Radiation Observatory
Since 1952 measurements of sunshine duration have been carried out on the roof of the Geophysical Institute in rainy Bergen.
Main content
At the Radiation Observatory we are measuring shortwave solar radiation and longwave atmospheric (terrestrial) radiation.
Measurements of sunshine duration started already in 1952, while solar and atmospheric radiation are measured from 1965 on. All the data exist as hourly data , and from 1965 the data are published in Radiation Yearbooks. In addition, the data are compiled in a large international database at the World Radiation Data Center in St. Petersburg.
The data have also been used in different scientific projects, among them the two EU-projects Satel-light and Heliosat3. They have also more recently been used in the European Cost-project COST 726 on UV-climatology and changes of UV radiation in Europe.
Below, you will find links to graphs showing the solar radiation conditions of today.
The position of the sun
Sunshine duration
Global radiation
UV-radiation
Historical data
From 1965 on, the radiation data are published in Radiation Yearbooks. In addition they are collected in a large international database at the World Radiation Data Center in St. Petersburg. Beneath you can find the Radiation Yearbooks that are available in pdf-format. You also find links to graphs showing variation in sunshine duration and solar radiation during the period of measurements in Bergen.
Radiation Yearbooks
Graphs for sunshine duration
Graphs for global radiation
Other information
Information about the different radiation instruments can be found here, together with some of the publications where data from the Radiation Observatory have been used.
Projects
Data from the Radiation Observatory have been used in different international projects where GFI have participated. Some information about these projects can be found here:
