The TAO project: COARE radiation quality

			COARE radiation quality

The following are details on TAO radiation data which may be of lower quality than typical data. Sensors are calibrated before deployment by the manufacturer and, when possible, again after recovery. Mean differences have been 2% over nominal deployments of 6 months. Data have also been compared to clear-sky values as computed by Lumb's formula modified for the changes in earth-sun distance, as a qualitative check. Typical noon values are below the predicted clear-sky values.
Mooring PR18, 0 110W, 19 Sep 94 to 23 Feb 95: Local noon values increased sharply relative to the previous deployment and were above predicted clear-sky values for several months. Post-deployment calibration drift was 2%, but of opposite sign relative to typical sensor drift.
Mooring PR20, 0 110W, 24 Feb 95 to 11 Aug 95: Local noon values increased sharply relative to the previous deployment and were above predicted clear-sky values for the entire deployment. This sensor had a larger than mormal drift (3.6%) during it's previous deployment and lower than normal (0.3%) drift during this deployment, suggesting that the calibration used for this deployment may have been in error.
Mooring PR15, 0 140W, 28 May 94 to 11 Oct 94: This sensor had a larger than normal drift (3.6%) when calibrated after recovery, but a drift is not apparent in the data. The sensor was next used on PR20 (see above). It is suspected that the calibration made after PR15 was possibly in error.
Mooring FU6, 0 156E, 15 Sep 92 to 21 Dec 92: Japanese research vessel Hakuho Maru reported that the mast upon which the radiation sensor was attached was bent when they observed the buoy on 20 Nov. Neither the mast nor sensor were attached when the buoy was recovered. There was a sharp decrease in most noon values in mid-October which may or may not be related to the damage to the sensor mast.
This archive is maintained by NOAA/ PMEL / TAO

Questions regarding data within this archive should be directed to:
H. Paul Freitag, paul.freitag at noaa.gov
NOAA/PMEL, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle WA 98115