Moscow is a huge urban ecosystem with 2500 km2 of territory and almost 12 million inhabitants. The task of the Moscow Department for Environmental Management and Protection is to keep this system fit and healthy, using data from its ‘MosEcoMonitoring’ enterprise. MosEcoMonitoring continuously measures all important parameters of the ecological situation; such as the quality of air, water and soil, noise pollution and the state of urban green areas.
In July 2013 MosEcoMonitoring started to measure solar radiation with a new, state-of-the-art, Kipp & Zonen research station. The data from the station will be used to model processes of air pollution in the urban climate. One of the most important factors in cities is photochemical smog. Smog causes various health problems, including inflammation of breathing passages and lung disorders. It is formed from reactions of industrial gases such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide with ground level ozone produced in industrial chemical processes.
From international scientific data it is known that there is a correlation between the concentration of ground level ozone and ultraviolet radiation. The researchers expect that continuous precise measurement of solar radiation in the ultraviolet, visible and far infrared wavelength ranges can provide estimates of ground ozone levels. These data will be used to verify the data obtained from open path gas analyzers used in the Moscow ecological monitoring system.
The measurement of UV is also important to determine the UV index that characterizes the harmful influence of UV radiation on human skin. This information is included in meteorological forecasts in countries with developed resort infrastructures and high solar radiation levels but it is also relevant for such regions as Moscow, especially in the summer period.
The solar radiation monitoring station of MosEcoMonitoring is installed on the roof of the Central Aerological Observatory in Dolgoprudny and consists of a SOLYS 2 sun tracker with CHP 1 pyrheliometer for DNI measurements, a CMP 21 pyranometer for GHI measurements and a shaded CMP 21 pyranometer to measure diffuse radiation (DHI). A CGR 4 pyrgeometer mounted on the tracker is used to measure downward long-wave radiation. The pyrgeometer and pyranometers are fitted with CVF 3 ventilation units to assure the cleanliness of the domes and to prevent dew, snow and ice deposition.
The system also has a CMP 21 pyranometer and a CGR 4 pyrgeometer facing downwards to measure the reflected short-wave and upward long-wave radiation to enable calculation of albedo and the complete radiation balance. Finally, a UVS-AB-T radiometer measures the incoming UVA and UVB radiation. The data from all the instruments are recorded by a COMBILOG data logger. There is a meteorological station to monitor parameters such as ambient temperature, pressure, relative humidity, wind speed and direction.
The monitoring station was supplied and installed by our distributor for Russia RPO ATTEX Ltd., of Moscow. ATTEX has a long history of working in meteorological research projects and also developed and realized the data transfer and integration of the new station into the existing systems of MosEcoMonitoring.
You can find more information about ATTEX at www.attex.net and about MosEcoMonitoring here.