scholarly journals UTLS water vapour from SCIAMACHY limb measurements V3.01 (2002–2012)

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (7) ◽  
pp. 7953-8021 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Weigel ◽  
A. Rozanov ◽  
F. Azam ◽  
K. Bramstedt ◽  
R. Damadeo ◽  
...  

Abstract. The SCanning Imaging Absorption spectroMeter for Atmospheric CHartographY (SCIAMACHY) aboard the Envisat satellite provided measurements from August 2002 until April 2012. SCIAMACHY measured the scattered or direct sunlight using different observation geometries. The limb viewing geometry allows the retrieval of water vapour at about 10 to 25 km height from the near infrared spectral range (1353–1410 nm). These data cover the Upper Troposphere and Lower Stratosphere (UTLS), a region in the atmosphere, which is of special interest for a variety of dynamical and chemical processes as well as for the radiative forcing. Here, the latest data version of water vapour (V3.01) from SCIAMACHY limb measurements is presented and validated by comparisons with data sets from other satellite and in situ measurements. Considering retrieval tests and the results of these comparisons, the V3.01 data is reliable from about 11 to 23 km and the best results are found in the middle of the profiles between about 14 and 20 km. Above 20 km in the extra tropics V3.01 is drier than all other data sets. Additionally, for altitudes above about 19 km the vertical resolution of the retrieved profile is not sufficient to resolve signals with a short vertical structure like the tape recorder. Below 14 km SCIAMACHY water vapour V3.01 is wetter than most collocated data sets, but the high variability of water vapour in the troposphere complicates the comparison. For 14 to 20 km height, the expected errors from the retrieval and simulations and the mean differences to collocated data sets are usually smaller than 10 % when the resolution of the SCIAMACHY data is taken into account. In general, the temporal changes agree well with collocated data sets except for the Northern Hemisphere extratropical stratosphere, where larger differences are observed. This indicates a possible drift in V3.01 most probably caused by the incomplete treatment of volcanic aerosols in the retrieval. In all other regions a good temporal stability is shown. In the tropical stratosphere an increase in water vapour is found between 2002 and 2012, which is in agreement with other satellite data sets for overlapping time periods.

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 133-158 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Weigel ◽  
A. Rozanov ◽  
F. Azam ◽  
K. Bramstedt ◽  
R. Damadeo ◽  
...  

Abstract. The SCanning Imaging Absorption spectroMeter for Atmospheric CHartographY (SCIAMACHY) aboard the Envisat satellite provided measurements from August 2002 until April 2012. SCIAMACHY measured the scattered or direct sunlight using different observation geometries. The limb viewing geometry allows the retrieval of water vapour at about 10–25 km height from the near-infrared spectral range (1353–1410 nm). These data cover the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UTLS), a region in the atmosphere which is of special interest for a variety of dynamical and chemical processes as well as for the radiative forcing. Here, the latest data version of water vapour (V3.01) from SCIAMACHY limb measurements is presented and validated by comparisons with data sets from other satellite and in situ measurements. Considering retrieval tests and the results of these comparisons, the V3.01 data are reliable from about 11 to 23 km and the best results are found in the middle of the profiles between about 14 and 20 km. Above 20 km in the extra tropics V3.01 is drier than all other data sets. Additionally, for altitudes above about 19 km, the vertical resolution of the retrieved profile is not sufficient to resolve signals with a short vertical structure like the tape recorder. Below 14 km, SCIAMACHY water vapour V3.01 is wetter than most collocated data sets, but the high variability of water vapour in the troposphere complicates the comparison. For 14–20 km height, the expected errors from the retrieval and simulations and the mean differences to collocated data sets are usually smaller than 10 % when the resolution of the SCIAMACHY data is taken into account. In general, the temporal changes agree well with collocated data sets except for the Northern Hemisphere extratropical stratosphere, where larger differences are observed. This indicates a possible drift in V3.01 most probably caused by the incomplete treatment of volcanic aerosols in the retrieval. In all other regions a good temporal stability is shown. In the tropical stratosphere an increase in water vapour is found between 2002 and 2012, which is in agreement with other satellite data sets for overlapping time periods.


2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 2077-2091 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabina Assan ◽  
Alexia Baudic ◽  
Ali Guemri ◽  
Philippe Ciais ◽  
Valerie Gros ◽  
...  

