Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN)

This is a project of the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP,WMO,ICSU,ICO) aimed at detecting important changes in the earth's radiation fields which may cause climate changes. At a small number (less than 40) of selected stations in important climatic zones, covering a latitude range from 80 deg N to 90 deg S, solar and terrestrial radiation is measured with instruments of the best accuracy available and at a very high (minutes) frequency. Currently, there are 36 stations in this network. The radiation data are stored together with collocated surface and upper-air observations and stations 'metadata' in an integrated database. The institute runs the BSRN database, develops the quality check software and supplies expertise to other nations in fulfilling its functions as the World Radiation Monitoring Center (WRMC). High accuracy BSRN radiation measurements are already used to validate the radiation schemes in climate models and to calibrate satellite algorithms.

• Official BSRN webpage