Estimating UV index climatology over North America

Vitali E. Fioletov; James B. Kerr; L. J. Bruce McArthur; David I. Wardle; Tom W. Mathews; Michael G. Kimlin; Richard S. Meltzer; Nickolay A. Krotkov; Jay R. Herman

doi:10.1117/12.505921

4 November 2003 Estimating UV index climatology over North America

Vitali E. Fioletov, James B. Kerr, L. J. Bruce McArthur, David I. Wardle, Tom W. Mathews, Michael G. Kimlin, Richard S. Meltzer, Nickolay A. Krotkov, Jay R. Herman

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 5156, Ultraviolet Ground- and Space-based Measurements, Models, and Effects III; (2003) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.505921
Event: Optical Science and Technology, SPIE's 48th Annual Meeting, 2003, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

Hourly UV Index values at 45 sites in Canada and 52 in the USA were estimated using a statistical relationship between UV irradiance and global solar radiation, total ozone, and dew point temperature. The estimation method also takes into account the enhancement of UV irradiance by snow using an empirical correction derived from Brewer UV measurements. Different characteristics of the UV Index distribution over North America were estimated from the derived UV irradiance for the period 1979-1987 and then presented in the form of monthly maps. Brewer UV measurements at 11 Canadian and 20 US sites and erythemal UV estimates from TOMS data were used for validation. Direct comparisons with Brewer measurements at 7 Canadian sites for the period in the 1990s when both pyranometer and spectral UV data were available demonstrated agreement within 2-3 percent except for periods of melting snow when variations in snow albedo yield higher errors in the derived UV irradiance.

Citation Download Citation

Vitali E. Fioletov, James B. Kerr, L. J. Bruce McArthur, David I. Wardle, Tom W. Mathews, Michael G. Kimlin, Richard S. Meltzer, Nickolay A. Krotkov, and Jay R. Herman "Estimating UV index climatology over North America", Proc. SPIE 5156, Ultraviolet Ground- and Space-based Measurements, Models, and Effects III, (4 November 2003); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.505921

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