The Austrian UV-B Monitoring Network
To decrease health risks induced by UV radiation (sunburn, melanoma, etc.) it is of great significance to provide the public with high quality information of current UV exposure. For this purpose the Austrian UV-B monitoring network was established in 1998 on behalf of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management. Since 1999 it consists of nine UV biometers distributed all over Austria. The network is continuously maintained by a collaboration of the “Sektion für Biomedizinische Physik” of the “Meizinische Universität Innsbruck” and the company “CMS Ing. Dr. Schreder”. The publication of the maximum UV index values of any given day and the total ozone content of the atmospheric ozone layer at Hoher Sonnblick takes place via teletext on the Austrian Broadcast Corporation (ORF) on page 644. The evaluated data is continuously published on the Internet at the address “http://www.uv-index.at“. The data of the UV-B monitoring network is sent to the Radiation Data Center (WOUDC) in Toronto. The monitoring of spectral UV radiation is operated by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management and is guaranteed until 2019. Contact: S. Simic, D. Rauter