scholarly journals Stratospheric methane profiles from SCIAMACHY solar occultation measurements derived with onion peeling DOAS

2011 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 4801-4823
Author(s):  
S. Noël ◽  
K. Bramstedt ◽  
A. Rozanov ◽  
H. Bovensmann ◽  
J. P. Burrows
Keyword(s):  
Seasonal Cycle ◽  
Polar Vortex ◽  
Temporal Variations ◽  
Temporal Data ◽  
High Latitudes ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Monitoring Time ◽  
Solar Occultation ◽  
Scanning Imaging ◽  
Latitudinal Range

Abstract. Stratospheric methane (CH4) profiles have been derived from solar occultation measurements of the SCanning Imaging Absorption spectroMeter for Atmospheric CHartographY (SCIAMACHY) on ENVISAT with an updated version of the Onion Peeling DOAS (ONPD) method. The SCIAMACHY solar occultation measurements cover the latitudinal range between about 50° N and 70° N. Currently, reasonable results are obtained between 20 and 40 km altitude. Comparisons with correlative ACE-FTS measurements show an average agreement within the expected accuracy of the ACE-FTS data of about 10 %. To demonstrate the capability of SCIAMACHY solar occultation measurements in the context of greenhouse gas monitoring, time series of stratospheric CH4 profiles covering the period from 2003 to 2010 have been generated. The SCIAMACHY CH4 profile solar occultation temporal series shows a strong seasonal cycle. This is attributed to the variations in both time and space of the retrieved data set. At lower altitudes, the observed temporal variations are explained by variations of the tropopause height. The temporal data set is also impacted by variations of the size and duration of the polar vortex in the northern hemisphere. The data set provides unique information about CH4 changes in the stratosphere at mid to high latitudes.

scholarly journals Stratospheric methane profiles from SCIAMACHY solar occultation measurements derived with onion peeling DOAS

2011 ◽  
Vol 4 (11) ◽  
pp. 2567-2577 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Noël ◽  
K. Bramstedt ◽  
A. Rozanov ◽  
H. Bovensmann ◽  
J. P. Burrows
Keyword(s):  
Seasonal Cycle ◽  
Polar Vortex ◽  
Temporal Variations ◽  
Temporal Data ◽  
High Latitudes ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Monitoring Time ◽  
Solar Occultation ◽  
Scanning Imaging ◽  
Latitudinal Range

Abstract. Stratospheric methane (CH4) profiles have been derived from solar occultation measurements of the SCanning Imaging Absorption spectroMeter for Atmospheric CHartographY (SCIAMACHY) on ENVISAT with an updated version of the Onion Peeling DOAS (ONPD) method. The SCIAMACHY solar occultation measurements cover the latitudinal range between about 50° N and 70° N. Currently, reasonable results are obtained between 20 and 40 km altitude. Comparisons with correlative ACE-FTS measurements show an average agreement within the expected accuracy of the ACE-FTS data of about 10%. To demonstrate the capability of SCIAMACHY solar occultation measurements in the context of greenhouse gas monitoring, time series of stratospheric CH4 profiles covering the period from 2003 to 2010 have been generated. The SCIAMACHY CH4 profile solar occultation temporal series shows a strong seasonal cycle. This is attributed to the variations in both time and space of the retrieved data set. At lower altitudes, the observed temporal variations are explained by variations of the tropopause height. The temporal data set is also impacted by variations of the size and duration of the polar vortex in the northern hemisphere. The data set provides unique information about CH4 changes in the stratosphere at mid to high latitudes.

scholarly journals Stratospheric CH<sub>4</sub> and CO<sub>2</sub> profiles derived from SCIAMACHY solar occultation measurements

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. 11467-11511 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Noël ◽  
K. Bramstedt ◽  
M. Hilker ◽  
P. Liebing ◽  
J. Plieninger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Time Series ◽  
Weighting Function ◽  
Optical Absorption Spectroscopy ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Solar Occultation ◽  
Scanning Imaging ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Co2 ◽  
Latitudinal Range ◽  
Total Column

