Development of a Radiometer for Ground-based Ultra Violet (UV)/ Cosmic Particle Characterization

Abstract

The need for high-precision radiometers for the measurement of solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation triggered this research interest. This is due to the quest for the determination of the trends of terrestrial UV trends associated with the depletion of the ozone layer. This work features the development of a radiometer for the characterization of UV and ionizing radiations from the sun reaching the earth surface at a specific location. The radiations were quantified with the aid of a UV radiation sensor, Geiger tubes, a microcontroller and associated devices. Time series and location coordinates were stamped on the data records with the aid of NEO6M Global Positioning System (GPS) modules. The ionizing radiations were characterized in counts per minute (cpm), while the UV index indications were realized from the voltage output (mV) of the UV sensor using a model based on the UV index chart. The results obtained indicate that the UV index ranges from a minimum value of 0 to a maximum value of 3, while the radiation count ranges from a minimum value of 0 to a maximum value of 48 cpm for 3 days. Hence, the status of the ozone layer can be ascertained from a review of a much longer period of data gathering.

Keywords: CPM, CSV, FFF, Geiger, GPS, Ionizing, UV.