Kathleen Lantz

Langley method of calibrating UV filter radiometers

The Langley method of calibrating UV multifilter shadow band radiometers (UV-MFRSR) is explored in this paper. This method has several advantages over the traditional standard lamp calibrations: the Sun is a free, universally available, and very constant source, and nearly continual automated field calibrations can be made. Although 20 or so Langley events are required for an accurate calibration, the radiometer remains in the field during calibration. Difficulties arise as a result of changing ozone optical depth during the Langley event and the breakdown of the Beer-Lambert law over the finite filter band pass since optical depth changes rapidly with wavelength. The Langley calibration of the radiometers depends critically upon the spectral characterization of each channel and on the wavelength and absolute calibration of the extraterrestrial spectrum used. Results of Langley calibrations for two UV-MFRSRs at Mauna Loa, Hawaii were compared to calibrations using two National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) traceable lamps. The objectives of this study were to compare Langley calibration factors with those from standard lamps and to compare field-of-view effects. The two radiometers were run simultaneously: one on a Sun tracker and the other in the conventional shadow-band configuration. Both radiometers were calibrated with two secondary 1000 W lamp, and later, the spectral response functions of the channels were measured. The ratio of Langley to lamp calibration factors for the seven channels from 300 nm to 368 nm using the shadow-band configuration ranged from 0.988 to 1.070. The estimated uncertainty in accuracy of the Langley calibrations ranged from ±3.8% at 300 nm to ±2.1% at 368 nm. For all channels calibrated with Central Ultraviolet Calibration Facility (CUCF) lamps the estimated uncertainty was ±2.5% for all channels.

Actinometric and radiometric measurement and modeling of the photolysis rate coefficient of ozone to O (^1D) during Mauna Loa Observatory Photochemistry Experiment 2

The in situ photolysis rate coefficient of O3 to O(1D) has been measured at Mauna Loa Observatory using a new actinometric instrument based on the reaction of O(1D) with N2O and with a hemispherical radiometer. One minute averaged photolysis rate coefficients were determined with an overall uncertainty of approximately ±11% at the 1 σ level for the actinometer and ±15% at the 1 σ level for the radiometer. Over 120 days of data were collected with varying cloud cover, aerosol loadings, and overhead ozone representing the first set of long term measurements. Clear sky solar noon values vary between approximately 3.0 × 10−5 and 4.5 × 10−5 sec−1. Modeling of the photolysis rate coefficients was done using a discrete ordinate radiative transfer scheme and results were compared with the actinometric measurements. The quantum yields for O(1D) production are reevaluated from existing data and reported here. The comparisons were done using the quantum yields for the photolysis of ozone recommended by DeMore et al. [1994], the newer evaluation of Michelsen et al. [1994], and also with reevaluated values in this paper. An analysis of the measured photolysis rate coefficient of O3 to O(1D) and model simulations of the photolysis rate coefficient data from clear days during the study provides added insight into the choice of quantum yield data for use in photochemical models of the troposphere.

Geographical differences in erythemally-weighted UV measured at mid-latitude USDA sites

UV measurements from instruments maintained by USDA at 16 mid-latitude sites were analysed to investigate geographic differences. Fifteen of the sites are in North America, and one is in New Zealand. The instruments measure erythemally weighted UV radiation, and the results are presented in terms of UV Index (UVI). The focus of this work is on data from 2003, but the main results are also shown for years 2002 and 2004. In the North American sites, the peak UVI values increase by approximately 15% between latitudes 47 degrees N and 40 degrees N, and they show an increase with altitude of approximately 15% in the first kilometer, but much smaller rates of increase above that level. Peak UV intensities in the New Zealand site (45 degrees S, alt. 0.37 km) exceed those at comparable latitudes and altitudes in North America by 41 +/- 5%, and are more comparable with those over 1 km higher and 5 degrees closer to the equator. The number of observations on these days that exceeded various thresholds of UVI showed similar patterns. Furthermore, the number of days in which the peak values exceeded various thresholds also showed similar patterns, with the number of extreme values in New Zealand being anomalously high. For example, the only sites in North America where UVI exceeded 12 were at the high altitude sites in Colorado and Utah, for which there were 53 days, 6 days and 2 days respectively at the 3.2 km, 1.6 and 1.4 km sites. By contrast, the peak UVI at Lauder (0.37 km) exceeded 12 on 17 days. Lauder was the only site under 1 km altitude where the UVI exceeded 11 on a regular basis (48 days). The optical depths at Lauder were significantly lower than at all North American sites. These, together with the lower ozone amounts and the closer Earth-Sun separation in summer all contribute to the relatively high UV intensities at the New Zealand site. Other sites in New Zealand show similar increases compared with corresponding sites in North America, and the differences persist from year to year. The contrast in UV between New Zealand and North America is similar to that observed previously between New Zealand and Europe. During winter months, the UVI in New Zealand is not particularly high, giving a larger summer/winter contrast in UVI, which may be important from a health perspective.

