Overview
ISO/TR 17801:2014 - "Plastics - Standard table for reference global solar spectral irradiance at sea level - Horizontal, relative air mass 1" provides a standardized reference solar spectrum for the study of weathering degradation of plastics. The Technical Report supplies a high-resolution reference global solar spectral irradiance table (direct + diffuse) for a horizontal surface at sea level with relative air mass 1.0 (AM1). The tabulated spectrum and accompanying figures are intended as a target spectrum for classifying and calibrating solar simulators across the UV, visible and infrared ranges.
Key technical topics and requirements
- Reference spectrum (Table 1): A wavelength-by-wavelength spectral irradiance table (W·m⁻²·nm⁻¹) spanning the ultraviolet through infrared; generated by recalculating CIE No. 85 data using the SMARTS2 (Version 2.9.2) model.
- Atmospheric and measurement assumptions: Based on the US Standard Atmosphere 1976 with specific parameters - total column water vapour 1.42 cm, total column ozone 0.34 cm, aerosol optical depth (500 nm) 0.1, rural aerosol distribution (Shettle and Fenn), CO2 = 370 ppm, and ground reflectance 0.2.
- Integrated irradiance: The global distribution corresponds to an integrated irradiance of 1 092 W·m⁻² on a sun-facing horizontal plane (cloudless, sun at zenith).
- Definitions and terms: Clear definitions of global solar irradiance, spectral irradiance, and air mass to ensure consistent interpretation in testing and simulation.
- Reproducible inputs: Annex A provides the SMARTS2 input file(s) used to generate the tabulated spectrum, supporting reproducibility and implementation by laboratories and instrument vendors.
- Normative reference: CIE No. 85 (1989) is cited as the baseline dataset recalculated in this report.
Practical applications and users
ISO/TR 17801:2014 is targeted at professionals and organizations involved in accelerated weathering and photochemical aging testing:
- Plastics manufacturers and product engineers who need realistic solar exposure spectra to evaluate material durability.
- Test laboratories and accreditation bodies using or classifying solar simulators across UV–visible–IR ranges.
- Solar simulator and instrument manufacturers who calibrate light sources to match a reference global solar spectral irradiance (AM1).
- Researchers studying photodegradation mechanisms and modeling material lifetimes.
- Standards committees harmonizing test methods and exposure conditions.
Typical uses include calibration targets for solar simulators, specifying spectral match criteria for test methods, and providing a common reference spectrum for inter-laboratory comparisons.
Related standards and models
- CIE No. 85 (1989) - referenced and recalculated by SMARTS2 in this report.
- SMARTS (Simple Model of the Atmospheric Radiative Transfer of Sunshine) - model and version used: SMARTS2 v2.9.2 (input files provided in Annex A).
Keywords: ISO/TR 17801:2014, reference solar spectral irradiance, air mass 1, solar simulators, plastics weathering, spectral irradiance table, SMARTS model, global solar irradiance.
Open preview (PDF)Plastics — Standard table for reference global solar spectral irradiance at sea level — Horizontal, relative air mass 1
