Processing BGC-Argo Radiometric data at the DAC level. Version 1.1, October 9 th 2017.

Abstract

Presently, radiometers can be implemented on profiling floats to estimate some radiometric measurements. Hereafter we briefly describe the principle of this method and several configurations of the OCR500 series instruments. These measurements can be radiance or irradiance at different wavelengths and in different directions (upward or downward). The Photosynthetically Available Radiation (PAR) is also measured as it represents the solar radiation that photosynthetic organisms are able to use in the process of photosynthesis.

At the moment all radiometric sensors implemented on floats are developed by the Satlantic Company and are of the OCR serie. These radiometers combine three wavelengths for irradiance measurements together with a measurement of the Photosynthetically Available Radiation. The present document is focused on the management of radiometric data flow acquired by those sensors (section 3). As soon as other sensors are implemented and successfully tested on floats, the present document would be accordingly updated.