Millimetre and submillimetre τ relations

Relations are presented between the optical depth of the atmosphere  (τ)  in the millimetre and submillimetre windows at 350, 450, 850 and 1250 μm. These relations are derived by an analysis of 849 skydips at 850 μm performed with the submillimetre camera SCUBA at the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT) and polynomial fits to over 19 000 measurements of a tipping radiometer operating at 350 μm. The relations allow for an improved calibration of millimetre and submillimetre observations on Mauna Kea, Hawai'i, and for better monitoring of atmospheric conditions.