Stations

Gobabeb BSRNGobabeb TowerAussinanisCoastal MetConception WaterGarnet KoppieKleinberg
Marble KoppieStation 8Sophies HoogteVogelfederbergGobabeb MetGorob MineSaltworksFar EastHakosStone Valley

Variables

Temperature and rel. humidityPrecipitation and evaporationWind and air pressureRadiationEnergy fluxesFog and cloudsStatus

Practically all energy comes through radiation from the sun to our Earth. On average 1360 W m-2 arrive on top of the atmosphere. On its travel part of it interacts with the atmosphere (reflection, scattering, absorption) and the Earth's surface receives direct and diffuse solar (shortwave) radiation from the sun and long-wave radiation from the atmosphere. From the surface part of the shortwave incoming is reflected and long-wave radiation is emitted. A detailed knowledge of the incoming and outgoing radiation fluxes at the Earth's surface is essential for modeling weather and climate. Therefore such data "are of primary importance in supporting the validation and confirmation of satellite and computer model estimates of these quantities." The BSRN fulfills this task. "At a small number of stations (currently about 40) in contrasting climatic zones, covering a latitude range from 80°N to 90°S, solar and atmospheric radiation is measured with instruments of the highest available accuracy and with high time resolution (1 to 3 minutes)." BSRN is a project of the Radiation Panel from the Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment GEWEX under the umbrella of the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) and as such is aimed at detecting important changes in the Earth's radiation field at the Earth's surface which may be related to climate changes. MCR from University of Basel together with Gobabeb and Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) installed a BSRN compatible station in Gobabeb on the prominent "radiation rock" where in former times global radiation was measured with an analog Fuess-Robitzsch bimetal radiation recorder. In a technical assistance agreement these three institutions made a solemn vow to carry out these measurements at least for six years (end 2018). More details can be picked from the BSRN project page Data from the Gobabeb BSRN station can be requested from R. Vogt