Aerosol UV absorbing index Measurements Made by Earth Observation Satellites

CEOS EO HANDBOOK – MEASUREMENT INSTRUMENTS

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Aerosol UV absorbing index

Measurement Definition*: The Aerosol UV absorbing index is a scalar quantity evaluated from a pair of measured reflectances in the UV spectral domain. High values of the index indicate the presence of elevated absorbing aerosols (e.g. desert dust and biomass burning aerosols) in the Earth’s atmosphere. Physical unit: none. Accuracy unit: none

Instrument	Status/ Accuracy	Instrument Description	Measurement Technology	Timeline
UVNS (Sentinel-5) Ultra-violet Visible Near-infrared Shortwave-infrared spectrometer	Being developed	Supporting atmospheric composition and air quality monitoring services. Measurements of atmospheric trace gases, primarily O3, NO2, SO2, HCHO, CH4, CO, CHOCHO as well as Aerosols and UV Index.	n/a

* Description adapted from WMO.