scholarly journals Total ozone trends and variability during 1979–2012 from merged data sets of various satellites

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (13) ◽  
pp. 7059-7074 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Chehade ◽  
M. Weber ◽  
J. P. Burrows

Abstract. The study presents a long-term statistical trend analysis of total ozone data sets obtained from various satellites. A multi-variate linear regression was applied to annual mean zonal mean data using various natural and anthropogenic explanatory variables that represent dynamical and chemical processes which modify global ozone distributions in a changing climate. The study investigated the magnitude and zonal distribution of the different atmospheric chemical and dynamical factors contributing to long-term total ozone changes. The regression model included the equivalent effective stratospheric chlorine (EESC), the 11-year solar cycle, the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO), stratospheric aerosol loading describing the effects from major volcanic eruptions, the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), the Arctic and Antarctic oscillation (AO/AAO), and accumulated eddy heat flux (EHF), the latter representing changes due to the Brewer–Dobson circulation. The total ozone column data set used here comprises the Solar Backscater Ultraviolet SBUV/SBUV-2 merged ozone data set (MOD) V8.6, the merged data set of the Solar Backscaterr Ultraviolet, the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer and the Ozone Monitoring Instrument SBUV/TOMS/OMI (1979–2012) MOD V8.0 and the merged data set of the Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment, the Scanning Imaging Absorption spectroMeter for Atmospheric ChartograpHY and the Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment 2 GOME/SCIAMACHY/GOME-2 (GSG) (1995–2012). The trend analysis was performed for twenty-six 5° wide latitude bands from 65° S to 65° N, and the analysis explained most of the ozone variability to within 70 to 90%. The results show that QBO dominates the ozone variability in the tropics (±7 DU) while at higher latitudes, the dynamical indices, AO/AAO and eddy heat flux, have substantial influence on total ozone variations by up to ±10 DU. The contribution from volcanic aerosols is only prominent during the major eruption periods (El Chichón and Mt. Pinatubo), and together with the ENSO signal, is more evident in the Northern Hemisphere. The signature of the solar cycle covers all latitudes and contributes about 10 DU from solar maximum to solar minimum. EESC is found to be a main contributor to the long-term ozone decline and the trend changes after the end of the 1990s. From the EESC fits, statistically significant upward trends after 1997 were found in the extratropics, which points at the slowing of ozone decline and the onset of ozone recovery. The EESC based trends are compared with the trends obtained from the statistical piecewise linear trend (PWLT) model (known as hockey stick) with a turnaround in 1997 to examine the differences between both approaches. In case of the SBUV merged V8.6 data the EESC and PWLT trends before and after 1997 are in good agreement (within 2 σ), however, the positive post-1997 linear trends from the PWLT regression are not significant within 2 σ. A sensitivity study is carried out by comparing the regression results, using SBUV/SBUV-2 MOD V8.6 merged time series (1979–2012) and a merged data set combining SBUV/SBUV-2 (1979–June 1995) and GOME/SCIAMACHY/GOME-2 ("GSG") WFDOAS (Weighting Function DOAS) (July 1995–2012) as well as SBUV/TOMS/OMI MOD V8.0 (1979–2012) in the regression analysis in order to investigate the uncertainty in the long-term trends due to different ozone data sets and data versions. Replacing the late SBUV/SBUV-2 merged data record with GSG data (unscaled and adjusted) leads to very similar results demonstrating the high consistency between satellite data sets. However, the comparison of the new SBUV/SBUV-2 MOD V8.6 with the MOD V8.0 and MOD8.6/GSG data showed somewhat smaller sensitivities with regard to several proxies as well as the linear EESC trends. On the other hand, the PWLT trends after 1997 show some differences, however, within the 2 σ error bars the PWLT trends agree with each other for all three data sets.

