Long-term monitoring of the solar and thermal infrared radiation fluxes between the atmosphere and the Earth’s surface is an important component in the monitoring of climate change. MeteoSwiss operates the SACRaM (Swiss Alpine Climate Radiation Monitoring) network. At its stations, surface radiation is monitored, ranging from the ultraviolet to the visible and infrared range of the spectrum.
The SACRaM (Swiss Alpine Climate Radiation Monitoring) network was initiated with the objective of ensuring long-term radiation monitoring for climate science research. The SACRaM network comprises four stations: Two are located in the Swiss Alps (at the Jungfraujoch and in Davos), while the other two are situated at lower altitudes in Payerne and Locarno-Monti. The station in Payerne is also part of the international Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN), the global baseline monitoring network for monitoring radiation fluxes at the Earth's surface.
The SACRaM network follows the GAW and BSRN guidelines and is equipped with state-of-the-art technology to guarantee high accuracy measurements of the radiation fluxes within three broadband ranges of the spectrum: ultraviolet, shortwave (solar) and longwave (atmospheric infrared thermal) radiation. The following parameters are measured: