Articles | Volume 15, issue 17
https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-6817-2022
© Author(s) 2022. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-6817-2022
© Author(s) 2022. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Model description paper
| Highlight paper
| 
08 Sep 2022
Model description paper | Highlight paper |
| 08 Sep 2022
| 08 Sep 2022
HORAYZON v1.2: an efficient and flexible ray-tracing algorithm to compute horizon and sky view factor
Christian R. Steger
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Sciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
Benjamin Steger
ESRI Research & Development Center Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
Christoph Schär
Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Sciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
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Cited
20 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Intraday spatiotemporal PV power prediction at national scale using satellite-based solar forecast models L. Lanzilao & A. Meyer https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egyai.2026.100786
- Evaluating Ground Imagery for Long-Standoff, Vision-Based Navigation, Localization and Positioning J. Ruby et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/app16157397
- Helm Glacier projected to vanish within a decade J. Crompton et al. https://doi.org/10.1017/aog.2026.10043
- Spatiotemporal analysis of pedestrian solar radiation exposure in urban mountain parks X. Zhou et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2026.115145
- Satellite telemetry of surface ablation to inform spatial melt modelling and event-scale monitoring, Place Glacier, Canada A. Bevington et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-811-2026
- Estimating Topographically Corrected Photosynthetically Active Radiation at Hourly Intervals Using Breathing Earth System Simulator Radiation Model and GEO-KOMPSAT-2A Atmospheric Products D. Ahn et al. https://doi.org/10.7780/kjrs.2026.42.1.5
- How do trees reshape the shading distribution for the elderly in summer? A case study of Zhejiang Province, China H. Zhang et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.habitatint.2026.103967
- An urban land surface temperature and emissivity separation algorithm from ASTER TIR data and its application J. Li et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/17538947.2025.2459346
- Improving horizon computation algorithm with quasirandom sequences E. Sovetkin et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/13658816.2024.2408751
- Shade watch: Mapping citywide shade dynamics through ray tracing and LiDAR data in Hong Kong's complex 3-D built environment S. Wu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2024.106011
- Fast Horizon Approximation: Impacts on Integrated Photovoltaic Irradiation Simulations E. Sovetkin et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/solr.202400474
- Retrieval of surface solar radiation with deep-learning using contextually recovered background reflectance Y. Frischholz et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2025.114188
- Hourly potential light availability maps at 10 m resolution over Switzerland C. Webster et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-025-06152-9
- A seasonal snowpack model forced with dynamically downscaled forcing data resolves hydrologically relevant accumulation patterns J. Berg et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2024.1393260
- InvSim algorithm for pre-computing airplane flight controls in limited-range autonomous missions, and demonstration via double-roll maneuver of Mirage III fighters O. Marzouk https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-07639-6
- Intermediate complexity atmospheric modeling in complex terrain: is it right? D. Reynolds et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2024.1388416
- Seasonal snow–atmosphere modeling: let's do it D. Reynolds et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-4315-2024
- A new approach to net solar radiation in a spatially distributed snow energy balance model to improve snowmelt timing J. Meyer et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2024.131490
- A dataset of topographic correction coefficients for shortwave downward radiation over the Pan-Third Pole Y. Xian et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-024-03616-2
- Multi-Sensor-Assisted Navigation for UAVs in Power Inspection: A Fusion Approach Using LiDAR, IMU and GPS A. Wang et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/app16062632
20 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Intraday spatiotemporal PV power prediction at national scale using satellite-based solar forecast models L. Lanzilao & A. Meyer https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egyai.2026.100786
- Evaluating Ground Imagery for Long-Standoff, Vision-Based Navigation, Localization and Positioning J. Ruby et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/app16157397
- Helm Glacier projected to vanish within a decade J. Crompton et al. https://doi.org/10.1017/aog.2026.10043
- Spatiotemporal analysis of pedestrian solar radiation exposure in urban mountain parks X. Zhou et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2026.115145
- Satellite telemetry of surface ablation to inform spatial melt modelling and event-scale monitoring, Place Glacier, Canada A. Bevington et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-811-2026
- Estimating Topographically Corrected Photosynthetically Active Radiation at Hourly Intervals Using Breathing Earth System Simulator Radiation Model and GEO-KOMPSAT-2A Atmospheric Products D. Ahn et al. https://doi.org/10.7780/kjrs.2026.42.1.5
- How do trees reshape the shading distribution for the elderly in summer? A case study of Zhejiang Province, China H. Zhang et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.habitatint.2026.103967
- An urban land surface temperature and emissivity separation algorithm from ASTER TIR data and its application J. Li et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/17538947.2025.2459346
- Improving horizon computation algorithm with quasirandom sequences E. Sovetkin et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/13658816.2024.2408751
- Shade watch: Mapping citywide shade dynamics through ray tracing and LiDAR data in Hong Kong's complex 3-D built environment S. Wu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2024.106011
- Fast Horizon Approximation: Impacts on Integrated Photovoltaic Irradiation Simulations E. Sovetkin et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/solr.202400474
- Retrieval of surface solar radiation with deep-learning using contextually recovered background reflectance Y. Frischholz et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2025.114188
- Hourly potential light availability maps at 10 m resolution over Switzerland C. Webster et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-025-06152-9
- A seasonal snowpack model forced with dynamically downscaled forcing data resolves hydrologically relevant accumulation patterns J. Berg et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2024.1393260
- InvSim algorithm for pre-computing airplane flight controls in limited-range autonomous missions, and demonstration via double-roll maneuver of Mirage III fighters O. Marzouk https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-07639-6
- Intermediate complexity atmospheric modeling in complex terrain: is it right? D. Reynolds et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2024.1388416
- Seasonal snow–atmosphere modeling: let's do it D. Reynolds et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-4315-2024
- A new approach to net solar radiation in a spatially distributed snow energy balance model to improve snowmelt timing J. Meyer et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2024.131490
- A dataset of topographic correction coefficients for shortwave downward radiation over the Pan-Third Pole Y. Xian et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-024-03616-2
- Multi-Sensor-Assisted Navigation for UAVs in Power Inspection: A Fusion Approach Using LiDAR, IMU and GPS A. Wang et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/app16062632
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 10 Sep 2026
Editorial statement
Finding the horizon is commonplace for humans, and evocative when imagining journeys on the coast, in the mountains, or in endless plains. This paper shows a way to optimize a machine's ability to complete the same task, with the goal of bettering our ability to understand nature and climate.
Finding the horizon is commonplace for humans, and evocative when imagining journeys on the...
Short summary
Terrain horizon and sky view factor are crucial quantities for many geoscientific applications; e.g. they are used to account for effects of terrain on surface radiation in climate and land surface models. Because typical terrain horizon algorithms are inefficient for high-resolution (< 30 m) elevation data, we developed a new algorithm based on a ray-tracing library. A comparison with two conventional methods revealed both its high performance and its accuracy for complex terrain.
Terrain horizon and sky view factor are crucial quantities for many geoscientific applications;...