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 30407-30452 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Chehade ◽  
J. P. Burrows ◽  
M. Weber

Abstract. The study presents a~long term statistical trend analysis of total ozone datasets obtained from various satellites. A multi-variate linear regression was applied to annual mean zonal mean data using various natural and anthropogenic explanatory variables that represent dynamical and chemical processes which modify global ozone distributions in a changing climate. The study investigated the magnitude and zonal distribution of the different atmospheric chemical and dynamical factors to long-term total ozone changes. The regression model included the equivalent effective stratospheric chlorine (EESC), the 11 yr solar cycle, the Quasi-Biennial Oscillation (QBO), stratospheric aerosol loading describing the effects from major volcanic eruptions, the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO), the Arctic and Antarctic Oscillation (AO/AAO), and accumulated eddy heat flux (EHF), the latter representing changes due to the Brewer–Dobson circulation. The total ozone column dataset used here comprises the SBUV/TOMS/OMI merged data (1979–2012) MOD V8.0, the SBUV/SBUV-2 merged V8.6 and the merged GOME/SCIAMACHY/GOME-2 (GSG) WFDOAS merged data (1995–2012). The trend analysis was performed for twenty six 5° wide latitude bands from 65° S to 65° N, the analysis explained most of the ozone variability. The results show that QBO dominates the ozone variability in the tropics (±7 DU) while at higher latitudes, the dynamical indices, AO/AAO and eddy heat flux, have substantial influence on total ozone variations by up to ±10 DU. Volcanic aerosols are only prominent during the eruption periods and these together with the ENSO signal are more evident in the Northern Hemisphere. The signature of the solar cycle is evident over all latitudes and contributes about 10 DU from solar maximum to solar minimum. EESC is found to be a main contributor to the long-term ozone decline and the trend changes after the end of 1990s. A positive significant trend in total ozone columns is found after 1997 (between 1 and 8.2 DU decade−1) which points at the slowing of ozone decline and the onset of ozone recovery. The EESC based trends are compared with the trends obtained from the statistical piecewise linear trend (PWLT or hockey stick) model with a turnaround in 1997 to examine the differences between both approaches. Similar and significant pre-turnaround trends are observed. On the other hand, our results do indicate that the positive PWLT turnaround trends are larger than indicated by the EESC trends, however, they agree within 2-sigma, thus demonstrating the success of the Montreal Protocol phasing out of the ozone depleting substances (ODS). A sensitivity study is carried out by comparing the regression results, using SBUV MOD 8.0 merged time series (1979–2012) and a merged dataset combining TOMS/SBUV (1979–June 1995) and GOME/SCIAMACHY/GOME-2 ("GSG") WFDOAS (Weighting Function DOAS) (July 1995–2012) as well as SBUV/SBUV-2 MOD 8.6 (1979–2012) in the regression analysis in order to investigate the uncertainty in the long-term trends due to different ozone datasets and data versions. Replacing the late SBUV merged data record with GSG data (unscaled and adjusted) leads to very similar results demonstrating the high consistency between satellite datasets. However, the comparison of the new SBUV merged Mod V8.6 with the V8.0 data showed somewhat smaller sensitivities with regard to several proxies, however, the EESC and PWLT trends are very similar. On the other hand, the new MOD 8.6 data in the PWLT model revealed a~reduced ODS related upward trend after 1997.


2009 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Lerot ◽  
M. Van Roozendael ◽  
J. van Geffen ◽  
J. van Gent ◽  
C. Fayt ◽  
...  

Abstract. Total O3 columns have been retrieved from six years of SCIAMACHY nadir UV radiance measurements using SDOAS, an adaptation of the GDOAS algorithm previously developed at BIRA-IASB for the GOME instrument. GDOAS and SDOAS have been implemented by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in the version 4 of the GOME Data Processor (GDP) and in version 3 of the SCIAMACHY Ground Processor (SGP), respectively. The processors are being run at the DLR processing centre on behalf of the European Space Agency (ESA). We first focus on the description of the SDOAS algorithm with particular attention to the impact of uncertainties on the reference O3 absorption cross-sections. Second, the resulting SCIAMACHY total ozone data set is globally evaluated through large-scale comparisons with results from GOME and OMI as well as with ground-based correlative measurements. The various total ozone data sets are found to agree within 2% on average. However, a negative trend of 0.2–0.4%/year has been identified in the SCIAMACHY O3 columns; this probably originates from instrumental degradation effects that have not yet been fully characterized.


