title: International Intercomparison of Solar UVR Spectral Measurement Systems in Melbourne in 2013.
abstract: Monitoring ambient solar UVR levels provides information on how much there is in both real time and historically. Quality assurance of ambient measurements of solar UVR is critical to ensuring accuracy and stability and this can be achieved by regular intercomparisons of spectral measurement systems with those of other organizations. In October and November of 2013 a solar UVR spectroradiometer from Public Health England (PHE) was brought to Melbourne for a campaign of intercomparisons with a new Bentham spectrometer of Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) and one at the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), supported by New Zealand's National Institute for Water and Atmosphere (NIWA). Given all three spectroradiometers have calibrations that are traceable to various national standards, the intercomparison provides a chance to determine measurement uncertainties and traceability that support UV measurement networks in Australia, New Zealand and the UK. UV Index measurements from all three systems were compared and ratios determined for clear sky conditions when the scans from each instrument were within 2 min of each other. While wavelengths below 305 nm showed substantial differences between the PHE unit and the two other systems, overall the intercomparison results were encouraging, with mean differences in measured UV Index between the BOM/NIWA and those of PHE and ARPANSA of <0.1% and 7.5%, respectively.
authors.affiliation: Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA), Melbourne, Vic., Australia.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gies
authors.affiliation: Public Health England (PHE), Didcot, Oxfordshire, UK.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hooke
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), Lauder, Central Otago, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: McKenzie
authors.affiliation: Public Health England (PHE), Didcot, Oxfordshire, UK.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: O'Hagan
authors.affiliation: Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA), Melbourne, Vic., Australia.
authors.forename: Stuart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Henderson
authors.affiliation: Public Health England (PHE), Didcot, Oxfordshire, UK.
authors.forename: Andy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pearson
authors.affiliation: Public Health England (PHE), Didcot, Oxfordshire, UK.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khazova
authors.affiliation: Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA), Melbourne, Vic., Australia.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Javorniczky
authors.affiliation: Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA), Melbourne, Vic., Australia.
authors.forename: Kerryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: King
authors.affiliation: Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), Melbourne, Vic., Australia.
authors.forename: Matt
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tully
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), Lauder, Central Otago, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kotkamp
authors.affiliation: Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), Melbourne, Vic., Australia.
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Forgan
authors.affiliation: Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), Melbourne, Vic., Australia.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rhodes
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays