WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION

UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME

EGYPT

1. Ozone measurements

Total ozone amount and its vertical distribution are carried out, on a routine basis at Cairo (30 °N, 3 °E) since 1968 and at Aswan (24 °N, 32 E) since 1985. Dobson spectrophotometers No. 96 and No. 69 are used at Cairo and Aswan respectively.

The Egyptian Meteorological Authority cooperates with the University of Thessaloniki in Greece in the programme: exchange of near-real time total ozone data in the Northern Hemisphere from WMO Global Atmosphere Watch.

It is planned to purchase a Brewer spectrophotometer instrument for measuring O₃, UV, SO₂ and NO₂. These measurements will be used to study the influence of these gases on the ozone variation over Egypt.

2. Surface ozone

Surface ozone is measured by the Egyptian Meteorological Authority in cooperation with the German Karlsruhe University over Cairo since 1990 and over Dakhla (25 °N, 29 °E) through 19931994, to study urban air quality and photochemical reactions.
Surface ozone besides SO₂ and CO₂ are measured at Hurgada (27 °N, 34 °E) GAW station since 1993.

3. UV measurements

Radiometer (photometer) instrument is used to measure routinely the solar UV-radiation over Cairo and Aswan.
UV-B measurements over Cairo are taken by using UVB-1 pyranometer for the measurements of biologically effective solar UV-B radiation.

4. Turbidity measurements

Turbidity measurements are carried out at Cairo and Aswan by using the Link pyrheliometer. Continuous measurements over Cairo are taken by a pyrheliometer on a solar tracker since late 1995.
There are two background pollution stations, one at Sidi Barrani (31 °N, 26 °E) and the other at Hurgada.

5. Research focus on

-studies on ozone layer in relation to climate;
-ozone layer in relation to atmospheric dynamics and photochemistry;
-ozone variations and trend over subtropical latitudes;
-ozone formation in the greater Cairo area;
-turbidity over Egypt.