Longterm Multi-Sensoral UV Record

Longterm Multi-Sensoral UV Record

Introduction

This service provides long-term records of surface UV data based on several satellite instruments. The general objectives of the "Longterm Multi-Sensoral UV Record" service are following:

In this service the following basic quantities relevant to human health have been produced: Vitamin D weighted daily doses, Erythemally weighted daily doses, and daily maximum UV index. Information about UV radiation and its health effects can be found here.

Latest results

Example of the latest results:

Erythemal daily dose 27 June 2007 Vitamin D daily dose 27 June 2007 Daily maximum UV Index 27 June 2007
Erythemal daily dose 27 June 2007 Vitamin D daily dose 27 June 2007 Daily maximum UV Index 27 June 2007

Archives

Phase 3

Phase 3 is the final stage of the Promote Project. In Phase 3 the UV Record has been processed for the pediod of July 1983 to June 2007. The UV products are based on ISCCP D1 cloud data and KNMI-assimilated ozone . The focus has been to produce the long-term global UV data using the algorithm developed in Phase 2. The results have been validated against ground-based UV data.

Three daily UV data sets have been processed at selected stations world wide and in a global grid with spacing of 1° x 1° in latitude/longitude:

Links to the full archive of the results:

Phase 1 and 2

The starting point for Phase 2 of PROMOTE was a set of individual UV monitoring services developed in Phase 1 of PROMOTE. These are the TEMIS UV radiation archive that provides UV records based on GOME, SCIAMACHY and MSG data; and UV Record service that provides UV records based on Nimbus-7 and Earth Probe TOMS instruments. The Phase 1 services provide daily maps and local time series of UV index and daily dose data. In Phase 2 the UV Record service will be upgraded to become an integrated service that provides global and homogeneous surface UV time-series.

In 2007 the primary goal was to ensure continuation of the UV time-series with surface UV data based on the OMI instrument. Future objective is to integrate the existing satellite-based surface UV time series into a longterm multi-sensoral UV record. The integrated service will be based on the PROMOTE total ozone record service and the International Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) cloud data. A prototype of the new integrated service will be available in 2008. The service will be completed in year 2009. Validation of the UV Record service will be based on utilization of ground-based spectral measurement data from the European UV Database (EUVDB) and UV time series obtained using reconstruction methods.

Phase 2: Prototype UV Record based on ISCCP clouds and KNMI-assimilated ozone: July 2002 - June 2005

Phase 1 products:

Surface UV data based on Aura/OMI data:

Documentation

Here are the main product specifications:
Parameters: Daily maximum UV index (UVI=erythemal dose rate [W/m2] multiplied by 40)
Daily erythemal UV dose [kJ/m2]
Daily Vitamin D UV dose [kJ/m2]
Grid/projection: Gridded data in 1 by 1 degree regular grid in latitude and longitude
Spatial coverage: Global
Temporal coverage: July 1983 to June 2007
Method/algorithm: Look-up-table approach for clear sky UV, ISCCP data for cloud correction, KNMI assimilated total ozone
Validation: spectral UV data from EUVDB and reconstructed UV time series produced in the EU SCOUT-O3 project
Link to the detailed description of methodology: PDF file.

Validation

Links to validation results:

Background information

References:
(1) A reference action spectrum for ultraviolet induced erythema in human skin, ed. A. F. MacKinley and B. L. Diffey, CIE J., 1987, 6((1)), 17-22.
(2) CIE (International Commission on Illumination), Action spectrum for the production of previtamin D3 in human skin, CIE, 174, 2006.
(3) www.unep.org/PDF/Solar_Index_Guide.pdf
(4) The PROMOTE UV Record: toward a global satellite-based climatology of surface ultraviolet irradiance, A. Lindfors, A. Tanskanen, A. Arola, R. van der A, A. Bais, U. Feister, M. Janouch, W. Josefsson, T. Koskela, K. Lakkala, P. N. den Outer, A. R. D. Smedley, H. Slaper, and A. R. Webb, accepted for publication in IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing (IEEE J-STARS).
(5) Tanskanen et al. (2007), Validation of daily erythemal doses from Ozone Monitoring Instrument with ground-based UV measurement data, JGR, 112, D24S44, doi:10.1029/2007JD008830.

Useful links:

Contact details

Service developer: Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI)
Contact person : Jussi Kaurola
How to contact : Erik Palmenin aukio
FI-00560 HELSINKI
+358-9-19294181
jussi.kaurola(at)fmi.fi
or use the Contact form
Core users: Dr. Ann Webb, University of Manchester with the mandate of WMO

Acknowledgements

We thank the providers of ground-based UV data: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece; Deutscher Wetterdienst, Germany; University of Manchester, UK; National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Netherlands; Solar and Ozone Observatory, Czech Hydrometeorological Institute, Czech Republic; Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute, Sweden;

Jussi Kaurola, last modification: 21 August 2009