The 1997 North American Interagency Intercomparison of Ultraviolet Spectroradiometers Including Narrowband Filter Radiometers

The fourth North American Intercomparison of Ultraviolet Monitoring Spectroradiometers was held September 15 to 25, 1997 at Table Mountain outside of Boulder, Colorado, USA. Concern over stratospheric ozone depletion has prompted several government agencies in North America to establish networks of spectroradiometers for monitoring solar ultraviolet irradiance at the surface of the Earth. The main purpose of the Intercomparison was to assess the ability of spectroradiometers to accurately measure solar ultraviolet irradiance, and to compare the results between instruments of different monitoring networks. This Intercomparison was coordinated by NIST and NOAA, and included participants from the ASRC, EPA, NIST, NSF, SERC, USDA, and YES. The UV measuring instruments included scanning spectroradiometers, spectrographs, narrow band multi-filter radiometers, and broadband radiometers. Instruments were characterized for wavelength accuracy, bandwidth, stray-light rejection, and spectral irradiance responsivity. The spectral irradiance responsivity was determined two to three times outdoors to assess temporal stability. Synchronized spectral scans of the solar irradiance were performed over several days. Using the spectral irradiance responsivities determined with the NIST traceable standard lamp, and a simple convolution technique with a Gaussian slit-scattering function to account for the different bandwidths of the instruments, the measured solar irradiance from the spectroradiometers excluding the filter radiometers at 16.5 h UTC had a relative standard deviation of ±4 % for wavelengths greater than 305 nm. The relative standard deviation for the solar irradiance at 16.5 h UTC including the filter radiometer was ±4 % for filter functions above 300 nm.

The Two-Column Aerosol Project: Phase I - Overview and Impact of Elevated Aerosol Layers on Aerosol Optical Depth

The Two-Column Aerosol Project (TCAP), conducted from June 2012 through June 2013, was a unique study designed to provide a comprehensive data set that can be used to investigate a number of important climate science questions, including those related to aerosol mixing state and aerosol radiative forcing. The study was designed to sample the atmosphere between and within two atmospheric columns; one fixed near the coast of North America (over Cape Cod, MA) and a second moveable column over the Atlantic Ocean several hundred kilometers from the coast. The U.S. Department of Energys (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Mobile Facility (AMF) was deployed at the base of the Cape Cod column, and the ARM Aerial Facility was utilized for the summer and winter intensive observation periods. One important finding from TCAP is that four of six nearly cloud-free flight days had aerosol layers aloft in both the Cape Cod and maritime columns that were detected using the nadir pointing second-generation NASA high-spectral resolution lidar (HSRL-2). These layers contributed up to 60% of the total observed aerosol optical depth (AOD). Many of these layers were also intercepted by the aircraft configured for in situ sampling, and the aerosol in the layers was found to have increased amounts of biomass burning material and nitrate compared to aerosol found near the surface. In addition, while there was a great deal of spatial and day-to-day variability in the aerosol chemical composition and optical properties, no systematic differences between the two columns were observed.

Direct absorption spectroscopy of the first excited electronic band of jet-cooled H2S

Abstract The absorption spectrum of jet-cooled H 2 S was measured in the energy region fo 1700–2300 A. The anomalous intensity in the tail is shown not to be due to excitation from excited rotational levels of the ground state. The spectral information indicates two electronic states contribute to the first absorption band of H 2 S. Clustering within the jet is shown to be an effective tool for identifying Rydberg states versus valence states.

Absorption spectroscopy of jet-cooled CS2: the linear excited state at 55741 to 60241 cm−1

Abstract The 1660–1794 A (60241-55741 cm −1 ) energy region of carbon disulfide is investigated. The ultraviolet absorption spectrum is recorded for carbon disulfide cooled in a supersonic expansion. Rotational cooling achieved in the jet facilitates determination of vibrational frequencies and resolves peaks previously not seen. Vibrational cooling is used to identify hot band transitions and determine the electronic origin. With the new spectroscopic information the spectrum is reanalysed and is assigned to the linear to linear 1 Π g ← 1 Σ + g electronic transition. Implications for the photoreactivity of CS 2 are discussed.

