait être lasource motrice principale des Lyman-alpha blobs, un phénomène observé qui a été beaucoupétudié et débattu au cours de la dernière décennie. Cet étudie nous permet de conclure queles Lyman-alpha blobs peuvent, en principe, être alimentés par le chauffage gravitationnel,et que d’autre part, les courants d’accrétion sont sur le point d’être directement détectablesavec des instruments à venir.Mes intentions futures sont d’utiliser RamsesRT dans les simulations cosmologiques àhaute résolution, de la formation des premiéres galaxies jusqu’à l’époque de la réionisation,et ainsi étudier comment la rétroaction radiative affecte la formation et l’évolution de cesgalaxies et de faire des prévisions d’observation qui peuvent être testées avec des instrumentssophistiqués tels que le JWST. / With the increasing sophistication and efficiency of cosmological hydrodynamics codes, ithas become viable to include ionizing radiative transfer (RT) in cosmological simulations,either in post-processing or in full-blown radiation-hydrodynamics (RHD) simulations. Inspite of the many hurdles involved, there has been much activity during the last decade or soon different strategies and implementations, because a number of interesting problems canbe addressed with RT and RHD, e.g. how and when the Universe became reionized, howradiation from stars and active galactic nuclei plays a part in regulating structure formationon small and large scales, and what predictions and interpretations we can make of observedphenomena such as the Lyman-alpha forest and diffuse sources of radiation.This coincides with the advent of the James Webb space telescope (JWST) and otherstate-of-the-art instruments which are about to give us an unprecedented glimpse into theend of the dark ages of the Universe, when the cosmos switched from a cold and neutralstate to a hot and ionized one, due to the turn-on of ionizing radiative sources.With a primary interest in the problem of radiative feedback in early structure formation,we have implemented an RHD version of the Ramses cosmological code we call RamsesRT,which is moment based and employs the local M1 Eddington tensor closure. This code allowsus to study the effects of ionizing radiation on-the-fly in cosmological RHD simulationsthat take full advantage of the adaptive mesh refinement and parallelization strategies ofRamses. For self-consistent RHD we have also implemented a non-equilibrium chemistry ofthe atomic hydrogen and helium species that interact with the transported radiation.I present in this thesis an extensive description of the RamsesRT implementation andnumerous tests to validate it.Thus far we have used the RHD implementation to study extended line emission fromaccretion streams, which are routinely predicted to exist at early redshift by cosmologicalsimulations but have never been unambiguously verified by observations, and to investigatewhether gravitational heating in those streams could be the dominant power source ofso-called Lyman-alpha blobs, an observed phenomenon which has been much studied anddebated during the last decade or two. Our conclusions from this investigation are thatLyman-alpha blobs can in principle be powered by gravitational heating, and furthermorethat accretion streams are on the verge of being directly detectable for the first time withupcoming instruments.My future intent is to use RamsesRT for high-resolution cosmological zoom simulations ofearly galaxy formation, up to the epoch of reionization, to study how radiative feedbackaffects the formation and evolution of those galaxies and to make observational predictionsthat can be tested with upcoming instruments such as the JWST.

The climatic effects of Solar Radiation Management (SRM) geoengineering have been often modeled by simply reducing the solar constant. This is most likely valid only for space sunshades and not for atmosphere and surface based SRM methods. In this thesis, a global climate model is used to test if the climate response to SRM by stratospheric aerosols and uniform solar constant reduction are similar. Our analysis shows that when global mean warming from a doubling of CO2 is nearly cancelled by both these methods, they are similar when important surface and tropospheric climate variables are considered. However, a difference of 1K in the global mean stratospheric (61-9.8 hPa) temperature is simulated between the two SRM methods. Further, while the global mean surface diffuse radiation increases by about 15- 20% and direct radiation decreases by about 8% in the case of sulphate aerosol SRM method, both direct and diffuse radiation decrease by similar fractional amounts (~ -1.5%) when solar constant is reduced. When CO2 fertilization effects from elevated CO2 concentration levels are removed, the contribution from shaded leaves to gross primary productivity (GPP) increases by 6 % in aerosol SRM because of increased diffuse light. However, this increase is almost offset by a 7% decline in sunlit contribution due to reduced direct light. Overall both the SRM simulations show similar decrease in GPP (~ 1%) and NPP (~ 0.7%). Based on our results we conclude that the climate states produced by a reduction in solar constant and addition of aerosols into the stratosphere can be considered almost similar except for two important aspects: stratospheric temperature change and the consequent implications for the dynamics and the chemistry of the stratosphere and the partitioning of direct versus diffuse radiation reaching the surface. Further, the likely dependence of global hydrological cycle response on aerosol particle size and the latitudinal and height distribution of aerosols is discussed.

The first part deals with an introduction to the basic fundamentals and presentation of theory from the assignment. The fundamentals are presented and described in detail. This part is followed by chapter describing possibilities of using solar energy. The paper presents possibilities of using both direct and diffuse solar radiation. The last chapter of the theoretical part is devoted to the basic description of the IEC 60904 and IEC 60904-9 standards. The practical part presents selected solar simulators and their measurement. Classification class according to IEC 60904-9 is determined from this measurement. The last part of the work is devoted to the construction of a solar simulator composed of LEDs. The simulator is then measured and its class is determined by emitted spectrum.