The USDA Ultraviolet Radiation Monitoring Program

Abstract

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Ultraviolet (UV) Radiation Monitoring Program has been measuring UV radiation since 1994. The initial network of 12 stations employed broadband meters to measure UVB irradiance and included ancillary measurements of temperature, humidity, and irradiance at seven wavelengths in the visible produced by a Multi-Filter Rotating Shadowband Radiometer (MFRSR). Since that beginning the network has expanded to more than 20 stations and the broadband meters have been supplemented with a seven-wavelength Ultraviolet Multi-Filter Rotating Shadowband Radiometer (UV-MFRSR). The network has been designed to include 30 stations, each with a full complement of instrumentation. Annual characterizations of the network's filter radiometers indicate that gradual shifts in instrument response are manageable but must be accounted for to achieve accurate and precise measurements of UV irradiance. The characterization and calibration of the filter instruments is discussed along with filter stability and instrument precision. Broadband instruments are shown to be quite stable and collocated instruments are shown to agree to within 2.3% for zenith angles less than 80° under all sky conditions. Preliminary investigations into the accuracy of the UV-MFRSR calibrated with the Langley method are presented and successful column ozone retrievals are demonstrated with the UV-MFRSR under clear skies.

An estimate of premature cancer mortality in the U.S. due to inadequate doses of solar ultraviolet‐B radiation

“…A similar analysis was performed 29 using UV-B data for July and the first 2 weeks of September from ground-based UV-B monitoring stations maintained by the USDA. 23,24 Statistically significant results (P Ͻ 0.014) were found for eight cancers in males and eight cancers in females (Table 3). A comparison of the data for the first 2 weeks of September with the month of July showed that the r value for the 8 cancers in males increased an average of 0.03, whereas that for all cancers summed increased by 0.07; for females, the mean increase was 0.02 whereas for the sum, the increase was 0.03.…”

“…23,24 This network has 26 stations in rural locations in the U.S., 24 of which were in operation by 1999. The UV-B data were determined as follows: 1) the earliest year on or after 1997 for which July data were available was found; 2) a week's worth of data were obtained from the website in graphic form; 3) the value for that week was the highest midday value that was unaffected by clouds; and 4) the mean value for the 4 weeks was determined.…”

Intercomparison and harmonization of UV Index measurements from multiband filter radiometers

“…[7] MBFRs from three manufacturers were represented in the intercomparison: The GUV Ground-based UV radiometers (16 total Bigelow et al [1998].…”

Annual and Interannual Behavior of Solar Ultraviolet Irradiance Revealed by Broadband Measurements¶

“…As of December 1994, the starting data for data considered in this paper, six sites were reporting UV data. Calibrations of all of the USDA broadband sensors were handled by YES until 1998 (8) and by the Central UV Calibration Facility (CUCF) at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Boulder, CO, beginning in October 1997 (9). During 1997 and 1998 twelve UVB-1 sensors were calibrated by both YES and CUCF.…”