Abstract. Stratospheric profiles of methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) have been derived from solar occultation measurements of the SCanning Imaging Absorption spectroMeter for Atmospheric CHartographY (SCIAMACHY). The retrieval is performed using a method called "Onion Peeling DOAS" (ONPD) which combines an onion peeling approach with a weighting function DOAS (Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy) fit. By use of updated pointing information and optimisation of the data selection and of the retrieval approach the altitude range for reasonable CH4 could be extended to about 17 to 45 km. Furthermore, the quality of the derived CO2 has been assessed such that now the first stratospheric profiles of CO2 from SCIAMACHY are available. Comparisons with independent data sets yield an estimated accuracy of the new SCIAMACHY stratospheric profiles of about 5–10 % for CH4 and 2–3 % for CO2. The accuracy of the products is currently mainly restricted by the appearance of unexpected vertical oscillations in the derived profiles which need further investigation. Using the improved ONPD retrieval, CH4 and CO2 stratospheric data sets covering the whole SCIAMACHY time series (August 2002–April 2012) and the latitudinal range between about 50 and 70° N have been derived. Based on these time series, CH4 and CO2 trends have been estimated, which are in reasonable agreement with total column trends for these gases. This shows that the new SCIAMACHY data sets can provide valuable information about the stratosphere.

Mesospheric water vapor and D/H ratio at the Venus terminator from SOIR/VEx

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arnaud Mahieux ◽  
Ann Carine Vandaele ◽  
Sarah Chamberlain ◽  
Valérie Wilquet ◽  
Séverine Robert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Vapor ◽  
Full Range ◽  
Lower Thermosphere ◽  
Temporal Variations ◽  
Mixing Ratio ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Solar Occultation ◽  
Venus Express

&lt;p&gt;The Solar Occultation in the InfraRed (SOIR) instrument onboard Venus Express sounded the Venus mesosphere and lower thermosphere at the terminator using solar occultation technique between April 2006 and December 2014.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We report on the water vapor vertical distribution above the clouds and geo-temporal variations, observed during the full Venus Express mission. Water vapor profiles are sampled between 80 and 120 km, and calculations of the water vapor volume mixing ratio agrees with those from previous studies. Short term variations over several Earth days dominate the data set, with densities varying by up to a factor 19 over a 24 hr period. Similarly to what was found for other trace gases detected with the SOIR instrument, such as HCl, HF and SO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;, no significant spatial or long term trends are observed.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;287 water vapor vertical profiles obtained at the Venus terminator between 80 km and 120 km from August 2006 and September 2014 were analyzed for temporal and spatial abundance variations. Standard deviations are significantly smaller than the full range of volume mixing ratio values at all altitudes indicating that the variations are real.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The decrease in volume mixing ratio abundance below 100&amp;#160;km appears to be a common feature of most water vapor volume mixing ratio profiles and agrees with the decrease in water vapor reported in previous studies. Based on a very limited number of spectra, the variability of the water vapor VMR was found to be higher in the lower than in the upper mesosphere of Venus; this is in agreement with our observations as the standard deviation of the SOIR mean profile is the smallest at 100 km and increases with decreasing altitude.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;No significant spatial variations or long term temporal variations are observed in the present data set in which short term variability masks all other possible trends. Our observations agree that short term (between 1 and 10 Earth days) variability is dominant.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We also report on simultaneous observations of the water first isotopologue HDO made by SOIR, which occurred 194 times during the whole VEx mission. Similarly to water vapor, we observe a large variation of HDO with time and space, without any clear time of spatial dependency.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We report on the ratio of the simultaneously measured HDO and H&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;O profiles, that show a constant ratio of 0.1 &amp;#177; 0.1 below 100&amp;#160;km, and increase exponentially at higher altitude to reach a value of 1 &amp;#177; 0.4 at 120&amp;#160;km of altitude. The results are in agreement with previous works below 100&amp;#160;km.&lt;/p&gt;

scholarly journals Comparison of global datasets of sodium densities in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere from GOMOS, SCIAMACHY and OSIRIS measurements and WACCM model simulations from 2008 to 2012