2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 987-1011
Author(s):  
Kostas Eleftheratos ◽  
Christos S. Zerefos ◽  
Dimitris S. Balis ◽  
Maria-Elissavet Koukouli ◽  
John Kapsomenakis ◽  
...  

Abstract. In this work we present evidence that quasi-cyclical perturbations in total ozone (quasi-biennial oscillation – QBO, El Niño–Southern Oscillation – ENSO, and North Atlantic Oscillation – NAO) can be used as independent proxies in evaluating Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment (GOME) 2 aboard MetOp A (GOME-2A) satellite total ozone data, using ground-based (GB) measurements, other satellite data, and chemical transport model calculations. The analysis is performed in the frame of the validation strategy on longer time scales within the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) Satellite Application Facility on Atmospheric Composition Monitoring (AC SAF) project, covering the period 2007–2016. Comparison of GOME-2A total ozone with ground observations shows mean differences of about -0.7±1.4 % in the tropics (0–30∘), about +0.1±2.1 % in the mid-latitudes (30–60∘), and about +2.5±3.2 % and 0.0±4.3 % over the northern and southern high latitudes (60–80∘), respectively. In general, we find that GOME-2A total ozone data depict the QBO–ENSO–NAO natural fluctuations in concurrence with the co-located solar backscatter ultraviolet radiometer (SBUV), GOME-type Total Ozone Essential Climate Variable (GTO-ECV; composed of total ozone observations from GOME, SCIAMACHY – SCanning Imaging Absorption SpectroMeter for Atmospheric CHartographY, GOME-2A, and OMI – ozone monitoring instrument, combined into one homogeneous time series), and ground-based observations. Total ozone from GOME-2A is well correlated with the QBO (highest correlation in the tropics of +0.8) in agreement with SBUV, GTO-ECV, and GB data which also give the highest correlation in the tropics. The differences between deseazonalized GOME-2A and GB total ozone in the tropics are within ±1 %. These differences were tested further as to their correlations with the QBO. The differences had practically no QBO signal, providing an independent test of the stability of the long-term variability of the satellite data. Correlations between GOME-2A total ozone and the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) were studied over the tropical Pacific Ocean after removing seasonal, QBO, and solar-cycle-related variability. Correlations between ozone and the SOI are on the order of +0.5, consistent with SBUV and GB observations. Differences between GOME-2A and GB measurements at the station of Samoa (American Samoa; 14.25∘ S, 170.6∘ W) are within ±1.9 %. We also studied the impact of the NAO on total ozone in the northern mid-latitudes in winter. We find very good agreement between GOME-2A and GB observations over Canada and Europe as to their NAO-related variability, with mean differences reaching the ±1 % levels. The agreement and small differences which were found between the independently produced total ozone datasets as to the influence of the QBO, ENSO, and NAO show the importance of these climatological proxies as additional tool for monitoring the long-term stability of satellite–ground-truth biases.


2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (21) ◽  
pp. 11221-11235 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Weber ◽  
S. Dikty ◽  
J. P. Burrows ◽  
H. Garny ◽  
M. Dameris ◽  
...  

