1. e-mail: gbalan@ugal.ro
Atmospheric Research Group Centre of Material Sciences, Institute of Applied Physics AS Moldova
SOLAR RADIATION OBSERVATIONS AT THE GROUND-BASED RADIATION MONITORING COMPLEX IN REP. of MOLDOVA
Alexandr Aculinin1), Vladimir Smicov1), Brent Holben2), Alexander Smirnov3), Thomas Eck3), Albert Policarpov1), Vitaly Graciov1), George Balan4)
1)Atmospheric Research Group, , Institute of Applied Physics, Academy of Sciences of Moldova, 5 Academiei Str., Kishinev, MD-2028, Moldova;
2) NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), Code 614.4, Greenbelt, MD USA
3)Goddard Earth Sciences and Technology (GEST) Center, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), Code 614.4, Greenbelt, MD USA
4) Dept. of Fundamental Sciences, Engineering Faculty of Braila, Galatz University “Dunare de Jos”, 29 Calea Calarasilor Str., Romania; tel./fax : ,

2. Atmospheric Research Group Centre of Material Sciences, Institute of Applied Physics AS Moldova
Kishinev site coordinates
Latitude: N
Longitude: E
elevation: 205 m a.s.l.
Location:
City: Kishinev (or Chisinau),
Country: Republic of Moldova
Address: 5 Academiei Str.,
Zip code: MD-2028

3. Atmospheric Research Group Centre of Material Sciences, Institute of Applied Physics AS Moldova
GROUND-BASED SOLAR RADIATION MONITORING STATION

4. Atmospheric Research Group (ARG)
Atmospheric Research Group Centre of Material Sciences, Institute of Applied Physics AS Moldova
Atmospheric Research Group (ARG)
ARG Team:(from left to right) Vladimir Smicov, Albert Policarpov,
Alexandr Aculinin and Vitali Graciov

5. GROUND-BASED SOLAR RADIATION MONITORING STATION
Atmospheric Research Group Centre of Material Sciences, Institute of Applied Physics AS Moldova
GROUND-BASED SOLAR RADIATION MONITORING STATION
Structural elements (radiometric complex, sun photometer, weather station, ozonometer) of the ground-based station are working in automatic mode and can be remotely controlled by two PCs placed in Laboratory.

6. GROUND-BASED SOLAR RADIATION MONITORING STATION
Atmospheric Research Group Centre of Material Sciences, Institute of Applied Physics AS Moldova
GROUND-BASED SOLAR RADIATION MONITORING STATION
consists of
Radiometric multifunctional complex for continuous measurements of the solar and atmosphere radiation from UV-B to IR. Complex is equipped with the modern Solar Radiation Sensors , Active solar tracking unit 2AP BD, and Data logger CR10X SM4M (Kipp&Zonen, the Netherlands). Moving and stationary platforms are integrated into the radiometric complex to measure global, diffuse and direct components of solar radiation.
Automatic weather station MiniMET (Skye Instruments, Ltd.).
Ozonometer MICROTOPS II (Solar Light Co.).
Sunphotometer CIMEL CE-318 (CIMEL Electronique ).

7. SOLAR RADIATION SENSORS
Atmospheric Research Group Centre of Material Sciences, Institute of Applied Physics AS Moldova
SOLAR RADIATION SENSORS
UV-S-B-C for UV-B (global, diffuse) 280 – 315 nm;
UV-S-A-C for UV-A (global) 315 – 400 nm;
CM-11 for Solar radiation (global, diffuse) 305 – 2800 nm;
CH-1 for Solar radiation (direct) 200 – 4000 nm;
PAR Lite for Photosynthetically Active Radiation (global) 400–700 nm;
SP Lite for Solar radiation (global) 400 – 1100 nm;
CG-1 for Infrared radiation (global) 4 – 42 um.

8. SOLAR RADIATION SENSORS
Atmospheric Research Group Centre of Material Sciences, Institute of Applied Physics AS Moldova
SOLAR RADIATION SENSORS
UV-S-B-C/ UV-S-A-C
CM-11

9. SOLAR RADIATION SENSORS
Atmospheric Research Group Centre of Material Sciences, Institute of Applied Physics AS Moldova
SOLAR RADIATION SENSORS
SP & PAR Lite
CG-1

10. SOLAR RADIATION SENSORS
Atmospheric Research Group Centre of Material Sciences, Institute of Applied Physics AS Moldova
SOLAR RADIATION SENSORS
Sensors: CH-1 (direct) at the foreground and UV-S-B-C (diffuse) at background

11. RADIOMETRIC MULTIFUNCTIONAL COMPLEX
Atmospheric Research Group Centre of Material Sciences, Institute of Applied Physics AS Moldova
RADIOMETRIC MULTIFUNCTIONAL COMPLEX
(OPTICS)
Solar radiation sensors are installed both on:
- mounting table (stationary platform) and
- solar tracking 2AP BD unit (moving platform).
The sensors intended for direct and diffuse solar irradiance measurements( CM-11, CH-1 and UV-S-B-C) are installed on the mounting table of the sun tracking 2AP BD unit. Radiometric sensors for global solar irradiance measurements (CM-11, UB-S-B-C, UV-S-A-C, CG-1, PARLite, SPLite) are installed on specially designed adapters for each sensor and these adapters are fixed to the mounting table.

