Long term validation of ESA operational retrieval (version 6.0) of MIPAS Envisat vertical profiles of methane, nitrous oxides, CFC-11 and CFC-12 using balloon borne observations and trajectory matching

  • MIPAS-Envisat is a satellite-borne sensor which measured vertical profiles of a wide range of trace gases from 2002 to 2012 using IR emission spectroscopy. We present geophysical validation of the MIPAS-Envisat operational retrieval (version 6.0) of N2O, CH4, CFC-12, and CFC-11 by the European Space Agency (ESA). The geophysical validation data are derived from measurements of samples collected by a cryogenic whole air sampler flown to altitudes of up to 34 km by means of large scientific balloons. In order to increase the number of coincidences between the satellite and the balloon observations, we applied a trajectory matching technique. The results are presented for different time periods due to a change in the spectroscopic resolution of MIPAS in early 2005. Retrieval results for N2O, CH4, and CFC-12 show partly good agreement for some altitude regions, which differs for the periods with different spectroscopic resolution. The more recent low spectroscopic resolution data above 20 km altitude show agreement with the combined uncertainties, while there is a tendency of the earlier high spectral resolution data set to underestimate these species above 25 km. The earlier high spectral resolution data show a significant overestimation of the mixing ratios for N2O, CH4, and CFC-12 below 20 km. These differences need to be considered when using these data. The CFC-11 results from the operation retrieval version 6.0 cannot be recommended for scientific studies due to a systematic overestimation of the CFC-11 mixing ratios at all altitudes.

Download full text files

Export metadata

Additional Services

Share in Twitter Search Google Scholar
Metadaten
Author:Andreas EngelORCiD, Harald BönischORCiDGND, Tim Schwarzenberger, Hans-Peter Haase, Katja GrunowGND, Jana Abalichin, Stephan Sala
URN:urn:nbn:de:hebis:30:3-424354
DOI:https://doi.org/10.5194/amtd-8-7455-2015
ISSN:1867-8610
Parent Title (English):Atmospheric measurement techniques discussions
Publisher:Copernicus
Place of publication:Katlenburg-Lindau [u.a.]
Document Type:Article
Language:English
Date of Publication (online):2016/12/12
Date of first Publication:2015/07/21
Publishing Institution:Universitätsbibliothek Johann Christian Senckenberg
Release Date:2016/12/12
Volume:9
Page Number:35
First Page:7455
Last Page:7489
HeBIS-PPN:424761076
Institutes:Geowissenschaften / Geographie / Geowissenschaften
Dewey Decimal Classification:5 Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik / 55 Geowissenschaften, Geologie / 550 Geowissenschaften
Sammlungen:Universitätspublikationen
Licence (German):License LogoCreative Commons - Namensnennung 3.0