Structure
Weather instruments
This service is responsible for the functioning of the measuring stations of the RMI. These stations are spread over whole Belgium and measurements are made of various meteorological variables. The observations are also used for weather forecasts and climatological studies. The measurements of atmospheric ozone and UV at Uccle are also the responsibility of this service.
The main activities are:
- Maintenance of the synoptical, hydrometeorological, climatological and radiometric network of the RMI.
- Gradual automation of all these measurements.
- Management of the calibration laboratory in which the used sensors of the measurement network are calibrated at regular intervals. In this laboratory calibrations of meteorological sensors are also performed for other institutions.
- Study of new measurement techniques that can be applied in the observation stations.
In addition to these general activities, for over thirty years measurements have been carried out in the department about the thickness of the ozone layer using spectrophotometers and measurements of the vertical distribution of ozone using ozone soundings.
From the observations with spectrophotometers, information can also be derived about UV radiation at the earth's surface and about the optical properties of aerosol particles in the atmosphere.
All these measurements are used extensively for scientific research, preferably in an international context.
The research domains of this service
Contact persons:
Dr. Hugo De Backer (NL), Head of Service Weather Instruments
Tel.: 0032 (0)2/373 05 94
E-mail: Hugo.Debacker[at]meteo.be
Luis Gonzalez (Fr), responsible for the automated weather stations
Tel.: 0032 (0)2/373 06 99
E-mail: Luis.Gonzalez[at]meteo.be
Hélène Dendoncker (Fr), Industrial engineer, responsible for the calibration laboratory
Tel. : 0032 (0)2/373 06 15
E-mail: Helene.Dendoncker[at]meteo.be