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 2989-3006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin P. Langowski ◽  
Christian von Savigny ◽  
John P. Burrows ◽  
Didier Fussen ◽  
Erin C. M. Dawkins ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Seasonal Cycle ◽  
Climate Model ◽  
Lower Thermosphere ◽  
Temporal Variations ◽  
Equatorial Region ◽  
Local Times ◽  
Vertical Column ◽  
Model Simulations ◽  
Mesosphere And Lower Thermosphere ◽  
Scanning Imaging

Abstract. During the last decade, several limb sounding satellites have measured the global sodium (Na) number densities in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT). Datasets are now available from Global Ozone Monitoring by Occultation of Stars (GOMOS), the SCanning Imaging Absorption spectroMeter for Atmospheric CHartography (SCIAMACHY) (both on Envisat) and the Optical Spectrograph and InfraRed Imager System (OSIRIS) (on Odin). Furthermore, global model simulations of the Na layer in the MLT simulated by the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model, including the Na species (WACCM-Na), are available. In this paper, we compare these global datasets.The observed and simulated monthly averages of Na vertical column densities agree reasonably well with each other. They show a clear seasonal cycle with a summer minimum most pronounced at the poles. They also show signs of a semi-annual oscillation in the equatorial region. The vertical column densities vary from 0. 5  ×  109 to 7  ×  109 cm−2 near the poles and from 3  ×  109 to 4  ×  109 cm−2 at the Equator. The phase of the seasonal cycle and semi-annual oscillation shows small differences between the Na amounts retrieved from different instruments. The full width at half maximum of the profiles is 10 to 16 km for most latitudes, but significantly smaller in the polar summer. The centroid altitudes of the measured sodium profiles range from 89 to 95 km, whereas the model shows on average 2 to 4 km lower centroid altitudes. This may be explained by the mesopause being 3 km lower in the WACCM simulations than in measurements. Despite this global 2–4 km shift, the model captures well the latitudinal and temporal variations. The variation of the WACCM dataset during the year at different latitudes is similar to the one of the measurements. Furthermore, the differences between the measured profiles with different instruments and therefore different local times (LTs) are also present in the model-simulated profiles. This capturing of latitudinal and temporal variations is also found for the vertical column densities and profile widths.

scholarly journals Stratospheric CH<sub>4</sub> and CO<sub>2</sub> profiles derived from SCIAMACHY solar occultation measurements

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 1485-1503 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Noël ◽  
Klaus Bramstedt ◽  
Michael Hilker ◽  
Patricia Liebing ◽  
Johannes Plieninger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Time Series ◽  
Weighting Function ◽  
Optical Absorption Spectroscopy ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Solar Occultation ◽  
Scanning Imaging ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Co2 ◽  
Latitudinal Range ◽  
Total Column

Abstract. Stratospheric profiles of methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) have been derived from solar occultation measurements of the SCanning Imaging Absorption spectroMeter for Atmospheric CHartographY (SCIAMACHY). The retrieval is performed using a method called onion peeling DOAS (ONPD), which combines an onion peeling approach with a weighting function DOAS (differential optical absorption spectroscopy) fit in the spectral region between 1559 and 1671 nm. By use of updated pointing information and optimisation of the data selection as well as of the retrieval approach, the altitude range for reasonable CH4 could be broadened from 20 to 40 km to about 17 to 45 km. Furthermore, the quality of the derived CO2 has been assessed such that now the first stratospheric profiles (17–45 km) of CO2 from SCIAMACHY are available. Comparisons with independent data sets yield an estimated accuracy of the new SCIAMACHY stratospheric profiles of about 5–10 % for CH4 and 2–3 % for CO2. The accuracy of the products is currently mainly restricted by the appearance of unexpected vertical oscillations in the derived profiles which need further investigation. Using the improved ONPD retrieval, CH4 and CO2 stratospheric data sets covering the whole SCIAMACHY time series (August 2002–April 2012) and the latitudinal range between about 50 and 70° N have been derived. Based on these time series, CH4 and CO2 trends have been estimated. CH4 trends above about 20 km are not significantly different from zero and the trend at 17 km is about 3 ppbv year−1. The derived CO2 trends show a general decrease with altitude with values of about 1.9 ppmv year−1 at 21 km and about 1.3 ppmv year−1 at 39 km. These results are in reasonable agreement with total column trends for these gases. This shows that the new SCIAMACHY data sets can provide valuable information about the stratosphere.