12. RADIOMETRIC MULTIFUNCTIONAL COMPLEX
Atmospheric Research Group Centre of Material Sciences, Institute of Applied Physics AS Moldova
RADIOMETRIC MULTIFUNCTIONAL COMPLEX
(ELECTRONICS)
All units and sensors are assembled into the radiometric measuring complex which is installed on the roof of Institute building (~ 30 meters apart from the Lab). The sensors are connected with the CR10X data logger (Campbell Scientific, Ltd.) for reading, processing and logging (storing) data from each of sensors. To increase number of active differential channels connected with sensors, it is used AM25T Thermocouple Multiplexer. The memory capacity of CR10X data logger was increased up to 4Mb by using the Storage Module SM4M. This memory capacity is enough to store data from all active channels for the period of ~ 50 days with the scan rate of 1 sec and averaging and logging interval of 1 minute. For set up purposes and data retrieving from data loggers, the last ones are communicated with the PC in Lab.

13. MOVING PLATFORM OF RADIOMETRIC COMPLEX
Atmospheric Research Group Centre of Material Sciences, Institute of Applied Physics AS Moldova
MOVING PLATFORM OF RADIOMETRIC COMPLEX
Automatic solar tracking unit 2AP BD with solar sensors (front view):
- CM11 for diffuse solar radiation;
- UV-S-B-C for diffuse UV-B radiation;
- CH1 for direct solar radiation

14. MOVING PLATFORM OF RADIOMETRIC COMPLEX
Atmospheric Research Group Centre of Material Sciences, Institute of Applied Physics AS Moldova
MOVING PLATFORM OF RADIOMETRIC COMPLEX
Automatic solar tracking unit 2AP BD with solar sensors (top view)

15. STATIONARY PLATFORM OF RADIOMETRIC COMPLEX
Atmospheric Research Group Centre of Material Sciences, Institute of Applied Physics AS Moldova
STATIONARY PLATFORM OF RADIOMETRIC COMPLEX
Measuring stationary platform with sensors UV-S-B-C, CG-1, CM-11, and UV-S-A-C (see clockwise); sensors PAR Lite and SP Lite are mounted in the center of frame.

16. STATIONARY PLATFORM OF RADIOMETRIC COMPLEX
Atmospheric Research Group Centre of Material Sciences, Institute of Applied Physics AS Moldova
STATIONARY PLATFORM OF RADIOMETRIC COMPLEX
(Front view):
Measuring stationary platform with radiometric sensors and data logger CR10X with memory module SM 4M housed in a weather-resistant NEMA 4X enclosure.

17. The ‘brain’ of the radiometric complex
Atmospheric Research Group Centre of Material Sciences, Institute of Applied Physics AS Moldova
DATALOGGER CR10X
The ‘brain’ of the radiometric complex
Updated Datalogger CR10X consists of 6 differential channels and processor, memory module SM 4M and multiplexer AM25T ( with 32 channels):
(1) scan rate (for each channel): 1 Hz ;
(2) averaging interval: 1 minute;
(3) logging interval: 1 minute;
(4) data archiving rate: ~ 12 Mb/month;
(5) Memory capacity: 4 Mb

18. AUTOMATIC WEATHER STATION (AWS) MINIMET
Atmospheric Research Group Centre of Material Sciences, Institute of Applied Physics AS Moldova
AUTOMATIC WEATHER STATION (AWS) MINIMET
Automatic weather station MiniMet with DataHog 2 datalogger for measurement and storage of the basic surface meteorological elements

19. AUTOMATIC WEATHER STATION (AWS) MINIMET
Atmospheric Research Group Centre of Material Sciences, Institute of Applied Physics AS Moldova
AUTOMATIC WEATHER STATION (AWS) MINIMET
period of operation: since June 17, 2003;
(2) measuring values: air temperature, atmospheric pressure, relative humidity,
wind mean velocity and direction, solar irradiance in the wavelength range 400 – 1100 nm, and solar UV-B irradiance (280 – 315 nm);
(3) scan rate (for each channel): 0.1 Hz ;
(4) averaging interval: 5 minutes;
(5) logging interval: 5 minutes;
(6) data archiving rate: 1,2 Mb/month.

