Determination of the Broadband Aerosol Optical Depth Baseline and comparison with sunphotometer data

The Broadband Aerosol Optical Depth (BAOD) was calculated for Camagaey Actinometrical Station (EAC) using the methodology described by Gueymard in 1998. The main source of data used was the Solar Radiation Database of EAC for the 1981-2013 period. The BAOD calculation was performed for observations with total cloud coverage equal or less than one tenth of sky covered by clouds (Clear Sky, HCD) and for actinometrical observations with no clouds in the line of sight of the sun. To determine the BAOD Baseline the periods of El Chichon and Mt. Pinatubo volcanic eruptions were eliminated. The average value of BAOD for the entire period under aerosol background conditions is 0.115 (+/- 0.075) with a decreasing trend of -.20x10(-6) day(-1). BAOD values were compared with time coincident spectral AOD values obtained from a nearby sunphotometer. The highest correlation coefficient values were obtained for the wavelengths of 500 and 675 nm, with an R-2 = 0.45 for both cases.