Published online by Cambridge University Press: 08 February 2017
Measurements of the total solar irradiance (TSI) during the last 18 years from spacecraft are reviewed. Corrections are determined for the early measurements made by the HF radiometer within the ERB experiment on NIMBUS7 and the factor to refer ACRIM II to the ACRIM I irradiance scale. With these corrections a composite TSI is constructed for the period from 1978-1997. This time series is compared with a model that combines a magnetic brightness proxy with observed sunspot darkening and explains nearly 90% of the observed short and longterm variance. Possible, but still unverified degradation of the radiometers hampers conclusions about irradiance changes on decadal time scales and longer.