Solar ultraviolet radiation : measurement techniques and the Australian network

Abstract

The Australian Radiation Laboratory (ARL) has been involved in the measurement of solar ultraviolet radiation since the early 1980s. A solar laboratory has been established in the grounds and regular spectral measurements are made with a spectroradiometer incorporating a 0.4 m double grating monochromator. In the mid-1980s it was decided to extend the programme by making measurements at other locations. A broadband system incorporating four detectors (solar radiation, total UV-R, solar UV-B and actinic UV-R), has been developed and installed at a number of locations in Australia and at the permanently-manned Australian stations in Antarctica. Details of the systems including spectral responsivity, calibrations and data handling are discussed together with some preliminary results. The usefulness of a simple semi-empirical model for calculating the global solar UV-R is assessed.