COMPARISON OF ARESE CLEAR-SKY SURFACE RADIATION MEASUREMENTS

A variety of broadband and spectral surface irradiance measurements fr om three instrument platforms show significant agreement with one anot her during three clear sky days (11, 15 and 18 October 1995) during th e ARM Enhanced Shortwave Experiment (ARESE). This agreement is only po ssible when carefully considering absolute and angular calibration iss ues and applying the recommended correction procedures to the raw sign als. By removing systematic measurement errors associated with the var ious instruments, it is possible to achieve consistencies in the vario us broadband data sets good to about 1-2% accuracy. It is through thes e careful comparisons that the measurement techniques currently used i n determining downwelling surface flux radiances reflect the highest d egree of accuracy and certainty. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All ri ghts reserved.