Validation of version-4.61 methane and nitrous oxide observed by MIPAS
Year: 2009
Type: article
Abstract: . The ENVISAT validation programme for the atmospheric instruments MIPAS, SCIAMACHY and GOMOS is based on a number of balloon-borne, aircraft, satellite and ground-based correlative measurements. In particular the activities of validation scientists were coordinated by ESA within the ENVISAT Stratospheric Aircraft and Balloon Campaign or ESABC. As part of a series of similar papers on other species [this issue] and in parallel to the contribution of the individual validation teams, the present paper provides a synthesis of comparisons performed between MIPAS CH4 and N2O profiles produced by the current ESA operational software (Instrument Processing Facility version 4.61 or IPF v4.61, full resolution MIPAS data covering the period 9 July 2002 to 26 March 2004) and correlative measurements obtained from balloon and aircraft experiments as well as from satellite sensors or from ground-based instruments. In the middle stratosphere, no significant bias is observed between MIPAS and correlative measurements, and MIPAS is providing a very consistent and global picture of the distribution of CH4 and N2O in this region. In average, the MIPAS CH4 values show a small positive bias in the lower stratosphere of about 5%. A similar situation is observed for N2O with a positive bias of 4%. In the lower stratosphere/upper troposphere (UT/LS) the individual used MIPAS data version 4.61 still exhibits some unphysical oscillations in individual CH4 and N2O profiles caused by the processing algorithm (with almost no regularization). Taking these problems into account, the MIPAS CH4 and N2O profiles are behaving as expected from the internal error estimation of IPF v4.61 and the estimated errors of the correlative measurements.
Authors: S. Payan, C. Camy-Peyret, H. Oelhaf, G. Wetzel, G. Maucher, C. Keim, M. Pirre, N. Huret, A. Engel, M. C. Volk, H. Kuellmann, J. Kuttippurath, U. Cortesi, G. Bianchini, F. Mencaraglia, P. Raspollini, G. Redaelli, C. Vigouroux, M. De Mazière, S. Mikuteit, T. Blumenstock, V. Velazco, J. Notholt, M. Mahieu, P. Duchatelet, D. Smale, S. Wood, N. Jones, C. Piccolo, V. Payne, A. Bracher, N. Glatthor, G. Stiller, K. Grunow, P. Jeseck, Y. Te, K. Pfeilsticker, A. Butz
Institutions: Université Pierre-et-Marie-Curie, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie de l’Environnement et de l’Espace, Goethe University Frankfurt, University of Bremen, École Polytechnique, Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique, Nello Carrara Institute of Applied Physics, University of L'Aquila, Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy, University of Liège, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, University of Wollongong, University of Oxford, Atmospheric and Environmental Research, Freie Universität Berlin, Heidelberg University
Language: English
Subfield: Atmospheric Science
Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences
Domain: Physical Sciences
SDG: Climate action
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,725
OpenAlex ID: W2003279751