Solar tracking radiometry platform

Features

• Data Management:
  • The default So-Rad configuration includes a 4G modem offering a data upload link and remote access for monitoring and software upgrades.
  • Data are locally stored in an sqlite database and formatted for compatibility with the Sensor Observation Service of the Open Geospatial Consortium.
  • There is room and computing capacity in the electronics enclosure to allow future upgrades with additional sensors, such as cameras and weather stations. 
  • Functionality to let the So-Rad to act as a relay station for other SOS compatible sensors is being developed.
• Sensor Measurements:
  • Platform position and heading, with high accuracy (better than 1° for heading and < 1m for position) by default. For fixed installations this can be substituted by a simple GNSS receiver (lower purchase cost)
  • Solar elevation and azimuth angle (derived from positioning data)
  • Achieved sensor viewing azimuth angle relative to the solar azimuth (user-configurable)
  • Solar / battery charge status (Victron protocol, optional)
  • Hyperspectral (ir)radiance from connected TriOS RAMSEs sensors (user-configurable measurement frequency). Sensors are simultaneously triggered to observe the physics of water-leaving reflectance. One sensor (normally downwelling irradiance) can be separately triggered  at set intervals, regardless of set limits for solar elevation and allowable viewing angle
  • Tilt, pitch and roll (under development)
  • Control box temperature and relative humidity (under development)
  • Ambient temperature and relative humidity (under development)
• How it works:
  At user-configurable intervals, the So-Rad carries out a series of checks to determine whether environmental conditions meet user-configured conditions for reflectance measurements. These conditions include reliable positioning information, the solar geometry, available battery charge (if not connected to net power), platform movement, and desired measurement frequency. If all conditions are met, the system calculates any adjustments of the motor that are required to obtain the most favourable viewing angle. To conserve power, minor adjustments can be skipped per user settings. Subsequently, connected spectroradiometers will be triggered and their data retrieved. The So-Rad will handle any time-outs that may occur in the external sensors and reset them if any sensor becomes permanently unresponsive. 
  
  All operations are logged in text files and sensor data and metadata are stored in a local database. Operators can remotely log on to the system to look at the log files. The So-Rad additionally hosts a local Wi-Fi network that can be used on site to access and configure the system and the internet if there is 3G connectivity or better.  
  
  A remote SOS compliant data server can be configured in the software to upload observation data at regular intervals. This allows the data to be distributed in near real time.

Specifications

• Resolution: 1° heading, <1 m positioning,
• Deployment method: Mount on a ship or buoy with a wide unobstructed view of the sea. The downwelling irradiance sensor should have a clear view of the sky in all upward directions.  Installation consists of attaching the deck box, motor enclosure, and two GPS antennas.

Publications

Deliverables

• Open Data repositories (D9.3)

  Publication date: Jun 2018 | Lead author: PML

Technical Resources

Technical drawing

So-Rad component 2D CAD drawings