Ultraviolet Spectral Irradiance Research Articles

A Comparative Analysis of the Solar Ultraviolet Spectral Irradiance Measured from Earth and Mars: Toward a General Empirical Model for the Study of Planetary Aeronomy

Accurate estimation of the solar vacuum ultraviolet irradiance between 0.1 and 200 nm is critical for the study of planetary aeronomy. Previous empirical models have relied on a limited number of reference spectra, or on multiple data sets with various degrees of uncertainty, and on an empirical selection of solar proxies. Here we propose a novel method for the development of empirical models based on Fourier transform and least-squares fitting of the long-term measurements from the Solar EUV Experiment on the Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics mission. A Fourier transform analysis is performed to examine a large number of solar proxies, which reveals that the solar radio flux at 10.7 cm and the solar Lyα flux at 121.6 nm are better proxies for solar irradiance below and above ∼120 nm, respectively. Using these two proxies, a nonlinear empirical model is developed through Fourier transform and least-squares fitting of solar irradiance measurements, which can reproduce the solar irradiance with uncertainties of only ∼1%–2% above ∼120 nm, ∼2%–4% within ∼45–120 nm, and ∼4%–8% below ∼45 nm. Comparison with measurements from the Extreme Ultraviolet Monitor on the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution mission indicates that the solar irradiance at Mars can be predicted with uncertainties of less than ∼8% by geometric extrapolation of the solar irradiance measured from Earth, provided that the measurements from Earth can be calibrated accurately. Our study provides a general method for the development of empirical models using long-term observations in planetary aeronomy.

Monte Carlo Evaluation of Uncertainties of UV Spectra Measured With Brewer Spectroradiometers

AbstractPrecise spectral ultraviolet (UV) measurements are needed to ensure human protection as well as to support scientific research. Quantifying the uncertainty of the UV spectra recorded is crucial to evaluate the quality of the measurements which is needed, in turn, for the assessment of their reliability. However, for double‐monochromator spectroradiometers, the analytical derivation of this uncertainty is a challenging task due to the difficulties involved in propagating individual uncertainties. Under these circumstances, a Monte Carlo simulation is a reliable alternative as it does not require the calculation of partial derivatives and considers both nonlinear effects and correlations in the data. In the present study, the uncertainty of the spectral UV irradiance measured by a Brewer MKIII spectrophotometer is evaluated using a Monte Carlo approach. This instrument belongs to the National Institute of Aerospace Technology and has successfully participated in several international campaigns, which ensures its precise calibration. The average expanded uncertainty (k = 2) of the global UV irradiance measured by this instrument varies between 10% at 300 nm and 7% at 363 nm. At shorter wavelengths, it increases sharply due to thermal and electronic noise as well as wavelength misalignment. The results indicate that a Brewer spectrophotometer is suitable for climatological studies and model validation. Nevertheless, a substantial reduction of these uncertainties might be required for accurately detecting long‐term UV trends. Although the study focused on a Brewer spectrometer, the methodology used for the uncertainty analysis is general and can be adapted to most UV spectroradiometers.

The Next Decade of Solar Ultraviolet Spectral Irradiance — Continuity, Modeling, and Physics

The Next Decade of Solar Ultraviolet Spectral Irradiance — Continuity, Modeling, and Physics

Relationship between ozone and biologically relevant UV at 4 NDACC sites.

Clouds and aerosols, as well as overhead ozone, can have large effects on ultraviolet (UV) irradiances. We use statistical methods to remove cloud effects and mean aerosol effects from spectral UV irradiance measurements to investigate the relationship between UV and total column ozone. We show that for fixed solar zenith angles (SZA), seasonal changes in ozone lead to marked changes in clear-sky UV irradiances. Such effects are larger at mid-latitudes than in the tropics. At mid-latitudes, the minimum ozone amount over the course of a year can be about 50 percent of its maximum, with the lowest values in autumn and the highest values in spring. These seasonal ozone changes lead to UV Index (UVI) values in autumn that can exceed those in spring at the same SZA by nearly a factor of two. Differences are even larger for UV spectra weighted by the action spectra for DNA-damaging UV, and for cutaneous previtamin D production. In some cases, the seasonal increase exceeds a factor of 4. The analysis experimentally demonstrates the limits of applicability of the concept of constant Radiative Amplification Factors (RAFs) for estimating effects of changes in ozone for some weighting functions. Changes in DNA-weighted UV and erythemally weighted UV are well represented by the published RAFs. However, there are large SZA dependencies in the case of UVB and vitamin D-weighted UV. For all weightings considered, RAFs calculated from the observations as a function of SZA show similar dependencies between sites, in good agreement with published values, independently of the ozone data source. High quality measurements show that natural variations in ozone are responsible for huge variations in biologically damaging UV, with seasonal changes at fixed solar zenith angles sometimes exceeding a factor of four. The measured changes from thousands of spectra agree well with calculations over a wide range of solar zenith angles.

