Abstract
South Africa has been measuring the ground-based solar UV index for more than two decades at six sites to raise awareness about the impacts of the solar UV index on human health. This paper is an exploratory study based on comparison with satellite UV index measurements from the OMI/AURA experiment. Relative UV index differences between ground-based and satellite-derived data ranged from 0 to 45% depending on the site and year. Most of time, these differences appear in winter. Some ground-based stations’ data had closer agreement with satellite-derived data. While the ground-based instruments are not intended for long-term trend analysis, they provide UV index information for public awareness instead, with some weak signs suggesting such long-term trends may exist in the ground-based data. The annual cycle, altitude, and latitude effects clearly appear in the UV index data measured in South Africa. This variability must be taken into account for the development of an excess solar UV exposure prevention strategy.
Highlights
Solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is known to have biological effects on ecosystems, plants, animals, and humans [1]
In this paper we analysed ground‐based UV indices recorded during the 1994–2015 period (more by the SAWS (South African Weather Service) at six sites at different latitudes
The present work is an exploratory study. It is based on the comparison with satellite UV index measurements from is an exploratory study. It is based on the comparison with satellite UV index measurements from the OMI/AURA experiment
Summary
Solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is known to have biological effects on ecosystems, plants, animals, and humans [1]. Solar UVR is usually divided into three wavebands [2]: UVA: 315–400 nm; UVB: 280–315 nm; and UVC: 100–280 nm. All UVC, potentially the most dangerous UVR band, is absorbed by ozone and oxygen in the atmosphere and, does not reach the Earth’s surface, while UVA is weakly absorbed by ozone, and only a fraction of UVB reaches the surface with the majority being absorbed by ozone. The Ultraviolet Index is a standard unitless measure of UVR used to describe an erythemal dose rate where 1 UV index unit is equivalent to. The UV index is recommended as a public communication tool to convey solar
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