scholarly journals Retrieval of ozone profiles from OMPS limb scattering observations

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 2135-2149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlo Arosio ◽  
Alexei Rozanov ◽  
Elizaveta Malinina ◽  
Kai-Uwe Eichmann ◽  
Thomas von Clarmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stratospheric Aerosol ◽  
Retrieval Algorithm ◽  
High Latitudes ◽  
Altitude Range ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Lower Altitude ◽  
Scanning Imaging ◽  
Spectral Ranges ◽  
The University ◽  
The Tropics

Abstract. This study describes a retrieval algorithm developed at the University of Bremen to obtain vertical profiles of ozone from limb observations performed by the Ozone Mapper and Profiler Suite (OMPS). This algorithm is based on the technique originally developed for use with data from the SCanning Imaging Absorption spectroMeter for Atmospheric CHartographY (SCIAMACHY) instrument. As both instruments make limb measurements of the scattered solar radiation in the ultraviolet (UV) and visible (Vis) spectral ranges, an underlying objective of the study is to obtain consolidated and consistent ozone profiles from the two satellites and to produce a combined data set. The retrieval algorithm uses radiances in the UV and Vis wavelength ranges normalized to the radiance at an upper tangent height to obtain ozone concentrations in the altitude range of 12–60 km. Measurements at altitudes contaminated by clouds in the instrument field of view are identified and filtered out. An independent aerosol retrieval is performed beforehand and its results are used to account for the stratospheric aerosol load in the ozone inversion. The typical vertical resolution of the retrieved profiles varies from  ∼  2.5 km at lower altitudes ( < 30 km) to  ∼  1.5 km (about 45 km) and becomes coarser at upper altitudes. The retrieval errors resulting from the measurement noise are estimated to be 1–4 % above 25 km, increasing to 10–30 % in the upper troposphere. OMPS data are processed for the whole of 2016. The results are compared with the NASA product and validated against profiles derived from passive satellite observations or measured in situ by balloon-borne sondes. Between 20 and 60 km, OMPS ozone profiles typically agree with data from the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) v4.2 within 5–10 %, whereas in the lower altitude range the bias becomes larger, especially in the tropics. The comparison of OMPS profiles with ozonesonde measurements shows differences within ±5 % between 13 and 30 km at northern middle and high latitudes. At southern middle and high latitudes, an agreement within 5–7 % is also achieved in the same altitude range. An unexpected bias of approximately 10–20 % is detected in the lower tropical stratosphere. The processing of the 2013 data set using the same retrieval settings and its validation against ozonesondes reveals a much smaller bias; a possible reason for this behaviour is discussed.

scholarly journals The Diurnal Variation in Stratospheric Ozone from MACC Reanalysis, ERA-Interim, WACCM, and Earth Observation Data: Characteristics and Intercomparison

Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 625
Author(s):  
Ansgar Schanz ◽  
Klemens Hocke ◽  
Niklaus Kämpfer ◽  
Simon Chabrillat ◽  
Antje Inness ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Diurnal Variation ◽  
Climate Model ◽  
Stratospheric Ozone ◽  
Polar Vortex ◽  
Model Systems ◽  
Atmospheric Composition ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Observation Data ◽  
High Latitudes ◽  
Free Running