Data-driven Model of Temporal Evolution of Solar Mg ii h and k Profiles over the Solar Cycle

The solar radiation in the cores of the Mg ii h and k spectral lines plays a significant role in the illumination of prominences, coronal mass ejections (CMEs), spicules, flare loops, and surges. Moreover, the radiation in these lines strongly correlates with solar magnetic activity and the ultraviolet solar spectral irradiance affecting the photochemistry, especially of oxygen and nitrogen, in the middle atmosphere of the Earth. This work provides a data-driven model of temporal evolution of the solar full-disk Mg ii h and k profiles over the solar cycle. The capability of the model to reproduce the Mg ii h and k profiles for an arbitrary date is statistically assessed. Based on selected 76 IRIS near-UV full-Sun mosaics covering almost the full solar cycle 24, we find the parameters of double-Gaussian fits of the disk-averaged Mg ii h and k profiles and a model of their temporal evolution parameterized by the Bremen composite Mg ii index. The model yields intensities within the uncertainties of the observed data in more than 90% of the reconstructed profiles assuming a statistically representative set of Bremen Mg ii index values in the range of 0.150–0.165. The relevant full-disk Mg ii h and k calibrated profiles with uncertainties and spectral irradiances are provided as an online machine-readable table. The model yields Mg ii h and k profiles representing the disk incident radiation for the radiative-transfer modeling of prominences, CMEs, spicules, flare loops, and surges observed at arbitrary time.

SOLar-STellar Irradiance Comparison Experiment II (SOLSTICE II): End-of-Mission Validation of the SOLSTICE Technique

The SOLar-STellar Irradiance Comparison Experiment (SOLSTICE: McClintock, Rottman, and Woods, Solar Phys.230, 225, 2005) onboard the SOlar Radiation and Climate Experiment (SORCE: Rottman, Solar Phys.230, 7, 2005) observed ultraviolet solar spectral irradiance (SSI) from 2003 – 2020. This article gives an overview of the end-of-mission algorithms and calibration of SOLSTICE. Many of the algorithms were updated after the early mission, either due to an improved understanding of the instrument and the space environment, or due to operational constraints as the spacecraft systems aged. We validate the final official data version (V18) with comparisons to other observations and models. The SOLSTICE observations of the solar-cycle variability in the ultraviolet are compared to model estimates.

Variability and trends in surface solar spectral ultraviolet irradiance in Italy: on the influence of geopotential height and lower-stratospheric ozone

Abstract. The short- and long-term variability of the surface spectral solar ultraviolet (UV) irradiance is investigated across Italy using high-quality ground-based measurements from three locations: Aosta (45.7∘ N, 7.4∘ E, 570 m a.s.l.), Rome (41.9∘ N, 12.5∘ E, 15 75 m a.s.l.), and Lampedusa (35.5∘ N, 12.6∘ E, 50 m a.s.l.). The three sites are characterized by different environmental conditions and represent almost the full latitudinal extent of the Italian territory. Data of two periods were analysed: 2006–2020 (all sites) and 1996–2020 (Rome only). The main objective of this study is to quantify the effect of the geopotential height (GPH) at 250 hPa on total ozone, and spectral irradiance at 307.5 and 324 nm. We first show that monthly anomalies in GPH, total ozone, and spectral irradiances are correlated amongst the three sites, suggesting that Italy is often affected by the same synoptical weather systems. We further find statistically significant anticorrelations between GPH and monthly anomalies in total ozone for all stations and months. Conversely, we identify positive correlations between GPH and monthly anomalies in spectral irradiance at 307.5 nm for most months. The influence of GPH on short-term variability also hold for long-term trends. For example, long-term changes in total ozone over the period 2006–2020 were associated with changes in GPH for all stations. This suggests that observed negative trends in total ozone were mainly driven by changes in lower-stratospheric ozone as upper-stratospheric ozone was increasing over this period. For several months of the year, positive trends in UV irradiance were observed, and we found that these trends were predominantly caused by changes in clouds and/or aerosols instead of total ozone. For the longer period of 1996–2020, a statistically significant annualized decrease in total ozone of ∼ 0.1 % per year was identified for Rome and could subsequently be attributed to decreasing lower-stratospheric ozone. While positive trends in spectral irradiance at 307.5 nm were observed for several months of this extended period, the negative trend in total ozone did not lead to a positive trend in the spectral irradiance at 307.5 nm in the deseasonalized data. Our study provides evidence that dynamical processes taking place in the troposphere lead to significant variability in total ozone and surface solar UV irradiance.