Abstract. Due to increased demand for an understanding of CH4 emissions from industrial sites, the subject of cross sensitivities caused by absorption from multiple gases on δ13CH4 and C2H6 measured in the near-infrared spectral domain using CRDS has become increasingly important. Extensive laboratory tests are presented here, which characterize these cross sensitivities and propose corrections for the biases they induce. We found methane isotopic measurements to be subject to interference from elevated C2H6 concentrations resulting in heavier δ13CH4 by +23.5 ‰ per ppm C2H6 ∕ ppm CH4. Measured C2H6 is subject to absorption interference from a number of other trace gases, predominantly H2O (with an average linear sensitivity of 0.9 ppm C2H6 per  % H2O in ambient conditions). Yet, this sensitivity was found to be discontinuous with a strong hysteresis effect and we suggest removing H2O from gas samples prior to analysis. The C2H6 calibration factor was calculated using a GC and measured as 0.5 (confirmed up to 5 ppm C2H6). Field tests at a natural gas compressor station demonstrated that the presence of C2H6 in gas emissions at an average level of 0.3 ppm shifted the isotopic signature by 2.5 ‰, whilst after calibration we find that the average C2H6 : CH4 ratio shifts by +0.06. These results indicate that, when using such a CRDS instrument in conditions of elevated C2H6 for CH4 source determination, it is imperative to account for the biases discussed within this study.


2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 2589-2608 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Köhler ◽  
L. Guanter ◽  
J. Joiner

Abstract. Global retrievals of near-infrared sun-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) have been achieved in the last few years by means of a number of space-borne atmospheric spectrometers. Here, we present a new retrieval method for medium spectral resolution instruments such as the Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment-2 (GOME-2) and the SCanning Imaging Absorption SpectroMeter for Atmospheric CHartographY (SCIAMACHY). Building upon the previous work by Guanter et al. (2013) and Joiner et al. (2013), our approach provides a solution for the selection of the number of free parameters. In particular, a backward elimination algorithm is applied to optimize the number of coefficients to fit, which reduces also the retrieval noise and selects the number of state vector elements automatically. A sensitivity analysis with simulated spectra has been utilized to evaluate the performance of our retrieval approach. The method has also been applied to estimate SIF at 740 nm from real spectra from GOME-2 and for the first time, from SCIAMACHY. We find a good correspondence of the absolute SIF values and the spatial patterns from the two sensors, which suggests the robustness of the proposed retrieval method. In addition, we compare our results to existing SIF data sets, examine uncertainties and use our GOME-2 retrievals to show empirically the relatively low sensitivity of the SIF retrieval to cloud contamination.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (19) ◽  
pp. 3211
Author(s):  
Xiaobin Qi ◽  
Zongcheng Ling ◽  
Jiang Zhang ◽  
Jian Chen ◽  
Haijun Cao ◽  
...  

Until 29 May 2020, the Visible and Near-Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (VNIS) onboard the Yutu-2 Rover of the Chang’e-4 (CE-4) has acquired 96 high-resolution surface in-situ imaging spectra. These spectra were acquired under different illumination conditions, thus photometric normalization should be conducted to correct the introduced albedo differences before deriving the quantitative mineralogy for accurate geologic interpretations. In this study, a Lommel–Seeliger (LS) model and Hapke radiative transfer (Hapke) model were used and empirical phase functions of the LS model were derived. The values of these derived phase functions exhibit declining trends with the increase in phase angles and the opposition effect and phase reddening effect were observed. Then, we discovered from in-situ and laboratory measurements that the shadows caused by surface roughness have significant impacts on reflectance spectra and proper corrections were introduced. The validations of different phase functions showed that the maximum discrepancy at 1500 nm of spectra corrected by the LS model was less (~3.7%) than that by the Hapke model (~7.4%). This is the first time that empirical phase functions have been derived for a wavelength from 450 to 2395 nm using in-situ visible and near-infrared spectral datasets. Generally, photometrically normalized spectra exhibit smaller spectral slopes, lower FeO contents and larger optical maturity parameter (OMAT) than spectra without correction. In addition, the band centers of the 1 and 2 μm absorption features of spectra after photometric normalization exhibit a more concentrated distribution, indicating the compositional homogeneity of soils at the CE-4 landing site.


