The handheld Microtops II® Sunphotometer is used by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Sensor Intercomparison and Merger for Biological and Interdisciplinary Ocean Studies (SIMBIOS) program, which has purchased and maintains numerous Microtops Sunphotometers for use on diverse ship cruises. The goal of the SIMBIOS program is to obtain high-quality optical measurements for the purpose of validating satellite biological algorithms.
Ship-Based Sunphotometer Measurements Using Microtops II. Porter Et Al, Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanographic Technology, Vol. 18, 765-774, 2001.
Solar Light’s Model 540 Microtops II® Sunphotometer is a lightweight,
portable 5-channel Sunphotometer for measuring aerosol optical thickness,
direct solar irradiance, and water vapor column easily, accurately and dependably.
Although packaged in a conveniently small handheld chassis, this instrument’s
accuracy is comparable to much larger and more expensive instruments. The
Model 540 Microtops II® Sunphotometer has been the gold standard in the
professional atmospheric research community for years. It is heavily relied upon
by the world’s leading weather stations for scientific studies, pollution and
environmental monitoring, photobiology research, and much more!
