PONE-D-22-06438Agrivoltaics: Modeling the effect of longwave radiation from solar panels on soil moisturePLOS ONE

Dear Dr. Shepard,

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Reviewer #2: Yes

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2. Has the statistical analysis been performed appropriately and rigorously?

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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5. Review Comments to the Author

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Reviewer #1: The work is logically structured and consequential in its exposition. The article develops a model to quantify the downwelling longwave energy at the ground to explore the soil moisture loss under the time of 2018. I cannot recommend considering this paper for publication before major modifications and change. My comments are as follows:

1. The order result of uploaded image is a mess. In addition, the horizontal and vertical coordinates are not clear in Fig. 3.

2. The missing weather parameters for small time steps (less than 1 day) were approximated via interpolation in this paper, but the larger time steps (more than 1 day)?

3. The clear skies condition is assumed in modeling work, whether the proposed model can be set up under more complex environmental conditions (cloudy sky, cloudy in the morning and clear sky in the afternoon). All measured data was collected in the clear skies in the model? Please provide detail explain the applicability and advantages of model.

4. Two long straight lines describe the interpolated values as shown in Fig. 10a, the first straight line shows a long time. However, it shows a volatility change, how to verify the rationality of a long time interpolation, data consistency or data series test?

5. The frequencies of panel temperatures show an obvious frequency difference in Fig. 10b, please explain this change.

6. In the work I do not see any mention about model both parameter calibration and validation. A model is applied in this study, it is suggested that these differences of simulated and measured result can be emphasized the quantified analysis.

7. I believe that the Authors should do more work. The study analyzes the difference and change of in longwave energy, and another approximation of downwelling longwave radiation in the model is computed. It should provide the more discusses and analysis for the effect of longwave radiation on soil moisture.

Reviewer #2: This is a interesting research dealing with the calculation of the long-wave radiation flux induced by the solar panels. The authors presented detailed and analytical geometrical schemes and calculating procedures, which provide very good insights for future research. However, the problem is that, are the data of calculated long-wave radiation flux right? why the evaporation contributed by it could be 60-80 cm, and you admitted that the value was too high. There might be something wrong in calculation the radiation, or the calculation of evaporation. I expect more solid and useful results, that should be, your calculation of the ground intercepted radiation and ground soil evaporation are all validated by the field measurements. Both long and short waves should be considered.

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Reviewer #1: No

Reviewer #2: No

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Agrivoltaics: Modeling the relative importance of longwave radiation from solar panels

PONE-D-22-06438R1

Dear Dr. Shepard,

We’re pleased to inform you that your manuscript has been judged scientifically suitable for publication and will be formally accepted for publication once it meets all outstanding technical requirements.

Within one week, you’ll receive an e-mail detailing the required amendments. When these have been addressed, you’ll receive a formal acceptance letter and your manuscript will be scheduled for publication.

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Kind regards,

Domenico Mazzeo

Academic Editor

PLOS ONE

Additional Editor Comments (optional):

Reviewers' comments:

Reviewer's Responses to Questions

Comments to the Author

1. If the authors have adequately addressed your comments raised in a previous round of review and you feel that this manuscript is now acceptable for publication, you may indicate that here to bypass the “Comments to the Author” section, enter your conflict of interest statement in the “Confidential to Editor” section, and submit your "Accept" recommendation.

Reviewer #1: All comments have been addressed

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2. Is the manuscript technically sound, and do the data support the conclusions?

The manuscript must describe a technically sound piece of scientific research with data that supports the conclusions. Experiments must have been conducted rigorously, with appropriate controls, replication, and sample sizes. The conclusions must be drawn appropriately based on the data presented.

Reviewer #1: Yes

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3. Has the statistical analysis been performed appropriately and rigorously?

Reviewer #1: Yes

**********

4. Have the authors made all data underlying the findings in their manuscript fully available?

The PLOS Data policy requires authors to make all data underlying the findings described in their manuscript fully available without restriction, with rare exception (please refer to the Data Availability Statement in the manuscript PDF file). The data should be provided as part of the manuscript or its supporting information, or deposited to a public repository. For example, in addition to summary statistics, the data points behind means, medians and variance measures should be available. If there are restrictions on publicly sharing data—e.g. participant privacy or use of data from a third party—those must be specified.

Reviewer #1: Yes

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5. Is the manuscript presented in an intelligible fashion and written in standard English?

PLOS ONE does not copyedit accepted manuscripts, so the language in submitted articles must be clear, correct, and unambiguous. Any typographical or grammatical errors should be corrected at revision, so please note any specific errors here.

Reviewer #1: Yes

**********

6. Review Comments to the Author

Please use the space provided to explain your answers to the questions above. You may also include additional comments for the author, including concerns about dual publication, research ethics, or publication ethics. (Please upload your review as an attachment if it exceeds 20,000 characters)

Reviewer #1: The questions listed before are all addressed and I have no further comments for this paper. My suggestion to this paper is accepted for publication.

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7. PLOS authors have the option to publish the peer review history of their article (what does this mean?). If published, this will include your full peer review and any attached files.

If you choose “no”, your identity will remain anonymous but your review may still be made public.

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Reviewer #1: No

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