Total column ozone retrieval from a novel array spectroradiometer

Abstract

Abstract. This study presents a new total column ozone (TCO) retrieval from the Koherent system, developed at the Physikalisch-Meteorologisches Observatorium Davos, World Radiation Center (PMOD/WRC). The instrument is based on a small, cost-effective, robust, low-maintenance and state-of-the-art-technology array spectroradiometer. It consists of a BTS-2048-UV-S-F array spectroradiometer from Gigahertz-Optik GmbH, coupled with an optical fibre to a lens-based telescope mounted on a sun tracker for measuring direct UV irradiance in the ultraviolet wavelength band between 305 to 345 nm. Two different algorithms are developed for retrieving TCO from these spectral measurements: (1) TCO retrieved by a least-squares-fit algorithm (LSF) and (2) a custom-double-ratio (CDR) technique using four specifically selected wavelengths from the spectral measurements. The double-ratio technique is analogous to the retrieval algorithm applied for the Dobson instruments and the Brewer instruments but is adopted here for TCO retrieval with Koherent. The instrument was calibrated in two different ways: (a) absolute calibration of the spectra using the portable reference for ultraviolet radiation QASUME for the LSF retrieval and (b) relative calibration of the extraterrestrial constant (ETC) of the CDR retrieval by minimising the slope between air mass and the relative differences of TCO from QASUME and Koherent. This adjustment of the ETC allows the instrument to be calibrated with standard TCO reference instruments during calibration campaigns, such as a double-monochromator Brewer. A 2-year comparison in Davos, Switzerland, between Koherent and the Brewer 156 (double monochromator) shows that TCO derived from Koherent and the Brewer 156 agree, on average, over the entire period within 0.7 % for all retrievals in terms of offset. The performance in terms of slant path depends on the selected retrieval and the applied corrections. The stray-light-corrected LSF retrieval exhibits a smaller slant path dependency than the CDR retrieval and performs almost as well as a double-monochromator system. The slant path dependency of the CDR is comparable to the slant path dependency of a single Brewer monochromator. The combination of both retrievals leads to performance with an offset close to zero compared to Brewer 156, a seasonal amplitude of the relative difference of 0.08 % and a slant path dependency of maximum 1.64 %, which is similar to other standard TCO instruments such as single Brewer or Dobson. Applying the double-ratio technique by selecting the wavelengths and slit functions from Brewer and Dobson, respectively, allows for the determination of the effective ozone temperature with an uncertainty of 3 K in terms of daily averages. With the improved TCO retrieval, Koherent serves as a new low-maintenance instrument which could also be used to monitor TCO at remote sites. The TCO retrieval presented here may be applied to other array-based spectroradiometers, providing direct spectral measurements in the ultraviolet wavelength band.