GACP Datasets
Herber Dataset
Information about the aerosol measurements by AWI at the Koldewey-Station (Ny-Aalesund) on Spitsbergen (79N, 11E):
(1) The type of data (measured quantities, measurement technique, estimated accuracy, etc.);
LIDAR
Measured Quantities: Backscatter ratio or backscatter coefficient at 532 nm,
Measurement Technique: aerosol backscatter lidar
Estimated accuracy: 5 - 20 %, depending on altitude
Sun & Star photometer
Measured Quantities: optical depth of aerosol at different wavelengths
Sun photometer (day light): 370, 381, 416, 441, 502. 534, 612, 674, 777, 861, 912, 947, 1024, 1046 nm
Star photometer (polar night): 391, 442, 500, 531, 600, 671, 776 nm,
Measurement Technique: direct light measurement with photometer
Estimated accuracy: in the aerosol optical depth 0,008 (Sun), appr. 0,01 (Star)
(2a) Temporal coverage:
LIDAR
in Winter (polar night): regularly during clear sky periods, on average every 2nd day in Summer (polar day): no measurements as jet
Sun & Star photometer
in Winter (polar night): regularly during clear sky periods, daily mean value but only January to March as yet
in Summer (polar day): regularly during clear sky periods, daily mean value mid-March to September
(2b) spatial coverage:
LIDAR
from 0.5 km to 10 km (tropospheric lidar) and
from 10 km to 30 km (stratospheric lidar)
Sun & Star photometer
aerosol optical depth: value for the whole atmosphere,
no separation troposphere and stratosphere
(3) For longer temporal coverage, the dates of most reliable data;
LIDAR
For stratospheric lidar: Jan.-March of years 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98
For tropospheric lidar: Oct. 98 to Jan. 99
Sun & Star photometer
Sun photometer: March to September for 1991 to 1998
Star photometer: January to March 1996 to 1998 and December 1996
(4) Data format and where and how they can be retrieved.
LIDAR
NASA-Ames or Matlab, available from the NDSC data base for stratospheric data
and from AWI-Potsdam for tropospheric & stratospheric data
Sun & Star photometer
Ascii-files for the optical depth data (special format is in preparation, in
coordinating with NOAA - Dr. Bob Stone)
Andreas Herber
Alfred-Wegener-Institute for Polar and Marine Research
Research Department Potsdam
Telegrafenberg A43
D-14473 Potsdam, Germany
phone: ++49 331 288 2130
fax: ++49 331 288 2137
e-mail: aherber@awi-potsdam.de
