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Design and Performance of the COOPS Sun Photometer

Abstract

The scattering of light in the atmosphere by aerosols has significant implications to the measurement of ocean color by satellite. Determining the effects of this scattering by measuring aerosol optical thickness (ζa) and sky radiance requires a Sun Photometer. The COOPS Sun photometer was designed and constructed using a commercially available two channel CCD spectrometer, tracking telescope, and Gershun Tubes fabricated at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories. The instrument was then calibrated using the high altitude Langley method. The performance of COOPS was evaluated using an industry standard CIMEL CE 318N (serial #59) as a reference. Measurements of ζa by both instruments were compared and the results how deviations as a function of wavelength, channel, and day of measurement. COOPS was accurate to within 2% for select sequences of measurements at 440 nm while measurements at the longer wavelengths of 675 and 870 nm showed potential for similar accuracy. The development and evaluation of the COOPS determined that a commercially available spectrometer coupled with a tracking telescope could be an effective tool in measuring ζa.

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