-To determine the processes that influence the UV irradiation near the ground.
-To correlate observed changes of ozone with changes of UV-B irradiation.
-To obtain data that can be used to test and improve radiative transfer models.
-To determine the role of clouds and aerosols on UV irradiance. All instruments undergo calibration and all have participated in intercomparison exercises. Please contact Prof. Dr. Gunther Seckmeyer for more information regarding the University's monitoring program.
2) Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD), the German Weather Service, maintains a network of three meteorological observatories.
Scientists at DWD are monitoring UV in an attempt to develop an accurate mathematical model of UV radiation levels reaching the surface of the earth. To determine the accuracy of the model, they use the data compiled by the monitoring network for comparison. They are also collecting data for the purpose of developing new instruments for future UV monitoring networks. Scientists at DWD are monitoring UV radiation with the intention of deriving long-term trends and also investigating the correlation of UV with meteorological variables, primarily cloudiness. DWD has started UV-B monitoring in the three stations with Brewer spectrophotometers since 1993.Dr. Uwe Feister, of the Meteorologisches Observatorium in Lindenberg, oversees six instruments operating in Lindenberg. One site submits its data to the Solar UV Monitoring Network of Germany (SUVMONET), led by the Federal Office for Radiation Protecton (BFS). The other five form the DWD network.
Ulf Kohler, of the Meteorologisches Observatorium in Hohenpeissenberg, operates a Brewer Mark II for DWD in Hohenpeissenberg. All DWD instruments undergo frequent calibration and some have participated in intercomparison exercises. Please contact Dr. Uwe Feister or Ulf Kohler for more information on DWD monitoring.
Click here to find out more about DWD monitoring efforts.
3) Deutsche Forschungsanstalt fur Luft-und Raumfahrt (DLR).
The group at DLR are exploring the possibility of using biofilms as an accurate means of measuring UV radiation.
4) Bundesamt fur Strahlenschultz (BfS) / Umweltbundesamtm (UBA) is a network of four stations.
This network monitors all over Germany and is responsible for assessment of health effects. The major goals of this network is to report on the level of current and future solar UV exposure, to assess the effects of changed UV irradiation from a radiation hygienic viewpoint, and to provide the population with guidelines for appropriate early protection. It started in July of 1993 and scans every 6 minutes from 290 to 450nm, storing half hour averages.
5)Fraunhofer-Institut fur Atmospharische Umweltforschung (IFU).
Measurements are part of the Network for Detection of Stratospheric Change (NDSC) program. IFU operates spectroradiometers at two stations: The valley site Garmisch-Partenkirchen (730m a.s.l., 47.48xN, 11.07xE) and Zugspitze (2964m a.s.l.) 8 km airline from the valley site.
