AUMENTO DEL ÍNDICE SOLAR ULTRAVIOLETA CON LA ALTURA.

In this work we present results from ultraviolet solar index (IUV) comparisons between values obtained from experimental measurements, with theoretical results obtained from tropospherical ultraviolet model (TUV). It is important to emphasise the observed increase in solar ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiance (280-320 nm) received at ground level due to increases in altitude of the observation place over sea level. The calculations using the TUV model were made between the years 1996 and 2003, using the geographical parameters of the locations where the observations were made. As one of the important variables from which the IUV depends is the altitude over the sea level and since the North of Chile has special characteristics, suitable to carry out this type of studies, experiments have been made to measure the UVB solar irradiance at altitudes varying between 0 and 3200 m over the sea level, in order to obtain the IUV. The importance of these results is that it is possible to quantify the irradiance increase per each 1000 m altitude. An ever increasing number of people are continuously moving between sea level and altitudes around 5000 m because of their type of work, related to mining, tourism or transportation. In all of these cases these individuals are exposed to significant increases of solar UV irradiance which could eventually affect seriously their health if enough they are not well informed to take appropriate precautions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]