Kipp&Zonen BSRN Scientific Solar Monitoring System - Manual (Page 16)

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• how will the data be quality controlled and archived?
In the BSRN, standards of m easurem ent accuracy and archiving have been clearly defined, but
the exact m anner in which these standards can be achieved is left to national experts responsible
for carrying out the m easurem ents. This is because a num ber of com m ercially available
instrum ents can perform to the desired accuracy when used properly and m aintenance, quality
control and data archival are determ ined by the circum stances of individual stations, national
constraints and station procedures. This m anner of developing a network has strengths and
weaknesses. Its greatest strengths are the ability of regional experts to operate a station
designed especially for the regim e in which it exists, and that the operation of each station is
closely m onitored scientifically. On the other hand, achieving a high degree of standardization in
overall BSRN procedures is m ore difficult. For exam ple, the solutions to problem s at one station
m ay not be applicable to any other stations because of the dependency on particular equipm ent
or national requirem ents. Thus, while each station m ay be the best possible for any given set of
circum stances, the ability to transfer expertise from one station to another is m ore difficult.
T he operations m anual for such a network m ust use the strengths and overcom e the weaknesses
of this m ultinational approach. This m anual has been developed based partly upon the following
general observations:
• The individuals involved in the set-up and operation of each station are experts in the
field of radiation m easurem ent. Therefore, these scientists already know a great deal
about the best way of im plem enting the BSRN guidelines. Such individuals often have
difficulty accepting ideas other than their own, however. They will find it difficult to accept
any form of standardization for the benefit of the network if it is not already part of their
site plans.
• National policies or individual experiences dictate what types of instrum entation can be
used. This m ay provide the best equipm ent for each individual station, but it m ay lim it
the ability of som e stations to obtain certain instrum ents. The lack of standardized
instrum entation m ak es the production of a single set of operating instructions for all
stations im possible.
• Individual nations have varying levels of com m itm ent to the BSRN with respect to labor
and financing. This depends on both desire and capability.
• National interests will alter the focus of each station am ong the determ ination of clim ate
change, satellite validation and experim ental research pertaining to the BSRN concept.
• Station directors require freedom to alter portions of the operation m anual to optim ize
on-site use of resources, both hum an and financial.
These observations are reflected in the contents of the m anual in several ways:
• The description of a variety of instrum ents will be found. O ften several different types of
instrum ents can m easure a single flux.
• Occasionally, alternate m ethods for accom plishing the sam e task are presented. Not all
m ethods will give the sam e quality or results, but they are provided in recognition of the
fact that som e sites cannot carry out various procedures.
• Certain subjects within the operating m anual have not been specified in detail because
of their dependency on specialized procedures developed or on specific products. An
exam ple of this, are the program m ing repair and calibration of data acquisition system s.
W hile keeping the above considerations in m ind, the m anual is intended to be used by three
groups of individuals:
• experts who have an established BSRN station