2005 ◽  
Vol 5 (7) ◽  
pp. 1835-1841 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Noël ◽  
M. Buchwitz ◽  
H. Bovensmann ◽  
J. P. Burrows

Abstract. A first validation of water vapour total column amounts derived from measurements of the SCanning Imaging Absorption spectroMeter for Atmospheric CHartographY (SCIAMACHY) in the visible spectral region has been performed. For this purpose, SCIAMACHY water vapour data have been determined for the year 2003 using an extended version of the Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (DOAS) method, called Air Mass Corrected (AMC-DOAS). The SCIAMACHY results are compared with corresponding water vapour measurements by the Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I) and with model data from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). In confirmation of previous results it could be shown that SCIAMACHY derived water vapour columns are typically slightly lower than both SSM/I and ECMWF data, especially over ocean areas. However, these deviations are much smaller than the observed scatter of the data which is caused by the different temporal and spatial sampling and resolution of the data sets. For example, the overall difference with ECMWF data is only -0.05 g/cm2 whereas the typical scatter is in the order of 0.5 g/cm2. Both values show almost no variation over the year. In addition, first monthly means of SCIAMACHY water vapour data have been computed. The quality of these monthly means is currently limited by the availability of calibrated SCIAMACHY spectra. Nevertheless, first comparisons with ECMWF data show that SCIAMACHY (and similar instruments) are able to provide a new independent global water vapour data set.


2006 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 649-671
Author(s):  
H.-W. Pätz ◽  
A. Volz-Thomas ◽  
M. I. Hegglin ◽  
D. Brunner ◽  
H. Fischer ◽  
...  

Abstract. Two aircraft instruments for the measurement of total odd nitrogen (NOy) were compared side by side aboard a Learjet A35 in April 2003 during a campaign of the AFO2000 project SPURT (Spurengastransport in der Tropopausenregion). The instruments albeit employing the same measurement principle (gold converter and chemiluminescence) had different inlet configurations. The ECO-Physics instrument operated by ETH-Zürich in SPURT had the gold converter mounted outside the aircraft, whereas the instrument operated by FZ-Jülich in the European project MOZAIC III (Measurements of ozone, water vapour, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides aboard Airbus A340 in-service aircraft) employed a Rosemount probe with 80 cm of FEP-tubing connecting the inlet to the gold converter. The NOy concentrations during the flight ranged between 0.3 and 3 ppb. The two data sets were compared in a blind fashion and each team followed its normal operating procedures. On average, the measurements agreed within 6%, i.e. within the combined uncertainty of the two instruments. This puts an upper limit on potential losses of HNO3 in the Rosemount inlet of the MOZAIC instrument. Larger transient deviations were observed during periods after calibrations and when the aircraft entered the stratosphere. The time lag of the MOZAIC instrument observed in these instances is in accordance with the time constant of the MOZAIC inlet line determined in the laboratory for HNO3.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philipp Reutter ◽  
Patrick Neis ◽  
Susanne Rohs ◽  
Bastien Sauvage

Abstract. Cirrus clouds and their potential formation regions, so-called ice-supersaturated regions (ISSRs) occur frequently in the tropopause region. It is assumed that ISSRs and cirrus clouds can change the tropopause structure by diabatic processes, driven by latent heating due to phase transition and interaction with radiation. For many research questions a three-dimensional picture including a sufficient temporal resolution of the water vapour fields in the tropopause region is required. This requirement is fulfilled nowadays by reanalysis products such as the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) ERA-Interim reanalysis. However, for a meaningful investigation of water vapour in the tropopause region a comparison of the reanalysis data with measurement is advisable, since it is difficult to measure water vapour and to assimilate meaningful measurements into reanalysis products. Here, we present an intercomparison of high-resolution in-situ measurements aboard passenger aircraft within the European Research Infrastructure IAGOS (In-service Aircraft for a Global Observing System; http://www.iagos.org) with ERA-Interim. Temperature and humidity data over the North Atlantic from 2000 to 2010 are compared relative to the dynamical tropopause. The comparison of the temperature shows a good agreement between measurement and ERA-Interim. While ERA-Interim can reproduce the main features of the water vapour measurements of IAGOS, the variability of the data is underestimated by the reanalysis data. The combination of temperature and water vapour leads to the relative humidity with respect to ice (RHi). Here ERA-Interim deviates from the measurements concerning values of larger than RHi=100 %, both in number and strength of supersaturation. The comparison of ISSR pathlengths shows distinct differences, which can be traced back to the spatial resolution of both data sets. IAGOS shows significantly more smaller ISSRs compared to ERA-Interim. A good agreement begins only at pathlengths in the order of the ERA-Interim spatial resolution and larger.


