Solar UV irradiance measurements: The UARS and EOS SOLSTICE

Solar radiation at wavelengths below 300 nm is almost completely absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere, becoming the dominant direct energy source and playing a major role in atmospheric chemistry and dynamics. Even small changes in this incoming radiation field will have both direct and indirect influences on atmospheric processes, and perhaps will affect climate as well. The SOLSTICE on NASA's UARS has made daily measurements since October 1991 and continues operation today. A second generation SOLSTICE is being developed, and it will be launched on NASA's SORCE mission in July 2002. There is every expectation that the UARS and SORCE observation programs will overlap, providing an uninterrupted data series for almost twenty years. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.