A Multiple Regression Analysis Between UV Radiation Measurements at Badajoz and Ozone, Reflectivity and Aerosols Estimated by TOMS

This paper analyzes the relationship between ultraviolet erythemal radiation (UVER) measured in Badajoz (Spain) and ozone, cloudiness and aerosols. Initially, the values of transmissivity of UVER are related with three parameters (ozone amount, reflectivity and aerosol index) estimated by the satellite instrument TOMS. The relative importance and dependence of each variable is analyzed by means of a multiple regression analysis with an expression derived from the Lambert-Bouger-Beer law. The results indicate that the aerosol index is not a statistically significant factor for the initial expression. Then, a partial model with only ozone and reflectivity as regressors is proposed and coefficients are obtained using UVER measurements of year 2001. Finally the model is validated comparing its prediction for 2002 with UVER measurements at ground. The agreement between both data sets is reasonably good, suggesting that UVER estimations can be successfully derived from observations of other atmospheric variables, thus providing the basis to obtain spatial distributed maps of UV variations.