2005 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 1925-1942 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Noël ◽  
M. Buchwitz ◽  
H. Bovensmann ◽  
J. P. Burrows

Abstract. A first validation of water vapour total column amounts derived from measurements of the SCanning Imaging Absorption spectroMeter for Atmospheric CHartographY (SCIAMACHY) in the visible spectral region has been performed. For this purpose, SCIAMACHY water vapour data have been determined for the year 2003 using an extended version of the Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (DOAS) method, called Air Mass Corrected (AMC-DOAS). The SCIAMACHY results are compared with corresponding water vapour measurements by the Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I) and with model data from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). In confirmation of previous results it could be shown that SCIAMACHY derived water vapour columns are typically slightly lower than both SSM/I and ECMWF data, especially over ocean areas. However, these deviations are much smaller than the observed scatter of the data which is caused by the different temporal and spatial sampling and resolution of the data sets. For example, the overall difference with ECMWF data is only −0.05 g/cm2 whereas the typical scatter is in the order of 0.5 g/cm2. Both values show almost no variation over the year. In addition, first monthly means of SCIAMACHY water vapour data have been computed. The quality of these monthly means is currently limited by the availability of calibrated SCIAMACHY spectra. Nevertheless, first comparisons with ECMWF data show that SCIAMACHY (and similar instruments) are able to provide a new independent global water vapour data set.


2010 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 3987-4007
Author(s):  
M. Schneider ◽  
E. Sepúlveda ◽  
O. García ◽  
F. Hase ◽  
T. Blumenstock

Abstract. We show that the near infrared solar absorption spectra recorded in the framework of the Total Carbon Column Observing Network (TCCON) can be used to derive the vertical distribution of tropospheric water vapour. Using spectral H2O signatures in the 4500–4700 cm−1 region one can well distinguish lower from middle/upper tropospheric water vapour concentrations. The vertical resolution is about 3 and 6 km, for the lower and middle/upper troposphere, respectively. We document the quality of the remotely-sensed profiles by comparisons with coincident in-situ Vaisala RS92 radiosonde measurements. The agreement of both techniques is very satisfactory. Due to the long-term strategy of the network and the high measurement frequency, the TCCON water vapour profile data offer novel opportunities for estimating the water vapour variability at different time scales and altitudes.


2010 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 3105-3132 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Schneider ◽  
G. C. Toon ◽  
J.-F. Blavier ◽  
F. Hase ◽  
T. Leblanc

Abstract. We present ground-based FTIR (Fourier transform infrared) water vapour analyses performed for three different spectral regions: in the mid-infrared at 790–1330 cm−1 and 2650–3180 cm−1 as well as in the near infrared at 4560–4710 cm−1. All three analyses allow the retrieval of lower, middle, and upper tropospheric water vapour amounts with a vertical resolution of about 2, 4, and 6 km, respectively. The mid-infrared analyses allow in addition the retrieval of lower and middle/upper tropospheric δD values with a vertical resolution of 3 and 7 km, respectively. The H2O profiles retrieved in all three spectral regions show a very good agreement with coincident Vaisala RS92 radiosonde measurements performed on seven different days during the Measurements of Humidity in the Atmosphere and Validation Experiment (MOHAVE) 2009 campaign. We analyse 325 ground-based FTIR spectra measured on 11 different days. For optimised line parameters we find that the 325 H2O profiles retrieved in each of the three spectral regions and the 325 δD profiles retrieved in the two mid-infrared regions agree very well. Spectroscopic parameters are the major error source for the ground-based remote sensing of δD profiles. Our inter-comparison of the two different mid-infrared spectral regions allows thus an empirical estimation of the precision of the remotely-sensed δD data of 10 and 20‰, for the lower and middle/upper troposphere, respectively.


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