Biologically relevant radiation has been recorded since February 1997 using a Bentham spectroradiometer at Rothera. The Bentham spectroradiometer is sited on the roof of the Bonner Laboratory at Rothera. It measures spectral global irradiance between 280 and 600 nm (wavelengths from below UV-B to the middle of the visible range) with a step size of 0.5 nm and a resolution of 1 nm. Scans are recorded at various time intervals depending on the time of day and season peaking at every 30 minutes while the sun is above the horizon from the beginning of September until the end of April.

These scans can be used to measure the amount of solar radiation reaching the earth''s surface at Rothera. It provides particularly useful background data for studies on the effects of increased UV-B, due to the ozone hole, on the plants and microbes in regions around Rothera.