Preface to the second edition – Kipp&Zonen BSRN Scientific Solar Monitoring System User Manual
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Preface to the Second Edition
The W orld Clim ate Research Program m e (W CRP) Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN) has been
operating as a network of surface radiation m onitoring observatories for over 10 years. During this tim e period
significant progress has been m ade in the m easurem ent of various radiation quantities. Others have not
progressed as rapidly. Observations of other quantities are now being requested by the user com m unity. The
process of im proving m easurem ents and the requirem ent for m ore inform ation about the atm osphere and the
radiation budget at the surface will continue indefinitely. The second edition of this m anual recognizes the
im provem ents that have been m ade during the tim e since the writing of the first edition. This is m ost evident
in the inclusion of a chapter on the m easurem ent of aerosol optical depth. Many advances that one would
anticipate in a m anual of this type have yet to be included, however, because questions rem ain about the
veracity of these, they have not been left for a later addition until they prove them selves. In a num ber of
cases, the therm al offset problem being the m ost notable, suggestions have been included in the hope that
m ore research will proceed in these areas, especially in the various clim atic regions of the network.
Overall, the m anual has been updated in a variety of places, rearranged where it was believed the flow could
be im proved and the Annexes that were considered dated rem oved. In turn, several new Annexes were
included to provide the users of the m anual m ore inform ation on instrum ents and m ethods of observation.
It is hoped that readers of this second version will find the overall presentation im proved and therefore m ore
useful.
Bruce McArthur
Experim ental Studies Division
Meteorological Service of Canada
4905 Dufferin Street
Downsview, Ontario, CANADA
M3H 5T4
Telephone: 1 416 739 4464
Facsim ile: 1 416 739 4281
Em ail: bruce.m carthur@ ec.gc.ca