UV climate over the Southern Ocean south of Australia, and its biological impact - 1994 data

• Format: Dataset
• Language: unknown
• Published: Australian Ocean Data Network
• Subjects: climatologyMeteorologyAtmosphere; oceans; EARTH SCIENCE > ATMOSPHERE > ATMOSPHERIC RADIATION > ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION; SPECTRAL/ENGINEERING > ULTRAVIOLET WAVELENGTHS > ULTRAVIOLET RADIANCE; BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION > PROTISTS; BACTERIA/ARCHAEA; BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS > PLANKTON; UV; wavelength; Macam spectral radiometer; RADIOMETERS; FIELD SURVEYS; GROUND-BASED OBSERVATIONS; FIELD INVESTIGATION; AMD/AU; CEOS; AMD; ACE/CRC; OCEAN > SOUTHERN OCEAN; CONTINENT > ANTARCTICA > Vestfold Hills; GEOGRAPHIC REGION > POLAR; Southern Ocean; Vestfold; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: https://researchdata.edu.au/uv-climate-southern-1994-data/2820573

Progress Code: completed Statement: Issues The University of Tasmania purchased the Macam radiometer in 1992 as a field instrument. It was marketed as a field-adapted version of an instrument that was originally designed for laboratory use. During this campaign (and subsequent deployments) a number of problems and shortcomings emerged with respect to the desired use of the Macam. a) Operation in cold conditions The specifications of the Macam suggested that it would not function reliably when used in an ice/snow environment without protection. A wooden box lined with polystyrene foam was manufactured to transport, protect and insulate the Macam. In addition, a heating unit was installed inside the Macam (via the bottom of its standard case) driven by a battery that could be recharged. These adaptations were on the whole very successful. b) Sensitivity to motion The Macam operated as a double grating spectral radiometer, so that light collected by the sensor and transferred along the light pipe was directed on to a diffraction grating. The angle of the grating was adjusted to direct the appropriate section of the UV/visible spectrum onto a second grating. This grating was also steered to direct a (finer) portion of the spectrum onto detectors. The problem that emerged with time was that, while the mounts and drive mechanisms for the gratings were designed to work reliably in a comfortable, stable laboratory environment, they were less able to cope with disturbances as a result of transport by ship, Hagglund and helicopter. The result was a lack of confidence in the wavelength stability of the instrument. c)Fragility of light pipe The field measurements used a quartz fibre light pipe, twenty-five metres in length, which transmitted light in the ultraviolet regions as well as visible / near-infrared (operating specifications of Macam: 240 - 820 nm). The light pipe could not be bent in a radius less than 20 cm. In order to protect the light pipe from bending and from other damage, a rubber hose was placed ...