Atmospheric turbidity measurements at Broome in Western Australia 1979-1984

Scott, W.D., Forgan, B.W. and Prospero, J.M. (1992) Atmospheric turbidity measurements at Broome in Western Australia 1979-1984. Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia, 75 . pp. 111-118.

Abstract

A special version of a Voltz, hand-held sun photometer was used to measure direct solar radiation several times each day at the meteorological station at Broome aerodrome from 1979 to 1984. These data were fully compensated and corrected and interpreted in terms of atmospheric turbidity using precise solar calculations. Calibration included extrapolation to zero air mass (Langley plots) and cross-comparisons. The data show no synoptic or mesoscale variation but a seasonal variation with higher values near the end of the dry periods. Calculated wavelengths exponents show smaller particles are present in these dry periods. A harmonic analysis shows that 20-25% of the variance is explained by an annual cycle, 10-15% by a cycle of 3 years, and that turbidity increases 7-11% per year. Bushfires and marine aerosols are likely to be important contributions to the trends though effects of the volcanic eruption of Galunggung are apparent in 1982-1983.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Murdoch Affiliation(s):	School of Biological and Environmental Sciences
Publisher:	Royal Society of Western Australia
Copyright:	© Royal Society of Western Australia
URI:	http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/17629

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