Using Hilbert curves to organize, sample, and sonify solar data

How many ways can we explore the Sun? We have images in many wavelengths and squiggly lines of many parameters that we can use to characterize the Sun. We know that while the Sun is blindingly bright to the naked eye, it also has regions that are dark in some wavelengths of light. All of those classifications are based on vision. Hearing is another sense that can be used to explore solar data. Some data, such as the sunspot number or the extreme ultraviolet spectral irradiance, can be readily sonified by converting the data values to musical pitches. Images are more difficult. Using a raster scan algorithm to convert a full-disk image of the Sun to a stream of pixel values creates variations that are dominated by the pattern of moving on and off the limb of the Sun. A sonification of such a raster scan will contain discontinuities at the limbs that mask the information contained in the image. As an alternative, Hilbert curves are continuous space-filling curves that map a linear variable onto the two-dimensional coordinates of an image. We have investigated using Hilbert curves as a way to sample and analyze solar images. Reading the image along a Hilbert curve keeps most neighborhoods close together as the resolution (i.e., the order of the Hilbert curve) increases. It also removes most of the detector size periodicities and may reveal larger-scale features. We present several examples of sonified solar data, including sunspot number, extreme ultraviolet (EUV) spectral irradiances, an EUV image, and a sequence of EUV images during a filament eruption.

The 11 year solar cycle UV irradiance effect and its dependency on the Pacific Decadal Oscillation

The stratospheric, tropospheric and surface impacts from the 11 year ultraviolet solar spectral irradiance (SSI) variability have been extensively studied using climate models and observations. Here, we demonstrate using idealized model simulations that the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), which has been shown to impact the tropospheric and stratospheric circulation from sub-decadal to multi-decadal timescales, strongly modulates the solar-induced atmospheric response. To this end, we use a high-top version of the coupled ocean–atmosphere Norwegian Climate Prediction Model forced by the SSI dataset recommended for Coupled Model Intercomparison Project 6. We perform a 24-member ensemble experiment over the solar cycle 23 in an idealized framework. To assess the PDO modulation of the solar signal, we divide the model data into the two PDO phases, PDO+ and PDO−, for each solar (maximum or minimum) phase. By compositing and combining the four categories, we hence determine the component of the solar signal that is independent of the PDO and the modulation of the solar signal by the PDO, along with the solar signal in each PDO phase. Reciprocally, we determine the PDO effect in each solar phase. Our results show that the intensification of the polar vortex under solar maximum is much stronger in the PDO− phase. This signal is transferred into the troposphere, where we find a correspondingly stronger polar jet and weaker Aleutian Low. We further show that the amplification of the solar signal by the PDO− phase is driven by anomalous meridional advection of solar-induced temperature anomalies over northern North America and the North Pacific, which contributes to a decreased meridional eddy heat flux and hence to a decreased vertical planetary wave flux into the stratosphere.

Monitoring of solar spectral ultraviolet irradiance in Aosta, Italy

Abstract. A Bentham DTMc300 spectroradiometer is deployed at the station of Aosta–Saint-Christophe, Italy, at the headquarters of the Regional Environmental Protection Agency (ARPA) and has been performing continuous high-quality spectral measurements of the solar ultraviolet (UV) irradiance since 2006. The measuring site is located in the north-western region of the Alps, on a large valley floor at the altitude of 570 m a.s.l., surrounded by mountains. It is very significant to have accurate measurements in such a sensitive environment, since the complex terrain and the strongly variable meteo-climatic conditions typical of the Alps induce large spatial and temporal variability in the surface levels of the solar UV irradiance. The spectroradiometer is also used as a reference of a regional UV network, with additional stations located at different altitudes (1640 and 3500 m a.s.l.) and environmental conditions (mountain and glacier). In the present study we discuss the procedures and the technical aspects which ensure the high quality of the measurements performed by the reference instrument and the procedures used to characterize the Bentham. The quality control and quality assurance (QA–QC) procedures are also discussed. We show that the good quality of the spectral measurements is further ensured by a strong traceability chain to the irradiance scale of the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) and a strict calibration protocol. Recently, the spectral UV dataset of Aosta–Saint-Christophe has been re-evaluated and homogenized. The final spectra constitute one of the most accurate datasets globally. At wavelengths above 310 nm and for solar zenith angles below 75∘, the expanded (k=2) uncertainty in the final dataset decreases with time, from 7 % in 2006 to 4 % in the present. The present study not only serves as the reference document for any future use of the data, but also provides useful information for experiments and novel techniques which have been applied for the characterization of the instrument and the QA–QC of the spectral UV measurements. Furthermore, the study clearly shows that maintaining a strong traceability chain to a reference scale of spectral irradiance is critical for the good quality of the measurements. The studied spectral dataset is freely accessible at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4028907 (Fountoulakis et al., 2020b).

A Revised Magnesium II Core‐to‐Wing Ratio From SORCE SOLSTICE

The Magnesium II core‐to‐wing ratio (also known as the Mg II index) is a widely used proxy for ultraviolet solar spectral irradiance variability. We have developed a new algorithm for calculating this index from the SOLar‐STellar Irradiance Comparison Experiment (SOLSTICE) on the SOlar Radiation and Climate Experiment (SORCE). The new method uses weighted sums of the core and wing regions of the spectrum calculated from the daily level three high‐resolution spectrum. We also describe a new method of scaling the results in order to compare to other measurements. This new method scales each data set to a standard spectral resolution rather than scaling to other data sets during periods of overlapping measurements. Finally, we quantify the effect of long‐term instrument degradation on the Mg II index. In the case of SORCE SOLSTICE, using uncorrected data would produce an error of less than 0.6% of the solar cycle amplitude over a decade.

Out-of-Range Stray Light Characterization of Single-Monochromator Brewer Spectrophotometers

ABSTRACTStray light in single-monochromator Brewer instruments increases the uncertainty of solar ultraviolet spectral irradiance measurements and ozone retrievals. To study how spectral irradiance within and outside the measurement ranges of the instruments affects stray light, two Brewer MKII instruments were characterized for the level of in- and out-of-range stray light at multiple laser wavelengths. In addition, several solar-blind filters utilized in single-monochromator Brewers to limit out-of-range stray light were characterized for spectral and spatial transmittances. Finally, the measurement results were used to simulate the effect of stray light and stray light correction on spectral irradiance and ozone measurements at different wavelength regions. The effect of stray light from wavelengths above 340 nm was found to be negligible compared with other sources of uncertainty. On the other hand, contributions from wavelengths between 325 and 340 nm can form a significant portion of the overall stray light of the instrument, with 325 nm being the upper limit of the nominal measurement range of the instrument.

Ultraviolet spectral irradiance measurements: an intercomparison of spectroradiometers in laboratory combined with a workplace field test

Ultraviolet (UV) irradiance measurements are usually associated with large inaccuracies and uncertainties complicating the comparability of corresponding measurement equipment and its data. For supervisors or safety experts, though, it is mandatory to measure reliable UV irradiances with regard to occupational safety regulations. The following work aims at an intercomparison of five different types of spectroradiometers regarding their wavelength alignment and irradiance accuracy in the UV spectral region that provides the reader with information on how to determine and compare the measurement accuracies of their own devices. In a first step, measurements of two UV irradiance standards, a deuterium and a halogen lamp, were carried out. The percentage deviations of the measured total UV irradiances from their calibrated ones are smaller than ±10% for all spectroradiometers. The quality of wavelength accuracy as well as of the spectral bandwidth, both investigated by means of a low pressure mercury argon lamp are consistent with those stated by the manufacturers. In a second step, UV radiation from a metal active gas welding arc was examined at three distances in combination with a variation of welding current and arc length to check the behaviour of UV irradiance accuracy in field. The overall averaged standard deviation of these field measurements for all CCD array detectors is given by ±8%. For high welding currents this accuracy decreases to ±21%.

