Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring Provided with Solar Radiation Monitoring Equipment

Kipp & Zonen (Netherlands) will provide the Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring (Roshydromet) with solar radiation monitoring equipment to set up the first WMO Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN) station in Russia. This is part of the project to update and modernise the Roshydromet network from manual observations to automated measurements and centralised data collection.

BSRN provides high accuracy, long-term, measurements of the radiation budget and is a key part of the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP). The measurements are used for calibration and validation (ground-truthing) of satellite data and to monitor regional trends at the Earth’s surface. It comprises a global network of solar monitoring stations using the best equipment and practices currently available. Russia represents a large ‘gap’ in BSRN coverage and this first station will be located in Orgurtsovo, Western Siberia.

A ‘Basic’ BSRN station uses a sun tracker fitted with a pyrheliometer and two pyranometers to measure direct, global and diffuse solar radiation; plus downward infrared radiation from the sky (using a pyrgeometer). The Roshydromet system is an ‘Expanded’ station. This adds reflected solar radiation and upwards infrared radiation from the ground using a pyranometer and pyrgeometer mounted on a mast so that all four components of the radiation budget can be accurately measured.

Their instruments were extensively tested by the Main Geophysical Observatory (MGO) in St. Petersburg to ensure that they comply with Russian standards.

Kipp & Zonen partners in Russia are ATTEX, their distributor, and the Lanit systems integration company.