Solar　radiation　is　the　primary　energy　source　that　drives　many　of　Earth’s　physical　and　biological　processes　and　determines　the　patterns　of　climate　and　productivity　on　the　surface　of　the　Earth.　A　fundamental　proportion　of　solar　radiation　is　composed　of　shielded　extraterrestrial　solar　radiation　(SESR),　which　can　be　computed　using　the　slope　and　aspect　derived　from　a　digital　elevation　model　(DEM).　The　objective　of　this　paper　is　to　determine　the　influence　of　the　grid　spacing　of　the　DEM　(the　influence　of　the　scale　of　the　DEM)　on　the　errors　of　slope,　aspect　and　SESR.　This　paper　puts　forward　the　concepts　of　slope　representation　error,　aspect　representation　error,　and　SESR　representation　error　and　then　studies　the　relations　among　these　errors　and　the　grid　spacing　of　DEMs.　We　find　that　when　the　grid　spacing　of　a　DEM　becomes　coarser,　the　average　SESR　increases;　the　increase　in　SESR　is　dominated　by　the　grid　cells　of　the　DEM　with　a　negative　slope　representation　error,　whereas　SESR　generally　decreases　in　the　grid　cells　with　a　positive　slope　representation　error.　Although　the　grid　spacing　varies,　the　distribution　of　the　percentages　of　positive　SESR　representation　errors　on　the　slope,　which　is　classified　into　11　slope　intervals,　is　independent　of　the　grid　spacing;　this　distribution　is　concentrated　across　some　slope　intervals.　Moreover,　the　average　absolute　value　and　mean　square　error　of　the　SESR　representation　error　are　closely　related　to　those　of　the　slope　representation　error　and　the　aspect　representation　error.　The　findings　in　this　study　may　be　useful　for　predicting　and　reducing　the　errors　in　SESR　measurements　and　may　help　to　avoid　mistakes　in　future　research　and　in　practical　applications　in　which　SESR　is　the　data　of　interest　or　plays　a　vital　role　in　an　analysis.　©　2019,　Higher　Education　Press　and　Springer-Verlag　GmbH　Germany,　part　of　Springer　Nature.