Abstract
We report on the first spectral measurements of ultraviolet (UV) irradiance and the albedo at a Camp located in the southern Ellsworth Mountains on the broad expanse of Union Glacier (700 m altitude, 79° 46′ S; 82° 52′W); about 1,000 km from the South Pole. The measurements were carried out by using a double monochromator-based spectroradiometer during a campaign (in December 2012) meant to weight up the effect of the local albedo on the UV irradiance. We found that the albedo measured at noon was about 0.95 in the UV and the visible part of the spectrum. This high surface reflectivity led to enhancements in the UV index under cloudless conditions of about 50% in comparison with snow free surfaces. Spectral measurements carried out elsewhere as well as estimates retrieved from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) were used for further comparisons.
Highlights
Surface UV climate is determined by the total ozone column, cloudiness, ground reflectivity, and local aerosols
Irradiance Measurements Despite the fact that no specific permissions are required for the locations/activities reported in our paper, the Chilean Antarctic Institute (INACH, www.inach.cl) issued a permission after our request for measurements that we carried out at an installation in Antarctica under their supervision
When comparing ground-based estimates and satellite-derived data, we found during the campaign differences that ranged from 2% to 10% and from 0.1% to 8%
Summary
Surface UV climate is determined by the total ozone column, cloudiness, ground reflectivity (i.e. the albedo), and local aerosols. The latter may significantly modulate the surface UV, in Antarctica the load of aerosols is extremely low [1]. While heavily overcast conditions can reduce surface UV irradiance up to 90% in the Antarctic Peninsula [2,3], the role of clouds is less important on the Antarctic plateau. Surface UV in Antarctica is driven by ozone and by albedo. On the Antarctic plateau, large seasonal ozone losses (which occur every year in the late August to early October period [7]) lead to a significant increase in surface UV radiation. Groundbased measurements have shown that the average spring erythemal irradiance for 1990–2006 is up to 85% greater than the modeled irradiance for 1963–1980 [8]
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