In this study, we compare the diurnal variation in stratospheric ozone of the MACC (Monitoring Atmospheric Composition and Climate) reanalysis, ECMWF Reanalysis Interim (ERA-Interim), and the free-running WACCM (Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model). The diurnal variation of stratospheric ozone results from photochemical and dynamical processes depending on altitude, latitude, and season. MACC reanalysis and WACCM use similar chemistry modules and calculate a similar diurnal cycle in ozone when it is caused by a photochemical variation. The results of the two model systems are confirmed by observations of the Superconducting Submillimeter-Wave Limb-Emission Sounder (SMILES) experiment and three selected sites of the Network for Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change (NDACC) at Mauna Loa, Hawaii (tropics), Bern, Switzerland (midlatitudes), and Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard (high latitudes). On the other hand, the ozone product of ERA-Interim shows considerably less diurnal variation due to photochemical variations. The global maxima of diurnal variation occur at high latitudes in summer, e.g., near the Arctic NDACC site at Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard. The local OZORAM radiometer observes this effect in good agreement with MACC reanalysis and WACCM. The sensed diurnal variation at Ny-Ålesund is up to 8% (0.4 ppmv) due to photochemical variations in summer and negligible during the dynamically dominated winter. However, when dynamics play a major role for the diurnal ozone variation as in the lower stratosphere (100–20 hPa), the reanalysis models ERA-Interim and MACC which assimilate data from radiosondes and satellites outperform the free-running WACCM. Such a domain is the Antarctic polar winter where a surprising novel feature of diurnal variation is indicated by MACC reanalysis and ERA-Interim at the edge of the polar vortex. This effect accounts for up to 8% (0.4 ppmv) in both model systems. In summary, MACC reanalysis provides a global description of the diurnal variation of stratospheric ozone caused by dynamics and photochemical variations. This is of high interest for ozone trend analysis and other research which is based on merged satellite data or measurements at different local time.

scholarly journals Validation of SCIAMACHY limb NO<sub>2</sub> profiles using solar occultation measurements

2011 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 4753-4800
Author(s):  
R. Bauer ◽  
A. Rozanov ◽  
C. A. McLinden ◽  
L. L. Gordley ◽  
W. Lotz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
The Past ◽  
Middle Latitudes ◽  
Solar Occultation ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Vertical Distributions ◽  
Global Coverage ◽  
Scanning Imaging ◽  
Diurnal Effect ◽  
Better Than ◽  
Balloon Measurements

Abstract. The increasing amounts of reactive nitrogen in the stratosphere necessitates accurate global measurements of stratospheric nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Over the past decade, the SCIAMACHY (SCanning Imaging Absorption spectroMeter for Atmospheric CHartographY) instrument on ENVISAT (European Environmental Satellite) has been providing global coverage of stratospheric NO2 every 6 days, which is otherwise difficult to achieve with other systems (e.g. balloon measurements, solar occultation). In this study, the vertical distributions of NO2 retrieved from limb measurements of the scattered solar light from the SCIAMACHY instrument are validated using NO2 products from three different satellite instruments (SAGE II, HALOE and ACE-FTS). The retrieval approach, as well as the sensitivity of the SCIAMACHY NO2 limb data product are discussed, and the photochemical corrections needed to make this validation feasible, as well as the chosen collocation criteria are described. For each instrument, a time period of two years is analyzed with several hundreds of collocation pairs for each year and instrument. The agreement between SCIAMACHY and each instrument is found to be better than 10 % between 22–24 km and 40 km. Additionally, NO2 amounts in three different latitude regions are validated individually, with considerably better agreements in high and middle latitudes compared to tropics. Differences with SAGE II and ACE-FTS below 20 km are consistent with those expected from the diurnal effect.

scholarly journals Global carbonyl sulfide (OCS) measured by MIPAS/Envisat during 2002–2012

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Norbert Glatthor ◽  
Michael Höpfner ◽  
Adrian Leyser ◽  
Gabriele P. Stiller ◽  
Thomas von Clarmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biomass Burning ◽  
Michelson Interferometer ◽  
Austral Summer ◽  
Emission Spectra ◽  
Set Covering ◽  
Boreal Summer ◽  
Systematic Bias ◽  
High Latitudes ◽  
Data Set ◽  
The Tropics

