Comparative Analysis of Ground-Based and Satellite-Derived UV Index Levels in Natal, Brazil

The ultraviolet radiation index (UV index–UVI) is a dimensionless indicator that informs the intensity of ultraviolet radiation on the Earth’s surface. It makes it easier for people to assess UV levels and understand how to protect themselves from excessive Sun exposure. In Brazil, however, the info...

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Main Authors: Gabriela Cacilda Godinho dos Reis, Hassan Bencherif, Rodrigo Silva, Lucas Vaz Peres, Marco Antonio Godinho dos Reis, Damaris Kirsch Pinheiro, Francisco Raimundo da Silva, Kevin Lamy, Thierry Portafaix
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-12-01
Series:Remote Sensing
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/16/24/4687
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author Gabriela Cacilda Godinho dos Reis
Hassan Bencherif
Rodrigo Silva
Lucas Vaz Peres
Marco Antonio Godinho dos Reis
Damaris Kirsch Pinheiro
Francisco Raimundo da Silva
Kevin Lamy
Thierry Portafaix
author_facet Gabriela Cacilda Godinho dos Reis
Hassan Bencherif
Rodrigo Silva
Lucas Vaz Peres
Marco Antonio Godinho dos Reis
Damaris Kirsch Pinheiro
Francisco Raimundo da Silva
Kevin Lamy
Thierry Portafaix
author_sort Gabriela Cacilda Godinho dos Reis
collection DOAJ
description The ultraviolet radiation index (UV index–UVI) is a dimensionless indicator that informs the intensity of ultraviolet radiation on the Earth’s surface. It makes it easier for people to assess UV levels and understand how to protect themselves from excessive Sun exposure. In Brazil, however, the information regarding UV is scarce, with low spatial and temporal coverage. Thus, continuous monitoring is conducted through satellites, although ground-based monitoring of UV is more accurate than satellite retrievals, and comparisons are necessary for validation. This paper aims to compare the levels of UV index measured on the ground and by satellite (OMI and GOME-2) over Natal, Brazil (05.78°S; 35.21°W) from 2005 to 2022. The comparison was made under clear-sky conditions using METAR cloud cover and LER data. Characterization of the diurnal and seasonal variability of the ground-based UV index levels under all and clear-sky conditions is also reported. The analysis indicates that in Natal, noontime all-sky UV index were 6.8% higher during periods of prevalent broken clouds. The two satellite sources (OMI noontime and overpass) and GOME-2 noontime are reliable sources for UV index, which show good agreement with ground-based measurements, with UVI estimated from OMI both at the overpass and noontime being less biased than GOME-2-estimated UVI. Such a process of data verification is important should these data be used for long-term trend analysis or the monitoring of UV exposure risk and possible impacts on human health.
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spelling doaj-art-d2bbf4bf014e4fde9e566db4cfe5f6272024-12-27T14:50:53ZengMDPI AGRemote Sensing2072-42922024-12-011624468710.3390/rs16244687Comparative Analysis of Ground-Based and Satellite-Derived UV Index Levels in Natal, BrazilGabriela Cacilda Godinho dos Reis0Hassan Bencherif1Rodrigo Silva2Lucas Vaz Peres3Marco Antonio Godinho dos Reis4Damaris Kirsch Pinheiro5Francisco Raimundo da Silva6Kevin Lamy7Thierry Portafaix8Laboratoire de l’Atmosphère et des Cyclones, LACy, UMR 8105 CNRS, Physics Department, Faculty of Sciences and Technologies, Université de La Réunion, Météo-France, 97400 Saint-Denis de La Réunion, FranceLaboratoire de l’Atmosphère et des Cyclones, LACy, UMR 8105 CNRS, Physics Department, Faculty of Sciences and Technologies, Université de La Réunion, Météo-France, 97400 Saint-Denis de La Réunion, FranceInstituto de Engenharia e Geociêcias, Universidade Federal do Oeste do Pará, Santarém 68035110, BrazilInstituto de Engenharia e Geociêcias, Universidade Federal do Oeste do Pará, Santarém 68035110, BrazilPrograma de Pós-Graduação em Meteorologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria 97105900, BrazilCentro de Tecnologia, Departamento de Engenharia Química, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria 97105900, BrazilInstituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais, Natal 66077830, BrazilLaboratoire de l’Atmosphère et des Cyclones, LACy, UMR 8105 CNRS, Physics Department, Faculty of Sciences and Technologies, Université de La Réunion, Météo-France, 97400 Saint-Denis de La Réunion, FranceLaboratoire de l’Atmosphère et des Cyclones, LACy, UMR 8105 CNRS, Physics Department, Faculty of Sciences and Technologies, Université de La Réunion, Météo-France, 97400 Saint-Denis de La Réunion, FranceThe ultraviolet radiation index (UV index–UVI) is a dimensionless indicator that informs the intensity of ultraviolet radiation on the Earth’s surface. It makes it easier for people to assess UV levels and understand how to protect themselves from excessive Sun exposure. In Brazil, however, the information regarding UV is scarce, with low spatial and temporal coverage. Thus, continuous monitoring is conducted through satellites, although ground-based monitoring of UV is more accurate than satellite retrievals, and comparisons are necessary for validation. This paper aims to compare the levels of UV index measured on the ground and by satellite (OMI and GOME-2) over Natal, Brazil (05.78°S; 35.21°W) from 2005 to 2022. The comparison was made under clear-sky conditions using METAR cloud cover and LER data. Characterization of the diurnal and seasonal variability of the ground-based UV index levels under all and clear-sky conditions is also reported. The analysis indicates that in Natal, noontime all-sky UV index were 6.8% higher during periods of prevalent broken clouds. The two satellite sources (OMI noontime and overpass) and GOME-2 noontime are reliable sources for UV index, which show good agreement with ground-based measurements, with UVI estimated from OMI both at the overpass and noontime being less biased than GOME-2-estimated UVI. Such a process of data verification is important should these data be used for long-term trend analysis or the monitoring of UV exposure risk and possible impacts on human health.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/16/24/4687solar ultraviolet radiationUV indexground-based measurementssatellite-derived dataOMIGOME-2
spellingShingle Gabriela Cacilda Godinho dos Reis
Hassan Bencherif
Rodrigo Silva
Lucas Vaz Peres
Marco Antonio Godinho dos Reis
Damaris Kirsch Pinheiro
Francisco Raimundo da Silva
Kevin Lamy
Thierry Portafaix
Comparative Analysis of Ground-Based and Satellite-Derived UV Index Levels in Natal, Brazil
Remote Sensing
solar ultraviolet radiation
UV index
ground-based measurements
satellite-derived data
OMI
GOME-2
title Comparative Analysis of Ground-Based and Satellite-Derived UV Index Levels in Natal, Brazil
title_full Comparative Analysis of Ground-Based and Satellite-Derived UV Index Levels in Natal, Brazil
title_fullStr Comparative Analysis of Ground-Based and Satellite-Derived UV Index Levels in Natal, Brazil
title_full_unstemmed Comparative Analysis of Ground-Based and Satellite-Derived UV Index Levels in Natal, Brazil
title_short Comparative Analysis of Ground-Based and Satellite-Derived UV Index Levels in Natal, Brazil
title_sort comparative analysis of ground based and satellite derived uv index levels in natal brazil
topic solar ultraviolet radiation
UV index
ground-based measurements
satellite-derived data
OMI
GOME-2
url https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/16/24/4687
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