Measurement of atmospheric opacity at 278 GHz at McMurdo Station, Antarctica in austral spring seasons, 1986 and 1987

A quasi-continuous record is presented of atmospheric opacity measured at 278 GHz (1.1 mm wavelength) from the McMurdo Station (Antarctica) during austral spring seasons of 1986 (August 30 - October 30) and 1987 (September 4 - October 13) with measurements taken every 20 minutes (except during storms or other periods of high opacity). All data are reduced to represent opacity in the zenith direction. It was found that, during much of September, the two successive years differed considerably in tropospheric opacity. In 1986, water vapor and attendant opacity were generally lower, due to low tropospheric temperatures. Measured opacities were found to be higher than would be expected from the empirical relationships representing opacity as a function of water vapor column density at mm-wavelengths, as proposed by Rice and Ade (1979), Zammit and Ade (1981), and Liebe (1985).