manual: r.sunmask and i.topo.corr improvements (#3159)

- r.sunmask: explain sun angles - i.topo.corr: improve angle descriptions Co-authored-by: Markus Metz <[email protected]>
OSGeo · Oct 3, 2023 · 863f916 · 863f916
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diff --git a/imagery/i.topo.corr/i.topo.corr.html b/imagery/i.topo.corr/i.topo.corr.html
@@ -3,12 +3,11 @@ <h2>DESCRIPTION</h2>
 <em>i.topo.corr</em> is used to topographically correct reflectance
 from imagery files, e.g. obtained with <em>i.landsat.toar</em>, using a
 sun illumination terrain model. This illumination model represents the
-cosine of the incident angle <em>i</em>, i.e. the  angle between the normal to the
-ground and the sun rays.
+cosine of the incident angle <em>i</em>, i.e. the angle between the normal
+to the ground and the sun rays.
 <p>
-Note: If needed, the sun position can be calculated for a given date with
-<em>r.sunmask</em>.
-
+Note: If needed, the sun position can be calculated for a given date and
+time with <em>r.sunmask</em>.
 
 <center>
 <img src="i_topo_corr_angles.png" alt="Figure showing terrain and solar angles"><br>
@@ -18,15 +17,20 @@ <h2>DESCRIPTION</h2>
 <p>
 Using the <b>-i</b> flag and given an elevation basemap (metric),
 <em>i.topo.corr</em> creates a simple illumination model using the formula:
+
 <ul>
   <li> cos_i = cos(s) * cos(z) + sin(s) * sin(z) * cos(a - o) </li>
 </ul>
+
 where,
-<em>i</em> is the incident angle to be calculated,
-<em>s</em> is the terrain slope angle,
-<em>z</em> is the solar zenith angle,
-<em>a</em> the solar azimuth angle,
-<em>o</em> the terrain aspect angle.
+
+<ul>
+  <li> <em>i</em> is the incident angle to be calculated,</li>
+  <li> <em>s</em> is the terrain slope angle (from <em>r.slope.aspect</em>),</li>
+  <li> <em>z</em> is the solar zenith angle (i.e., 90&deg; - solar horizon angle from <em>r.sunmask</em>),</li>
+  <li> <em>a</em> the solar azimuth angle (from <em>r.sunmask</em>),</li>
+  <li> <em>o</em> the terrain aspect angle (from <em>r.slope.aspect</em>).</li>
+</ul>
 
 <p>
 For each band file, the corrected reflectance (ref_c) is calculate from

diff --git a/raster/r.sunmask/r.sunmask.html b/raster/r.sunmask/r.sunmask.html
@@ -1,34 +1,57 @@
 <h2>DESCRIPTION</h2>
 
 <em>r.sunmask</em> creates an output map layer based on an input elevation
-raster map layer and the sun position. The output map layer contains the
-cast shadow areas arising from sun shine and elevations. The user can define
-the sun position either directly or the module calculates it from given
-location and date/time parameters using the
-<a href="http://rredc.nrel.gov/">NREL</a> sun position algorithm. So either
-"A:"-parameters to specify the exact known sun position or "B:-parameters"
-to specify date/time for sun position calculation by <em>r.sunmask</em> itself
-have to be used.
-
-<p>The module performs sunset/sunrise checks and refraction correction for sun
-position calculation. Local coordinate systems are internally transformed to
-latitude/longitude for the SOLPOS algorithm. The elevation is not considered
-in the sunset/sunrise calculations.
+raster map layer and the position of the sun. The output map layer contains the
+cast shadow areas resulting from sunlight and elevation. The user can either
+specify the sun position directly or the module calculates it from given
+location and date/time parameters using the SOLPOS (Solar and Moon Position Algorithm)
+developed by the
+<a href="https://www.nrel.gov/">National Renewable Energy Laboratory</a>
+(NREL). SOLPOS operates in two modes, either
+
+<ul>
+<li>(A) parameters to specify the exact known position of the sun, or</li>
+<li>(B) parameters to specify the date/time for the sun position calculation
+     by <em>r.sunmask</em> itself</li>
+</ul>
+must be used.
+
+<p>
+The module performs sunset/sunrise checks and refraction correction for
+sun position calculation. Local coordinate systems are internally transformed
+to latitude/longitude for the SOLPOS algorithm. Elevation is not taken into
+account for sunset/sunrise calculations.
+
+<p>
+The solar zenith angle ("sun angle above horizon") is defined as the angle
+between the horizon and the vertical (directly overhead or zenith). Its
+values can range from 90&deg;, when the sun is directly overhead, to 0&deg;,
+when the sun is on the horizon. Values lower than 0&deg; indicate that the
+sun is below the horizon.
+
+<p>
+The solar azimuth angle ("sun azimuth") defines the direction of the sun.
+It is the angle between north and the projection of the sun's rays onto the
+horizontal plane. This angle is measured in a clockwise direction and can
+vary between 0&deg; and 360&deg;. Specifically, an azimuth of 0&deg; means
+the sun is in the north, 90&deg; in the east, 180&deg; in the south and
+270&deg; in the west.
 
 <h2>NOTES</h2>
 
-<em>r.sunmask</em> and daylight savings: Rather than converting the
-local time to GMT, the SOLPOS algorithm uses what is called Local
-Standard Time, which is generally politically defined as an offset
-from GMT.  So the key is the offset from GMT, which the solpos Time
+<em>r.sunmask</em> and daylight saving time: Instead of converting the
+local time to GMT, the SOLPOS algorithm uses what is known as Local
+Standard Time, which is generally defined as an offset from GMT.
+So the key is the offset from GMT, which is the solpos Time
 Zone parameter. If the user specifies clock time (different for
-winter and summer), s/he would have to change the Time Zone
-parameter seasonally in <em>r.sunmask</em> (timezone parameter). See also
-<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daylight_saving_time_by_country">Daylight saving time by region and country</a>.
+winter and summer), s/he would have to change the Time Zone parameter in
+<em>r.sunmask</em> (<b>timezone</b> parameter) seasonally. See also
+<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daylight_saving_time_by_country">Daylight saving time by region and country</a>.
+<p>
 
 <p>
 Note: In latitude/longitude locations the position coordinates pair
-(east/west) has to be specified in decimal degree (not D:M:S). If
+(east/west) has to be specified in decimal degree (not DD:MM:SS). If
 not specified, the map center's coordinates will be used.
 Also <em>g.region -l</em> displays the map center's coordinates in
 latitude/longitude (or <em>g.region -c</em> in the actual coordinate
@@ -98,7 +121,7 @@ <h2>EXAMPLE</H2>
 <h2>Acknowledgements</h2>
 
 Acknowledgements: National Renewable Energy Laboratory for their
-<a href="http://rredc.nrel.gov/solar/codesandalgorithms/solpos/">SOLPOS 2.0</a> sun position
+<a href="https://www.nrel.gov/grid/solar-resource/solpos.html">SOLPOS 2.0</a> sun position
 algorithm.
 
 <h2>SEE ALSO</h2>
@@ -112,6 +135,6 @@ <h2>SEE ALSO</h2>
 
 <h2>AUTHORS</h2>
 
-Janne Soimasuo, Finland 1994<br>
-update to FP by Huidae Cho 2001<br>
-SOLPOS algorithm feature added by Markus Neteler 2001
+Janne Soimasuo, Finland, 1994<br>
+update to FP by Huidae Cho, 2001<br>
+SOLPOS algorithm feature added by Markus Neteler, 2001