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Comparison of Ground-Based and Satellite-Derived Solar UV Index Levels at Six South African Sites

Author

Listed:
  • Jean-Maurice Cadet

    (LACy, Laboratoire de l’Atmosphère et des Cyclones (UMR 8105 CNRS, Université de La Réunion, Météo-France), Saint-Denis de La Réunion 97744, France)

  • Hassan Bencherif

    (LACy, Laboratoire de l’Atmosphère et des Cyclones (UMR 8105 CNRS, Université de La Réunion, Météo-France), Saint-Denis de La Réunion 97744, France
    School of Chemistry and Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4041, South Africa)

  • Thierry Portafaix

    (LACy, Laboratoire de l’Atmosphère et des Cyclones (UMR 8105 CNRS, Université de La Réunion, Météo-France), Saint-Denis de La Réunion 97744, France)

  • Kévin Lamy

    (LACy, Laboratoire de l’Atmosphère et des Cyclones (UMR 8105 CNRS, Université de La Réunion, Météo-France), Saint-Denis de La Réunion 97744, France)

  • Katlego Ncongwane

    (South African Weather Service, Private Bag X097, Pretoria 0001, South Africa)

  • Gerrie J. R. Coetzee

    (South African Weather Service, Private Bag X097, Pretoria 0001, South Africa)

  • Caradee Y. Wright

    (Environment and Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Pretoria 0001, South Africa
    Department of Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa)

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Jean-Maurice Cadet & Hassan Bencherif & Thierry Portafaix & Kévin Lamy & Katlego Ncongwane & Gerrie J. R. Coetzee & Caradee Y. Wright, 2017. "Comparison of Ground-Based and Satellite-Derived Solar UV Index Levels at Six South African Sites," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-15, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:14:y:2017:i:11:p:1384-:d:118851
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Zempila, Melina-Maria & Giannaros, Theodore M. & Bais, Alkiviadis & Melas, Dimitris & Kazantzidis, Andreas, 2016. "Evaluation of WRF shortwave radiation parameterizations in predicting Global Horizontal Irradiance in Greece," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 831-840.
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