Abstract. The effect of the winter Brewer-Dobson circulation (BDC) on the seasonal and decadal evolution of total ozone in both hemispheres is investigated using satellite total ozone data from the merged GOME/SCIAMACHY/GOME-2 (GSG) data set (1995–2010) and outputs from two chemistry-climate models (CCM), the FUB-EMAC and DLR-E39C-A models. Combining data from both hemispheres a linear relationship between the winter average extratropical 100 hPa eddy heat flux and the ozone ratio with respect to fall ozone levels exists and is statistically significant for tropical as well as polar ozone. The high correlation at high latitudes persists well into the summer months until the onset of the next winter season. The anti-correlation of the cumulative eddy heat flux with tropical ozone ratios, however, breaks down in spring as the polar vortex erodes and changes to a weak positive correlation similar to that observed at high latitudes. The inter-annual variability and decadal evolution of ozone in each hemisphere in winter, spring, and summer are therefore driven by the cumulative effect of the previous winter's meridional circulation. This compact linear relationship is also found in both CCMs used in this study indicating that current models realistically describe the variability in stratospheric circulation and its effect on total ozone. Both models show a positive trend in the winter mean eddy heat flux (and winter BDC strength) in both hemispheres until year 2050, however the inter-annual variability (peak-to-peak) is two to three times larger than the mean change between 1960 and 2050. It is, nevertheless, possible to detect a shift in this compact linear relationship related to past and future changes in the stratospheric halogen load. Using the SBUV/TOMS/OMI (MOD V8) merged data set (1980–2010), it can be shown that from the decade 1990–1999 to 2000–2010 this linear relationship remained unchanged (before and after the turnaround in the stratospheric halogen load), while a shift is evident between 1980–1989 (upward trend in stratospheric halogen) and the 1990s, which is a clear sign that an onset of recovery is detectable despite the large variability in polar ozone. Because of the large variability from year to year in the BDC circulation substantial polar ozone depletion may still occur in coming decades in selected winters with weak BDC and very low polar stratospheric temperatures.


2012 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Vaníček ◽  
L. Metelka ◽  
P. Skřivánková ◽  
M. Staněk

Abstract. Homogenized data series of total ozone measurements taken by the regularly and well calibrated Dobson and Brewer spectrophotometers at Hradec Králové (Czech) and the data from the re-analyses ERA-40 and ERA-Interim were merged and compared to investigate differences between the particular data sets originated in Central Europe, the Northern Hemisphere (NH) mid-latitudes. The Dobson-to-Brewer transfer function and the algorithm for approximation of the data from the re-analyses were developed, tested and applied for creation of instrumentally consistent and completed total ozone data series of the 50-yr period 1961–2010 of observations. This correction has reduced the well-known seasonal differences between Dobson and Brewer data below the 1% calibration limit of the spectrophotometers. Incorporation of the ERA-40 and ERA-Interim total ozone data on days with missing measurements significantly improved completeness and reliability of the data series mainly in the first two decades of the period concerned. Consistent behaviour of the original and corrected/merged data sets was found in the pre-ozone-hole period (1961–1985). In the post-Pinatubo (1994–2010) era the data series show seasonal differences that can introduce uncertainty in estimation of ozone recovery mainly in the winter-spring season when the effect of the Montreal Protocol and its Amendments is expected. All the data sets confirm substantial depletion of ozone also in the summer months that gives rise to the question about its origin. The merged and completed data series of total ozone will be further analyzed to quantify chemical ozone losses and contribution of natural atmospheric processes to the ozone depletion over the region. This case study points out the importance of selection and evaluation of the quality and consistency of the input data sets used in estimation of long-term ozone changes including recovery of the ozone layer over the selected areas. Data are available from the PANGAEA database at doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.779819.


2013 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 3819-3857 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Adams ◽  
A. E. Bourassa ◽  
V. Sofieva ◽  
L. Froidevaux ◽  
C. A. McLinden ◽  
...  

Abstract. The Optical Spectrograph and InfraRed Imaging System (OSIRIS) was launched aboard the Odin satellite in 2001 and is continuing to take limb-scattered sunlight measurements of the atmosphere. This work aims to characterize and assess the stability of the OSIRIS 11 yr v5.0x ozone data set. Three validation data sets were used: the v2.2 Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) and v6 Global Ozone Monitoring of Occultation on Stars (GOMOS) satellite data records, and ozone sonde measurements. Global mean percent differences between coincident OSIRIS and validation measurements are within 5% of zero at all altitude layers above 18.5 km for MLS, above 21.5 km for GOMOS, and above 17.5 km for ozone sondes. Below 17.5 km, OSIRIS measurements agree with ozone sondes within 5% and are well-correlated (R > 0.75) with them. For low OSIRIS optics temperatures (< 16 °C), OSIRIS ozone measurements are biased low by up 6% compared with the validation data sets for 25.5–40.5 km. Biases between OSIRIS ascending and descending node measurements were investigated and were found to be related to aerosol retrievals below 27.5 km. Above 30 km, agreement between OSIRIS and the validation data sets was related to the OSIRIS retrieved albedo, which measures apparent upwelling, with a high bias for in OSIRIS data with large albedos. In order to assess the long-term stability of OSIRIS measurements, global average drifts relative to the validation data sets were calculated and were found to be < 3% per decade for comparisons against MLS for 19.5–36.5 km, GOMOS for 18.5–54.5 km, and ozone sondes for 12.5–22.5 km, and within error of 3% per decade at most altitudes. Above 36.5 km, the relative drift for OSIRIS versus MLS ranged from ~ 0–6%, depending on the data set used to convert MLS data to the OSIRIS altitude versus number density grid. Overall, this work demonstrates that the OSIRIS 11 yr ozone data set from 2001 to the present is suitable for trend studies.


2006 ◽  
Vol 6 (12) ◽  
pp. 4057-4065 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. S. Stolarski ◽  
S. M. Frith

Abstract. We have developed a merged ozone data set (MOD) for the period October 1978 through June 2006 combining total ozone measurements (Version 8 retrieval) from the TOMS (Nimbus 7, Earth Probe) and SBUV/SBUV2 (Nimbus 7, NOAA 9/11/16) series of satellite instruments. We use the MOD data set to search for evidence of ozone recovery in response to the observed leveling off of chlorine and bromine compounds in the stratosphere. A crucial step in any time series analysis is the evaluation of uncertainties. In addition to the standard statistical time series uncertainties, we evaluate the possible instrument drift uncertainty for the MOD data set. We combine these two sources of uncertainty and apply them to a cumulative sum of residuals (CUSUM) analysis for trend slow-down. For the extra-polar mean between 60° S and 60° N, the apparent slow-down in trend is found to be clearly significant if instrument uncertainties are ignored. When instrument uncertainties are added, the slow-down becomes marginally significant at the 2σ level. For the mid-latitudes of the northern hemisphere (30° to 60° N) the trend slow-down is highly significant at the 2σ level, while in the southern hemisphere the trend slow-down has yet to meet the 2σ significance criterion. The rate of change of chlorine/bromine compounds is similar in both hemispheres, and we expect the ozone response to be similar in both hemispheres as well. The asymmetry in the trend slow-down between hemispheres likely reflects the influence of dynamical variability, and thus a clearly statistically significant response of total ozone to the leveling off of chlorine and bromine in the stratosphere is not yet indicated.


2012 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 445-473
Author(s):  
K. Vaníček ◽  
L. Metelka ◽  
P. Skřivánková ◽  
M. Staněk

Abstract. Homogenized data series of total ozone measurements taken by the regularly and well calibrated Dobson and Brewer spectrophotometers at Hradec Králové (Czech) and the data from the re-analyses ERA-40 and ERA-Interim were assimilated and combined to investigate differences between the particular data sets over Central Europe, the NH mid-latitudes. The Dobson-to-Brewer transfer function and the algorithm for approximation of the data from the re-analyses were developed, tested and applied for creation of instrumentally consistent and completed total ozone data series of the 50-yr period 1961–2010 of observations. The assimilation has reduced the well-known seasonal differences between Dobson and Brewer data below the 1% calibration limit of the spectrophotometers. Incorporation of the ERA-40 and ERA-Interim total ozone data on days with missing measurements significantly improved completeness and reliability of the data series mainly in the first two decades of the period concerned. Consistent behaviour of the original and assimilated data sets was found in the pre-ozone-hole period (1961–1985). In the post-Pinatubo (1994–2010) era the data series show seasonal differences that can introduce uncertainty in estimation of ozone recovery mainly in the winter-spring season when the effect of the Montreal Protocol and its Amendments is expected. All the data sets confirm substantial depletion of ozone also in the summer months that gives rise to the question about its origin. The assimilated and completed data series of total ozone will be further analyzed to quantify chemical ozone losses and contribution of natural atmospheric processes to the ozone depletion over the region. This case study points out importance of selection and evaluation of the quality and consistency of the input data sets used in estimation of long-term ozone changes including recovery of the ozone layer over the selected areas. Data are available from the PANGAEA database at http://dx.doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.779819.