Comparison of spectral ultraviolet irradiance measured from satellite and ground-based instrument at Nakhon Pathom province

In this study, comparisons of spectral ultraviolet irradiance at 305, 310, 324 and 380 nm at the overpass time retrieved from OMI/AURA satellite with that from ground-based measurements were performed at Nakhon Pathom (13.82°N,100.04°E), Thailand. The analyzed data period comprised from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2015. The comparison results clearly showed the overestimation of satellite data with root mean square difference (RMSD) between 22.9 and 48.9%, and mean bias difference (MBD) between 5.3 and 39.8% for all sky conditions, and reduced to 10.6-40.5% and 0.18-34.9% for clear sky conditions. Further results showed that the differences between the two datasets depend on atmospheric aerosol loads and clouds.

In situ measurement of VUV/UV radiation from low-pressure microwave-produced plasma in Ar/O2 gas mixtures

Ultraviolet (UV) and vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) spectral irradiance is determined in low-pressure microwave-produced plasma, which is regularly used for polymer surface treatment. The re-emitted fluorescence in the UV/VIS spectral range from a sodium salicylate layer is measured. This fluorescence is related to VUV/UV radiation in different spectral bands based on cut-off filters. The background produced by direct emitted radiation in the fluorescence spectral region is quantified using a specific background filter, thus enabling the use of the whole fluorescence spectral range. A novel procedure is applied to determine the absolute value of the VUV/UV irradiance on a substrate. For that, an independent measurement of the absolute spectral emissivity of the plasma in the UV is performed. The measured irradiances on a substrate from a 25 Pa Ar/O2-produced plasma are in the range of 1015–1016 These values include the contribution from impurities present in the discharge.

Traceability of solar UV measurements using the Qasume reference spectroradiometer.

One major objective of the European Joint Research Project "Traceability for surface spectral solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation" was to reduce the uncertainty of spectral UV measurements. The measurement instrument used for this work was the portable UV European reference spectroradiometer Qasume. The calibration uncertainty of this instrument was decreased and validated by a comparison of direct calibrations against a primary standard for spectral irradiance, a high temperature blackbody radiator, and against a reference detector using a spectrally tunable laser as a monochromatic source. The spectral irradiance responsivity of the reference detector is traceable to the primary standard of optical power, realized through a cryogenic radiometer, and to the SI unit of meter. The measuring technique was improved by the construction of a new reference spectroradiometer, QasumeII. An improved input optics removes the dependences of the measured solar irradiance on the angle of incident for solar zenith angle smaller than 75deg. Moreover, a hybrid photon detection system enables continuous tracking of the instrument's responsivity changes. For both spectroradiometer systems an uncertainty budget was calculated. The improvements have reduced the measurement uncertainties of solar spectral UV irradiance measurements from 4.8% in 2005 to 2.0% (k=2) in the spectral region above 310nm. The largest sources of uncertainty were the absolute spectral irradiance responsivity calibration, the angular response uncertainty, and the instrument stability using the hybrid detector, which were reduced from 3.6% to 1.1%, from 1.2% to 0.6%, and from 0.65% to 0.4%, with respect to the situation prior to the project. The new instrument was validated during a four month intercomparison relative to the Qasume reference. The mean ratio of the solar irradiance scans between the two reference spectroradiometers has an offset of +0.7% and a standard deviation of ±1.5% for a wavelength greater than 305nm, which is well within the combined uncertainty of 3.7% calculated from the uncertainties of the two systems.

Quality assessment of solar UV irradiance measured with array spectroradiometers

Abstract. The reliable quantification of ultraviolet (UV) radiation at the earth's surface requires accurate measurements of spectral global solar UV irradiance in order to determine the UV exposure to human skin and to understand long-term trends in this parameter. Array spectroradiometers (ASRMs) are small, light, robust and cost-effective instruments, and are increasingly used for spectral irradiance measurements. Within the European EMRP ENV03 project “Solar UV”, new devices, guidelines and characterization methods have been developed to improve solar UV measurements with ASRMs, and support to the end user community has been provided. In order to assess the quality of 14 end user ASRMs, a solar UV intercomparison was held on the measurement platform of the World Radiation Center (PMOD/WRC) in Davos, Switzerland, from 10 to 17 July 2014. The results of the blind intercomparison revealed that ASRMs, currently used for solar UV measurements, show a large variation in the quality of their solar UV measurements. Most of the instruments overestimate the erythema-weighted UV index – in particular at large solar zenith angles – due to stray light contribution in the UV-B range. The spectral analysis of global solar UV irradiance further supported the finding that the uncertainties in the UV-B range are very large due to stray light contribution in this wavelength range. In summary, the UV index may be detected by some commercially available ASRMs within 5 % compared to the world reference spectroradiometer, if well characterized and calibrated, but only for a limited range of solar zenith angles. Generally, the tested instruments are not yet suitable for solar UV measurements for the entire range between 290 and 400 nm under all atmospheric conditions.

