Identifying the Signature of the Solar UV Radiation Spectrum

Abstract

The broadband spectrum of solar radiation is commonly characterized by indices such as the average photon energy (APE) and the blue fraction (BF). This work explores the effectiveness of the two indices in a narrower spectral band, namely the ultraviolet (UV). The analysis is carried out from two perspectives: sensitivity to the changes in the UV spectrum and the uniqueness (each index value uniquely characterizes a single UV spectrum). The evaluation is performed in relation to the changes in spectrum induced by the main atmospheric attenuators in the UV band: ozone and aerosols. Synthetic UV spectra are generated in different atmospheric conditions using the SMARTS2 spectral solar irradiance model. The closing result is a new index for the signature of the solar UV radiation spectrum. The index is conceptually just like the BF, but it captures the specificity of the UV spectrum, being defined as the fraction of the energy of solar UV radiation held by the UV-B band. Therefore, this study gives a new meaning and a new utility to the common UV-B/UV ratio.