Hello
Sad,
Part
of why you're sad may be that the sun's intensity is so low in a rainy place like
Seattle. This can trigger Seasonal Affective Disorder, (also called
"SAD") which can cause depression.
The
sun's intensity as experienced on the earth is described in three ways, Global,
Diffuse, and Direct. Global solar
exposure is the total amount of solar energy falling on a horizontal surface.
Diffuse solar exposure is the total amount of solar energy falling on a
horizontal surface from all parts of the sky apart from the direct sun. Direct
solar irradiance (also referred to as direct normal irradiance) is a measure of
the rate of solar energy arriving at the Earth's surface from the Sun's direct
beam, on a plane perpendicular to the beam, and is usually measured by a
pyrheliometer mounted on a solar tracker. The tracker ensures that the Sun's
beam is always directed into the instrument's field of view during the day.
Notice
in the figure below how these three track on a sunny day, as compared to a cloudy
or partly cloudy day.
These
is often confusion about this subject on a partly cloudy day, because where the
sun is shining through the very edge of a cloud, the cloud can become like a magnifying
lens. We see peaks of very high
intensity at those times, as shown in the afternoon here.
So
if you are sad, you may have SAD, and need light therapy. “Full spectrum” lighting used indoors
can help to get you the “sunlight” you need to be happy again.
Blessings
for a “brighter” tomorrow,
Kelly