Whilst novel recommending quality assurance procedures to improve the raw data quality, the participants also recognized the importance of automated QC including range and gradient checks on data as well as routines to remove data spikes and to take into Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries account the output of nearby sensors [13]. Koziana et al. [14] descri
Today, the World at night Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries is bright. Pictures from space show us beautifully and strikingly the modern human footprint by how we illuminate our night. One of the brightest spots on these maps comes from The Netherlands, a very densely populated area. Although the need for artificial light in populated areas is beyond question, there are also adverse effects of night time light on flora and fauna as well as on humans.
For example, it affects the foraging, reproductive and migration behaviour of a number of nocturnal animals such as insects, bats, amphibians and birds. Furthermore, it changes prey-predator relationships, affects animal natural rhythms, disrupts physiological processes in plants [1�C3] and adverse effects on the human metabolism have also been found [4].Because in Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries the Netherlands industry, nature reserves, residential areas and greenhouses lie closely together, both the positive and negative aspects of artificial light at night are strongly intermingled. Currently, actual levels and the variability of local night sky brightness are not well known. Therefore, we have set up a monitoring network of light meters distributed across Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries the Netherlands. The network should give insight into the actual values and the variability in time and place of night sky brightness.
The measurements can also be utilised for satellite (DMSP-OLS [5�C7] and VIIRS [8]) data validation purposes and model-output [5�C7,9,10]. We use Sky Quality Meters (SQMs, type SQM-Lens Ethernet, Unihedron, Grimsby. ON, Canada) as they are a GSK-3 low-cost light meter and are widely used by astronomers to measure the ��quality�� of the night sky. For monitoring night time luminances from the perspective of light abundance, they are already used in several countries worldwide (Italy, Spain, Mexico, Canada, and Namibia) [11]. In Germany, SQM measurements are performed in Berlin [12] and preparations are under way to build an SQM-based network [13]. Additionally, SQMs are used by Lumineux Consult and Sotto le Stelle, both operating in the Netherlands.
In this paper, we focus on an intercomparison campaign that was held before the SQMs were distributed to their intended monitoring locations. The six instruments of RIVM where joined by one SQM operated by Sotto le Stelle and two operated by Lumineux Consult. The goal of the intercomparison was to infer mutual calibration factors and obtain insight into the variability of the SQMs under different tech support meteorological situations.