2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Adams ◽  
A. E. Bourassa ◽  
V. Sofieva ◽  
L. Froidevaux ◽  
C. A. McLinden ◽  
...  

Abstract. The Optical Spectrograph and InfraRed Imaging System (OSIRIS) was launched aboard the Odin satellite in 2001 and is continuing to take limb-scattered sunlight measurements of the atmosphere. This work aims to characterize and assess the stability of the OSIRIS 11 yr v5.0x ozone data set. Three validation data sets were used: the v2.2 Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) and v6 Global Ozone Monitoring by Occultation of Stars (GOMOS) satellite data records, and ozonesonde measurements. Global mean percent differences between coincident OSIRIS and validation measurements are within 5% at all altitudes above 18.5 km for MLS, above 21.5 km for GOMOS, and above 17.5 km for ozonesondes. Below 17.5 km, OSIRIS measurements agree with ozonesondes within 5% and are well-correlated (R > 0.75) with them. For low OSIRIS optics temperatures (< 16 °C), OSIRIS ozone measurements have a negative bias of 1–6% compared with the validation data sets for 25.5–40.5 km. Biases between OSIRIS ascending and descending node measurements were investigated and found to be related to aerosol retrievals below 27.5 km. Above 30 km, agreement between OSIRIS and the validation data sets was related to the OSIRIS retrieved albedo, which measures apparent upwelling, with a positive bias in OSIRIS data with large albedos. In order to assess the long-term stability of OSIRIS measurements, global average drifts relative to the validation data sets were calculated and were found to be < 3% per decade for comparisons with MLS for 19.5–36.5 km, GOMOS for 18.5–54.5 km, and ozonesondes for 12.5–22.5 km. Above 36.5 km, the relative drift for OSIRIS versus MLS ranged from ~ 0 to 6% per decade, depending on the data set used to convert MLS data to the OSIRIS altitude versus number density grid. Overall, this work demonstrates that the OSIRIS 11 yr ozone data set from 2001 to the present is suitable for trend studies.


2012 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 3019-3045
Author(s):  
M. E. Koukouli ◽  
D. S. Balis ◽  
D. Loyola ◽  
P. Valks ◽  
W. Zimmer ◽  
...  

Abstract. The main aim of the paper is to assess the consistency of five years of Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment-2/Metop-A (GOME-2) total ozone columns and the long-term total ozone satellite monitoring database already in existence through an extensive inter-comparison and validation exercise using as reference Brewer and Dobson ground-based measurements. The behaviour of the GOME-2 measurements is being weighed against that of GOME (1995–2011), Ozone Monitoring Experiment (OMI) (since 2004) and the Scanning Imaging Absorption spectroMeter for Atmospheric CartograpHY (SCIAMACHY) (since 2002) total ozone column products. Over the background truth of the ground-based measurements, the total ozone columns are inter-evaluated using a suite of established validation techniques; the GOME-2 time series follow the same patterns as those observed by the other satellite sensors and in particular, on the average, GOME-2 data underestimate GOME data by about 0.80%, and underestimate SCIAMACHY data by 0.37% with no seasonal dependence of the differences between GOME-2, GOME and SCIAMACHY. The latter is expected since the three data sets are based on similar DOAS algorithms. This underestimation of GOME-2 is within the uncertainty of the reference data used in the comparisons. Compared to the OMI sensor, on the average GOME-2 data underestimate OMI_DOAS (collection 3) data by 1.28%, without any significant seasonal dependence of the differences between them. The lack of seasonality might be expected since both GDP 4.4 and OMI_DOAS are DOAS-type algorithms and both consider the variability of the stratospheric temperatures in their retrievals. Compared to the OMI_TOMS (collection 3) data, no bias was found. We hence conclude that the GOME-2 total ozone columns are well suitable to continue the long-term global total ozone record with the accuracy needed for climate monitoring studies.


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