NEOPLANTA: A Short Description of the First Serbian UV Index Model

Abstract

A numerical model called ?NEOPLANTA? for estimating solar UV irradiance and UV index under cloud-free conditions is being developed and tested at the University of Novi Sad in Serbia. In this paper, the model features, calculation procedure, and input parameters are described. Effects of the absorption of UV radiation by O3, SO2, and NO2 and absorption and scattering by aerosol as well as the air molecules in the atmosphere are included. The performance of the model has been tested with respect to its capability of UV index, which is a weighted integral between 280 and 400 nm of the solar irradiance reaching the ground. For this test 10-day data measured during the spring and summer in 2003, 2004, and 2005 are used. Data are recorded by the Yankee UVB-1 biometer located at the Novi Sad university campus (45.33°N, 19.85°E; 84 m MSL). Error analyses indicate that the modeled values agree well with the observations.