20. MICROTOPS II Ozonometer
Atmospheric Research Group Centre of Material Sciences, Institute of Applied Physics AS Moldova
MICROTOPS II Ozonometer
MICROTOPS II Ozonometer (Solar Light, USA) for measurements of the total ozone content, water vapor and aerosol optical thickness

21. MICROTOPS II Ozonometer
Atmospheric Research Group Centre of Material Sciences, Institute of Applied Physics AS Moldova
MICROTOPS II Ozonometer
(1) period of operation: since July 7, 2003;
(2) measuring values:
- - total ozone content (accuracy ~ 2%);
- - solar UV irradiance at three discrete wavelengths (305.5, and nm with 2nm FWHM);
- - total water vapor content (936 nm with 10nm FWHM);
- - aerosol optical thickness (1020 nm with 10 nm FWHM);
(3) data archiving rate: Kb/month;

22. SEASONAL VIEW OF THE SOLAR RADIATION MONITORING STATION
Atmospheric Research Group Centre of Material Sciences, Institute of Applied Physics AS Moldova
SEASONAL VIEW OF THE SOLAR RADIATION MONITORING STATION
winter
spring
autumn
summer

23. ARG TEAM AT THE SOLAR RADIATION MONITORING STATION
Atmospheric Research Group Centre of Material Sciences, Institute of Applied Physics AS Moldova
ARG TEAM AT THE SOLAR RADIATION MONITORING STATION
Alexandr Aculinin
Vladimir
Smicov
Vitali
Graciov
Albert
Policarpov

24. Atmospheric Research Group Centre of Material Sciences , Institute of Applied Physics AS Moldova
AErosol RObotic NETwork (AERONET): A Federation of International Collaborators
Responsible NASA Official: Brent N. Holben, AERONET Project Head, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD USA Code 914.4;

25. Sunphotometer CIMEL CE-318 in operation at the Kishinev site
Atmospheric Research Group Centre of Material Sciences , Institute of Applied Physics AS Moldova
AERONET instrumentation: Sunphotometer CIMEL CE-318
Sunphotometer CIMEL CE-318 in operation at the Kishinev site

26. AERONET : LONG TERM MEASUREMENTS FOR AEROSOL
Atmospheric Research Group Centre of Material Sciences , Institute of Applied Physics AS Moldova
AERONET : LONG TERM MEASUREMENTS FOR AEROSOL
RESEARCH AND ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
Objectives:
validation of satellite aerosol retrievals;
characterization of aerosol optical properties;
synergism with satellite observations, climate models;
- provide mesoscale observations during regional field campaigns.

27. AERONET : LONG TERM MEASUREMENTS FOR AEROSOL
Atmospheric Research Group Centre of Material Sciences , Institute of Applied Physics AS Moldova
AERONET : LONG TERM MEASUREMENTS FOR AEROSOL
RESEARCH AND ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
Project products:
aerosol optical thickness (depth) climatology;
aerosol size distributions;
complex refractive index of aerosol particles;
single scattering albedo;
direct sun measurements at wavelengths of 340, 380, 440, 500, 670, 870, 940 and 1020 nm;
- sky radiance in four spectral bands (440, 670, 870 and 1020 nm) along the solar principal plane and along the solar almucantar.

28. SOLAR IRRADIANCE MEASUREMENTS
Atmospheric Research Group Centre of Material Sciences , Institute of Applied Physics AS Moldova
SOLAR IRRADIANCE MEASUREMENTS
Diurnal variation of the direct (1), global (2) and diffuse (3) components of the solar radiation on horizontal plane measured at the Kishinev ground station during April 4, 2004 (cloud free day).

29. SOLAR IRRADIANCE MEASUREMENTS
Atmospheric Research Group Centre of Material Sciences , Institute of Applied Physics AS Moldova
SOLAR IRRADIANCE MEASUREMENTS
Diurnal variation of the direct (1), global (2) and diffuse (3) components of the solar radiation on horizontal plane measured at the Kishinev ground station during May 28, 2004 (partially cloudy day).

