Report

 

On the re-evaluation of total ozone observations from Tamanrasset, Algeria

 

Performed during the WMO/CHMI Training of Dobson Operators

Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic, 31.08.-10.09.2004

 

 

Prepared by:         Mr. Mohamed Ferroudj         NMOA

                              Mr. Karel Vanicek                        CHMI

                              Mr. Martin Stanek                        CHMI

 

Station:                 Tamanrasset                      

                              WOUDC station number 002

                              National Meteorological Office of Algeria (NMOA)

 

 

Observations and routine processing of data

     Monitoring of total ozone has been performed at the station since May 1994 with the Dobson spectrophotometer D011.

     Observations are taken daily, 3 DS GQP-AD or ZB/ZC-AD since May 1994

     Observations are performed by meteorological observers from the station that are controlled by Mr.Mohamed Mimouni the GAW Project Manager of RMDA and Mr. Lamine Boulkelia.

     Routine observations are processed with the PC program developed at the station by Mr. Mohamed Mimouni since 1994 and Mr. Lamine Boulkelia since 2000.

     Total ozone data are deposited regularly into WOUDC by Lamine Boulkelia and Mr.

     Mohamed Mimouni.

     The raw input data and calculated total ozone values are recorded in ASCII electronic files for the whole period of observations 1994-2004.

     As the ability of operators in managing the English language has improved, the latest Windows version of the Czech Dobson software can be used for processing of measurements

 

Calibration history of the D011 instrument

     D011 was installed at Tamanrasset with calibration constants defined at IC Boulder, 1993

     Next calibrations of D011 were performed at IC Pretoria-2000 and Dahab-2004

     The calibration documentation from the above ICs is kept in files at Tamanrasset.

     Regular monthly Standard Lamp and Mercury tests are performed on D011. Monthly corrections of N-Tables are calculated, filed and applied in calculation of total ozone

     The calibration constants (Q-Tables, N-Tables , RR-Readings) were used for operation of D011 and processing the data in periods between particular ICs.

     Comparison with independent total ozone data sets (TOMS-V7 and total ozone data series from Aswan, Egypt) showed a shift of the data from Tamanrasset by about 2-3% in the period 1994-March 2000.

     The above shift was confirmed at IC Pretoria-2000 [WMO/GAW Report No.138]

     A detailed investigation of the long-term trends in XAD, XA, XD total ozone values has discovered a small shift in XD in the beginning of 2001 that could originate a difference of about 1% identified at IC Dahab-2000 (see the Report of DICE-2004).

 

 

 

Re-calculation of the total ozone data set, Tamanrasset, V/1994-VIII/2004

     The raw data of individual observations of the period May/1994-August/2004 from Tamanrasset were converted from the ASCII files into the DOBSON-VesrionXXX data format

     The re-calculation of measurements was performed by the DOBSON-VXX software package developed at SOO-HK taking into account recommendations of the reports from IC Pretoria-2000 and Dahab-2004 as follows

     The period May/1994-March/2000:

·      N-Tables and RR values dated Boulder, July 22, 1993 applied

·      correction of N-Tables  by monthly SL tests

·      correction of N-Tables by dNA = -3,3 and dND = -1,6 from the Initial IC, Pretoria, 24 March 2000

     The period April/2000-January/2001:     

·      N-Tables and RR values dated Pretoria, March 24, 2000 applied

·      correction of N-Tables  by monthly SL tests

     The period February/2001- February/2004:

·      N-Tables and RR values dated Pretoria, March 24, 2000 applied

·      correction of N-Tables  by monthly SL tests

·      correction of N-Tables by dNA = -0,6 and dND = -0,5 from the Initial IC, Dahab, 27 February 2004, as recommended in the DICE Report on D011

     The period March/2004 onwards (after IC Dahab-2004) was not re-calculated at the training because these observations will be processed at Tamanrasset by the DOBSON-V5 software package given to Mr. Ferroudj.

     After all DS observations were re-processed, new Zenith Polynomials have been developed for the Tamanrasset station and used for re-calculation of all ZB/ZC measurements from the period 1994-2004. These polynomials will be used at the station for routine processing of zenith observations onwards.

     Finally all DS and ZB/ZC observations were checked individually to be prepared for       re-deposition into WOUDC.

 

 

Recommendations

     The Windows version of the Czech software package DOBSON-V5 will be installed at Tamanrasset and used for processing of total ozone observations and for maintenance of the data base. The proper training of observers in use of this software tool will be performed by Mr.Ferroudj.

     The re-evaluated data set of the period May/1994-February/2004 will be submitted into WOUDC in extCSV formatted files together with this Report as a metadata file under the auspices of the GAW manager of NMOA

     It has been found during the Training that the Q-Table of the D011 instrument dated Dahab NNNN should be re-calculated by means of the updated HG temp. coefficient that seems to be  1,06 instead of the current value 1,20.