4.1.3. Calibration of Dobson Ozone Spectrophotometers

Fifteen Dobson ozone spectrophotometers were calibrated during 1996 and 1997. Table 4.4 lists all of the instruments calibrated and the resulting calibration difference expressed in percentage of ozone difference. This percentage of difference is for ozone calculated from the test instrument and the standard instrument measurements with the double wavelength pair (A and D) on the direct sun (DS) with the ground quartz plate in place (GQP) observation type at a Mu value of 2 and a total ozone value of 300 Dobson Units (DU) before any repair or calibration adjustment is made. The table also lists the place of the calibration and the standard instrument used.

TABLE 4.4. Dobson Ozone Spectrophotometers Calibrated in 1996-1997

Instrument

Calibration

Calibration

Standard

Station

Number

Date

Correction (%)

Number

Place

1996

Manila, Philippines

52

June 1990

0.8%

116*

Tsukuba, Japan

Bangkok, Thailand

09

Oct. 1987

N/A (Instrument damaged)

116*

Tsukuba, Japan

New Delhi, India

112

Dec. 1984

0.0%

116*

Tsukuba, Japan

Seoul, Korea

124

July 1991

3.6%

116*

Tsukuba, Japan

SPO

80

NA

NA†

83

Boulder, Colorado

1997

Singapore

07

Sept. 1990

1.0%

83

Perth, Australia

SMO

42

Sept. 9, 1991

0.0%

83

Perth, Australia

Lauder, New Zealand

72

July 22, 1992

0.0%

83

Perth, Australia

Perth, Australia

81

July 7, 1992

-0.2%

83

Perth, Australia

Irene, South Africa

89

May 1993

-0.3%

83

Perth, Australia

Melbourne, Australia (regional standard)

105

June 29, 1992

0.0%

83

Perth, Australia

SPO

82

Aug. 27, 1992

-0.7%

83

Boulder, Colorado

Hohenpeissenberg, Germany

64

Aug. 2, 1990

-1.4%

65

Stiga Ski Field, Greece

Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic

74

Aug. 2, 1990

+1.4

65

Stiga Ski Field, Greece

Cairo, Egypt

96

July 10, 1997

-2.0%

65

Stiga Ski Field, Greece

St. Petersburg, Russia

108

May 25, 1993

-0.5%

65

Stiga Ski Field, Greece

Athens, Greece

118

Aug. 5, 1990

+0.8%

65

Stiga Ski Field, Greece

Bucharest, Romania

121

1995

N/A‡

65

Stiga Ski Field, Greece

*Although CMDL instruments were not involved, the CMDL World Dobson Calibration Center supervised the Tsukuba intercomparison.

†In 1996 the SPO instrument had a calibration defined before being sent to the station in replacement of instrument no. 82.

‡Instrument no. 121 was optically realigned and thus had no existing calibration record.

As part of its role as the World Center for Dobson Calibrations, CMDL participated in international Dobson spectrophotometer calibrations at the Aerological Observatory, Tsukuba, Japan (February 26 to March 26, 1996); Perth Airport, Australia (February 3 to 14, 1997); and Stiga Ski Field, near Kalavryta, Greece (July 20 to August 8, 1997). In cooperation with the WMO Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) program, CMDL personnel made a physical inspection and evaluation of sites operating Dobson spectrophotometers in Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil during April 1997.

The world standard Dobson ozone spectrophotometer calibration was checked in summer campaigns (1996 and 1997) at MLO. The calibration was verified to be in error by less that 1% in both campaigns. These campaigns are a cooperative effort with NASA, and the data obtained are also used as validation for satellite measurements.

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