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. 2019 Sep;95(5):1258-1266.
doi: 10.1111/php.13111. Epub 2019 Jun 6.

The Austrian UVA-Network

Alois W Schmalwieser  1 , Barbara Klotz  2 , Michael Schwarzmann  2 , Dietmar J Baumgartner  3 , Josef Schreder  4 , Günther Schauberger  1 , Mario Blumthaler  2
Affiliations

The Austrian UVA-Network

Alois W Schmalwieser et al. Photochem Photobiol. 2019 Sep.

Abstract

The ultraviolet-A (UVA) part of the solar spectrum at the Earth's surface is an essential environmental factor but continuous long-time monitoring of UVA radiation is rarely done. In Austria, three existing stations of the UV monitoring network have been upgraded with UVA broadband instruments. At each station, one instrument measures global UVA irradiance and-in parallel-a second instrument measures diffuse irradiance. Recent and past measurements are available via a web page. This paper describes the used instruments, calibration and quality assurance and control procedures. Global and diffuse UVA measurements during a period of up to 5 years are presented. Data indicate clear annual courses and an increase of UVA with altitude by 8-9% per 1000 m. In the first half of the year, UVA radiation is higher than in the second half, due to less cloudiness. In Vienna (153 m asl), the mean daily global UVA radiant exposure in summer is almost as high as at Mt. Gerlitzen (1540 m asl), equalizing the altitude effect, due to less cloudiness. However, in winter, the UVA radiant exposure at Mt. Gerlitzen is double as high, as in Vienna.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Stations of the Austrian UV network and participating stations from Germany, Italy and Switzerland. Black‐filled circles indicate those stations in Austria where UVA and the UV index are measured and gray‐filled circles those in Italy and Switzerland. Empty circles indicate stations where only the UV index is measured.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Spectral response of the broadband radiometers type J033 (CMS‐Schreder), WPD‐UVA‐03 (Gigahertz‐Optik) and UVS‐AB‐T (Kipp&Zonen) together with the ideal UVA response.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Calibration matrix c1(O3, se) * c2 (se) according to Eq. (1) as a function of total ozone and solar elevation exemplarily for type J033 (#9822) operating in Vienna.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Maximum (upper panels) and median (lower panels) time courses of total UVA irradiance for every second month of the year at Vienna (left panels) and at Mt. Gerlitzen (right panels).
Figure 5
Figure 5
Daily courses of median diffuse UVA irradiance for every second month of the year at Vienna (upper panel) and Mt. Gerlitzen (lower panel).
Figure 6
Figure 6
Ratio between diffuse and global UVA irradiance on cloud‐free days close to summer solstice (solar elevation ≤ 65°) in Vienna (upper panel) and Mt. Gerlitzen (lower panel).
Figure 7
Figure 7
Time courses of the monthly mean ratio between diffuse and global UVA irradiance during the day at Vienna and Mt. Gerlitzen in January (upper panel) and June (lower panel).
Figure 8
Figure 8
Daily global (left panels) and diffuse (right panels) UVA radiant exposure at Vienna (upper panels), Gerlitzen (middle) and Kirchbichl (lower panels).
Figure 9
Figure 9
Monthly mean daily radiant exposure of global UVA radiation for Vienna and Mt. Gerlitzen.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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