Abstract
Abstract. We present the validation of ozone profiles from a number of Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SBUV and SBUV/2) instruments that were recently reprocessed using an updated (version 8.6) algorithm. The SBUV data record spans a 41 yr period from 1970 to 2011 with a 5 yr gap in the 1970s. The ultimate goal is to create a consistent, well-calibrated data set of ozone profiles that can be used for climate studies and trend analyses. SBUV ozone profiles have been intensively validated against satellite profile measurements from the Microwave Limb Sounders (MLS) (on board the UARS and Aura satellites) and the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE II) and ground-based observations from the microwave spectrometers, lidars, Umkehr instruments and balloon-borne ozonesondes. In the stratosphere between 25 and 1 hPa the mean biases and standard deviations are mostly within 5% for monthly zonal mean ozone profiles. Above and below this layer the vertical resolution of the SBUV algorithm decreases. We combine several layers of data in the troposphere/lower stratosphere to account for the lower resolution. The bias in the SBUV tropospheric/lower stratospheric combined layer relative to similarly integrated columns from Aura MLS, ozonesonde and Umkehr instruments varies within 5%. We also estimate the drift of the SBUV instruments and their potential effect on the long-term stability of the combined data record. Data from the SBUV instruments that collectively cover the 1980s and 2000s are very stable, with drifts mostly less than 0.5% per year. The features of individual SBUV(/2) instruments are discussed and recommendations for creating a merged SBUV data set are provided.
Highlights
The Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) and Aura satellites) and the Stratospheric Aerosol variations and quantify the rate of ozone recovery in obserand Gas Experiment (SAGE II) and ground-based observations from the microwave spectrometers, lidars, Umkehr instruments and balloon-borne ozonesondes
Except for a The data set from the Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SBUV) instruments that collectively cover the 1980s includes ozone profile records obtained from the Nimbusand 2000s are very stable, with drifts mostly less than 0.5 % 4 BUV and Nimbus-7 SBUV instruments, and a series of per year
We validate SBUV ozone mzm profiles against independent satellite measurements, obtained from the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment II (SAGE II) instrument and two MLS instruments flown on the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) and Aura satellites
Summary
Several processing changes were made in version 8.6. The Brion–Daumont–Malicet ozone cross sections (Daumont et al, 1992; Brion et al, 1993; Malicet et al, 1995) were used instead of Bass and Paur cross sections. The VCI flag uses the absolute value of mzm ozone in layer 1 (639–1013 hPa) and the standard deviation of mzm ozone values in layer 10 (10.1–16.1 hPa) as indicators of possible contamination This flag is currently relevant for N7 SBUV data following the El Chichón eruption, but does not appear to properly capture the aerosol evolution in time and latitude following the Mt. Pinatubo eruption. The smoothing errors for the SBUV mzm profiles and total ozone were estimated and reported along with the data. To facilitate analysis with the SBUV profile data, we provide the SBUV averaging kernel matrices, a priori profiles, weighting functions (Jacobian) and smoothing errors in addition to the ozone mzm product. Ancillary data, including the number of profiles in the mzm average, the standard deviations, the average solar zenith angles, and the total covariance matrices used to compute the smoothing error, are included in the mzm files
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
