Cloud effects on erythemal UV radiation in a complex topography

UV radiation is part of the solar spectrum with wavelengths between 100 and 400 nm. In this study, erythemal UV is investigated; a measure directly related to the harmfulness of solar radiation to our skin. UV radiation has important impacts on different ecosystems, life and also on public health. Therefore, detailed information about the spatial distribution of UV radiation and its temporal evolution is required. Since observations are spatially and temporally sparse, these issues are often approached by radiative transfer modeling. These models perform well for simulating UV radiation for clear-sky conditions, but it is far more difficult for them to capture the short-term variability due to a rapidly changing cloud cover.