Comparison of ultraviolet data from colocated instruments from the U.S. EPA Brewer Spectrophotometer Network and the U.S. Department of Agriculture UV-B Monitoring and Research Program

Several ground-based ultraviolet (UV) monitoring networks exist in the United States, each of which is unique in the instrumentation employed for measurements. Two of these UV networks are the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys (EPAs) Brewer Spectrophotometer Network and the U.S. Department of Agricultures (USDAs) UV-B moni- toring network, with a combined instrument total of 52 sites, with 32 sites located in the mainland United States. The Brewer records full sky spec- tra from 287 to 363 nm with 0.55-nm resolution, whereas the USDA instrument is a broadband device that measures broadband erythemally weighted UV data. To date, limited comparisons of data collected from these networks have been analyzed for comparative and quality assur- ance (QA) purposes. The data we use is taken from sites where instru- ments from each program are colocated, namely, Big Bend National Park, Texas, and Everglades National Park, Florida. To reduce the con- tribution of errors in the Brewer-based instruments, the raw data is cor- rected for stray light rejection, the angular response of the full sky dif- fuser, the temperature dependence of the instruments, and the temporal variation. This reduces the estimated errors of the absolute irradiance values of each Brewer spectral measurement to approximately 65%. The estimated uncertainty of the USDA instruments is approximately 66% with a systematic bias of (213 to 5% depending on the total ozone) and is comprised of (1) standard lamp measurement errors, (2) spectral response determination, and (3) the angular response of the diffuser. We perform comparisons between the Brewer spectrally integrated and erythemally weighted UV irradiance measurements and the data col- lected by the broadband erythemal UV meters at colocated sites be-

Temporal variability of aerosol properties during TCAP: impact on radiative forcing

Ground-based remote sensing and in situ observations of aerosol microphysical and optical properties have been collected during summertime (June-August, 2012) as part of the Two-Column Aerosol Project (TCAP; http://campaign.arm.gov/tcap/), which was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program (http://www.arm.gov/). The overall goal of the TCAP field campaign is to study the evolution of optical and microphysical properties of atmospheric aerosol transported from North America to the Atlantic and their impact on the radiation energy budget. During TCAP, the ground-based ARM Mobile Facility (AMF) was deployed on Cape Cod, an arm-shaped peninsula situated on the easternmost portion of Massachusetts (along the east coast of the United States) and that is generally downwind of large metropolitan areas. The AMF site was equipped with numerous instruments for sampling aerosol, cloud and radiative properties, including a Multi-Filter Rotating Shadowband Radiometer (MFRSR), a Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS), an Aerodynamic Particle Sizer (APS), and a three-wavelength nephelometer. In this study we present an analysis of diurnal and day-to-day variability of the column and near-surface aerosol properties obtained from remote sensing (MFRSR data) and ground-based in situ measurements (SMPS, APS, and nephelometer data). In particular, we show that the observed diurnal variability of the MFRSR aerosol optical depth is strong and comparable with that obtained previously from the AERONET climatology in Mexico City, which has a larger aerosol loading. Moreover, we illustrate how the variability of aerosol properties impacts the direct aerosol radiative forcing at different time scales.

Long-term evaluation of the calibration of YES UVB-1 broadband radiometers of the Central UV Calibration Facility (1994-2005) and the suite of UV radiometers in the USDA UV Monitoring Network

The U.S. Central UV Calibration Facility (CUCF) at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the Earth Systems Laboratory calibrates Yankee Environmental System (YES) UVB-1 broadband radiometers for the USDA UV Monitoring Program. The CUCF has three reference YES UVB-1 broadband radiometers that operate in the field at the CUCFs Table Mountain Test Facility (TMTF). These three reference broadband radiometers are run simultaneously against a reference U111 Spectroradiometer developed by Atmospheric Science Research Center (ASRC) at SUNY. The temporal stability will be shown of the erythema calibration factors of the CUCF reference YES UVB-1 radiometers under clear skies from 1994 until 2005. The USDA UV Monitoring Program has 51 UV broadband radiometers that are characterized and calibrated approximately once every 1-2 years by the CUCF starting in 1997. The average annual changes in the calibration are given for the 51 USDA YES UVB broadband radiometers.