30. UV-B IRRADIANCE MEASUREMENTS
Atmospheric Research Group Centre of Material Sciences , Institute of Applied Physics AS Moldova
UV-B IRRADIANCE MEASUREMENTS
Time series of the monthly totals of the global solar UV-B erythemal radiation on horizontal plane measured at the Kishinev during

31. UV-A IRRADIANCE MEASUREMENTS
Atmospheric Research Group Centre of Material Sciences , Institute of Applied Physics AS Moldova
UV-A IRRADIANCE MEASUREMENTS
Time series of the monthly totals of the global solar UV-A radiation on horizontal plane measured at the Kishinev during

32. AEROSOL OPTICAL THICKNESS MEASUREMENTS
Atmospheric Research Group Centre of Material Sciences , Institute of Applied Physics AS Moldova
AEROSOL OPTICAL THICKNESS MEASUREMENTS
Time series of monthly mean values of the aerosol optical thickness at 500 nm observed at the Kishinev site during September 1999-December 2005

33. AEROSOL OPTICAL THICKNESS MEASUREMENTS
Atmospheric Research Group Centre of Material Sciences , Institute of Applied Physics AS Moldova
AEROSOL OPTICAL THICKNESS MEASUREMENTS
Seasonal variation of the spectral aerosol optical thickness for cloud free atmosphere retrieved from direct sun measurements at the Kishinev site during period from 2003 to

34. TOTAL COLUMN OZONE MEASUREMENTS
Atmospheric Research Group Centre of Material Sciences , Institute of Applied Physics AS Moldova
TOTAL COLUMN OZONE MEASUREMENTS
Time series of the monthly mean values of total ozone content measured with MICROTOPS II ozonometer at the Kishinev site from 2003 to 2004.

35. SURFACE METEOROLOGICAL ELEMENTS MEASUREMENTS
Atmospheric Research Group Centre of Material Sciences , Institute of Applied Physics AS Moldova
SURFACE METEOROLOGICAL ELEMENTS MEASUREMENTS
Time series of monthly mean values of the air temperature and pressure, and relative humidity observed at the ground station during

36. WIND ROSE MEASUREMENTS
Atmospheric Research Group Centre of Material Sciences , Institute of Applied Physics AS Moldova
WIND ROSE MEASUREMENTS
Combined wind rose observed at the ground station during Frequency of occurrence of calm episodes is shown in the center of figure.

37. Atmospheric Research Group Centre of Material Sciences , Institute of Applied Physics AS Moldova
RESULTS
For the first time in Moldova it was established ground-based solar radiation monitoring station. The station was equipped with the modern instrumentation and is placed in an urban environment of Kishinev.
2. Monitoring of radiative properties of the atmosphere in an urban environment of Kishinev is carrying out on continuous basis since the October 2003.
3. Total column ozone content measurements are made on regular basis since the July 2003.
Basic surface meteorological observations are carrying out on continuous basis since the June 2003.
5. New experimental data on solar irradiance from UV-B through IR, total column
ozone content, and main meteorological elements were obtained.

38. Atmospheric Research Group Centre of Material Sciences , Institute of Applied Physics AS Moldova
COLLABORATION
Since 2003 we have been submitting UV-B erythemal irradiance data and total column
ozone content to the World Ozone and Ultraviolet Data Centre (WOUDC), Toronto,
Canada within the framework frame of Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) Programme.

39. Atmospheric Research Group Centre of Material Sciences , Institute of Applied Physics AS Moldova
COLLABORATION
Ground based station was registered in database of the WOUDC with ID# STN455
ASM ARG (Academy of Sciences of Moldova - Atmospheric Research Group)
( ).

40. Atmospheric Research Group Centre of Material Sciences , Institute of Applied Physics AS Moldova
COLLABORATION
Since 2003 we have been submitting shortwave and longwave solar radiation components
to the World Radiation Data Center (WRDC), St.Petersburg, Russia within the framework
frame of Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) Programme (see ).

41. Atmospheric Research Group Centre of Material Sciences , Institute of Applied Physics AS Moldova
COLLABORATION
Ground-based solar radiation monitoring station was registered in GAW Station Information
System as Regional fixed station in WMO RA VI - Europe . GAW SIS is managed by Swiss
Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research (EMPA), Dübendorf, Switzerland.
(see )

42. Atmospheric Research Group Centre of Material Sciences , Institute of Applied Physics AS Moldova
COLLABORATION
Research group continues to work within the framework of the Aerosol Robotic Network
(AERONET) Program of long term measurements for aerosol research, managed by
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, USA ( ).

43. Atmospheric Research Group Centre of Material Sciences , Institute of Applied Physics AS Moldova
COLLABORATION
Research group continues to work within the framework of the Solar Radiation Network
(SolRad-Net) Program of long term solar radiation measurements, managed by
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, USA ( ).

44. Atmospheric Research Group Centre of Material Sciences , Institute of Applied Physics AS Moldova
COLLABORATION
Cooperation work with Prof. Atsumu Ohmura from the Institute for
Atmospheric and Climate Science, ETH within the SCOPES
research program from the Swiss NSF.

45. Atmospheric Research Group Centre of Material Sciences , Institute of Applied Physics AS Moldova
THANK YOU!