UV solar irradiance in observations and the NRLSSI and SATIRE‐S models

AbstractTotal solar irradiance and UV spectral solar irradiance has been monitored since 1978 through a succession of space missions. This is accompanied by the development of models aimed at replicating solar irradiance by relating the variability to solar magnetic activity. The Naval Research Laboratory Solar Spectral Irradiance (NRLSSI) and Spectral And Total Irradiance REconstruction for the Satellite era (SATIRE‐S) models provide the most comprehensive reconstructions of total and spectral solar irradiance over the period of satellite observation currently available. There is persistent controversy between the various measurements and models in terms of the wavelength dependence of the variation over the solar cycle, with repercussions on our understanding of the influence of UV solar irradiance variability on the stratosphere. We review the measurement and modeling of UV solar irradiance variability over the period of satellite observation. The SATIRE‐S reconstruction is consistent with spectral solar irradiance observations where they are reliable. It is also supported by an independent, empirical reconstruction of UV spectral solar irradiance based on Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite/Solar Ultraviolet Spectral Irradiance Monitor measurements from an earlier study. The weaker solar cycle variability produced by NRLSSI between 300 and 400 nm is not evident in any available record. We show that although the method employed to construct NRLSSI is principally sound, reconstructed solar cycle variability is detrimentally affected by the uncertainty in the SSI observations it draws upon in the derivation. Based on our findings, we recommend, when choosing between the two models, the use of SATIRE‐S for climate studies.

The angular distributions of ultraviolet spectral irradiance at different solar elevation angles under clear sky conditions.

To investigate the angular distributions of UVA, UVB, and effective UV for erythema and vitamin D (vitD) synthesis, the UV spectral irradiances were measured at ten inclined angles (from 0° to 90°) and seven azimuths (from 0° to 180°) at solar elevation angle (SEA) that ranged from 18.8° to 80° in Shanghai (31.22° N, 121.55° E) under clear sky and the albedo of ground was 0.1. The results demonstrated that in the mean azimuths and with the back to the sun, the UVA, UVB, and erythemally and vitD-weighted irradiances increased with the inclined angles and an increase in SEA. When facing toward the sun at 0°-60° inclined angles, the UVA first increased and then decreased with an increase in SEA; at other inclined angles, the UVA increased with SEA. At 0°-40° inclined angles, the UVB and erythemally and vitD-weighted irradiances first increased and then decreased with an increase in SEA, and their maximums were achieved at SEA 68.7°; at other inclined angles, the above three irradiances increased with an increase in SEA. The maximum UVA, UVB, and erythemally and vitD-weighted irradiances were achieved at an 80° inclined angle at SEA 80° (the highest in our measurements); the cumulative exposure of the half day achieved the maximum at a 60° inclined angle, but not on the horizontal. This study provides support for the assessment of human skin sun exposure.

Comparison of measured and modelled spectral UV irradiance at Izaña high mountain station: estimation of the underlying effective albedo

In this work, we have carried out a comparison study between measured and modelled direct and global ultraviolet (UV) (300–400 nm) spectral irradiances and the determination of the surface effective albedo at the high altitude Izana Observatory [IZO; 2400 m above sea level (a.s.l.)] located in Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain). The spectral measurements were performed with a Bentham spectroradiometer during the Quality Assurance of Solar Ultraviolet Spectral Irradiance Measurements (QASUME) comparison campaign in June 2005. The simulations were obtained with the LibRadtran radiative transfer model. The model input parameters, such as total ozone and aerosol optical depth (AOD), were measured at IZO. The comparison between measured and modelled direct solar radiation component was made at 0.5 nm spectral resolution, showing excellent agreement, with differences below 5% for solar zenith angle (SZA) < 60°. These differences were attributed to the effect of the underlying surface albedo due to the frequent existence of a sea of clouds below the station altitude. The underlying surface albedo was determined using different methods. In spite of the variability of this parameter through the day due to the strong influence and variable structure of these underlying clouds, the mean of this effective surface albedo in the UV region gives a value between 0.2 and 0.5 in the UV range, 10 times higher than the local surface albedo (0.02–0.05).