burnt-resistor 5 days ago

Your calculations are incorrect. Use common sense, models, and first principles. Light point source irradiance is E = P/4πr², so inverse square law. It's 1361 W/m² at Earth's distance of 1.5e11 m. Solar Orbiter dips down to 4.2e10 m. ¼ the distance,

Total solar power output = 4 * π * (1.5e11 [m])² * 1361 [W] = 3.85e26 W/m²

Sun's "surface" irradiance = TSPO / (4 * π * (6.96e8 [m])²) = 6.32e9 W/m²

At Solar Orbiter's perihelion, assuming the distance from the Sun's point center rather than the Sun's surface = TSPO / (4 * π * (4.2e10 [m])²) = 1.74e4 W/m².

^ Except for Earth's irradiance and the distances, these are theoretical rough values rather than observed ones because reality is messier than simplified models.

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popol12 5 days ago

The real issue was that I didn't get that you were talking about Solar Orbiter, I thought you were saying that the irradiance of the sun was 20kW/m2, which seemed low to me, but I didn't even know the word "irradiance" so I didn't know what to type on Google to check it. Thanks for your detailed calculus :)

burnt-resistor 5 days ago

It's basic algebra. Calculus would involve derivatives or integrals.

FredPret 5 days ago

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/calculus

The usual sense involves integration and derivation but look at senses 2 & 4. It also means any calculation.