Abstract. We present a global OCS data set covering the period June 2002 to April 2012, derived from FTIR limb emission spectra measured with the Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding (MIPAS) on the ENVISAT satellite. The vertical resolution is 4–5 km in the height region 6–15 km and 15 km at 40 km altitude. The total estimated error amounts to 40–50 pptv between 10 and 20 km and to 120 pptv at 40 km altitude. MIPAS OCS data show no systematic bias with respect to balloon observations, with deviations mostly below ±50 pptv. However, they are systematically higher than the OCS volume mixing ratios of the ACE-FTS instrument on SCISAT, with maximum deviations of up to 100 pptv in the altitude region 13–16 km. The data set of MIPAS OCS exhibits only moderate interannual variations and low interhemispheric differences. Average concentrations at 10 km altitude range from 480 pptv at high latitudes to 500–510 pptv in the tropics and at northern mid-latitudes. Seasonal variations at 10 km altitude amount up to 35 pptv in the northern and up to 15 pptv in the southern hemisphere. Northern hemispheric OCS abundances at 10 km altitude peak in June in the tropics and around October at high latitudes, while the respective southern hemispheric maxima were observed in July and in November. Global OCS distributions at 250 hPa (~ 10–11 km) show enhanced values at low latitudes, peaking during boreal summer above the western Pacific and the Indian Ocean, which indicates oceanic release. Further, a region of depleted OCS amounts extending from Brazil to central and southern Africa was detected at this altitude, which is most pronounced in austral summer. This depletion is related to seasonally varying vegetative uptake by the tropical forests. Typical signatures of biomass burning like the southern hemispheric biomass burning plume are not visible in MIPAS data, indicating that this process is only a minor source of tropospheric OCS. At the 150 hPa level (~ 13–14 km) enhanced amounts of OCS were also observed inside the Asian Monsoon Anticyclone, but this enhancement is not especially outstanding as compared to other low latitude regions at the same altitude. At the 80 hPa level (~ 17–18 km) equatorward transport of mid-latitude air masses containing lower OCS amounts around the summertime anticyclones was observed. A significant trend could not be detected in tropospheric MIPAS OCS amounts, which points to globally balanced sources and sinks.

scholarly journals Retrieval of sodium number density profiles in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere from SCIAMACHY limb emission measurements

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 295-311 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. P. Langowski ◽  
C. von Savigny ◽  
J. P. Burrows ◽  
V. V. Rozanov ◽  
T. Dunker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Seasonal Variations ◽  
Lower Thermosphere ◽  
High Latitudes ◽  
Full Width ◽  
Half Maximum ◽  
Number Density ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Density Profiles ◽  
Atom Concentration ◽  
Mesosphere And Lower Thermosphere

Abstract. An algorithm has been developed for the retrieval of sodium atom (Na) number density on a latitude and altitude grid from SCIAMACHY (SCanning Imaging Absorption spectroMeter for Atmospheric CHartographY) limb measurements of the Na resonance fluorescence. The results are obtained between 50 and 150 km altitude and the resulting global seasonal variations of Na are analyzed. The retrieval approach is adapted from that used for the retrieval of magnesium atom (Mg) and magnesium ion (Mg+) number density profiles recently reported by Langowski et al. (2014). Monthly mean values of Na are presented as a function of altitude and latitude. This data set was retrieved from the 4 years of spectroscopic limb data of the SCIAMACHY mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) measurement mode (mid-2008 to early 2012). The Na layer has a nearly constant peak altitude of 90–93 km for all latitudes and seasons, and has a full width at half maximum of 5–15 km. Small but significant seasonal variations in Na are identified for latitudes less than 40°, where the maximum Na number densities are 3000–4000 atoms cm−3. At middle to high latitudes a clear seasonal variation with a winter maximum of up to 6000 atoms cm−3 is observed. The high latitudes, which are only measured in the summer hemisphere, have lower number densities, with peak densities being approximately 1000 Na atoms cm−3. The full width at half maximum of the peak varies strongly at high latitudes and is 5 km near the polar summer mesopause, while it exceeds 10 km at lower latitudes. In summer the Na atom concentration at high latitudes and at altitudes below 88 km is significantly smaller than that at middle latitudes. The results are compared with other observations and models and there is overall a good agreement with these.

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