A pyranometer uses a thermopile beneath a glass dome to measure total solar radiation on a horizontal surface. It is the WMO standard for the global actinometric network, with ranges of 0–1,400 W/m².
Uses
Essential in climatology, solar photovoltaic engineering (system sizing), agriculture (evapotranspiration), and climate change research. The BSRN (Baseline Surface Radiation Network) uses class-A pyranometers worldwide to monitor Earth's radiation budget.