Solar Zenith Angle Dependence Research Articles

The Relationship Between the Energization of Moon‐Originating Ions and Terrain Type on the Lunar Surface

AbstractWe analyze data acquired by the Kaguya satellite on 14 October 2008 when the Moon was in the terrestrial magnetotail lobe to gain new insight into the energization of ions originating from the Moon. The Moon‐originating ions were detected over a broad range of latitudes from −80° to 50° above the Moon's dayside at ∼100 km altitude. The fluxes of the Moon‐originating ions were observed at energies from ∼50 to ∼1,000 eV. Additionally, these ions exhibited a wide distribution pitch angle spanning from ∼45 to 90°. The energy levels of ions originating from the Moon show rapid changes, either increasing or decreasing by a factor of ∼10 within 8 min without the solar zenith angle dependence. Such rapid energy changes were observed over the highland regions. These observations are discussed in light of possible acceleration mechanisms of Moon‐originating ions, including temporal and spatial effects.

Properties of Mars' Dayside Low‐Altitude Induced Magnetic Field and Comparisons With Venus

AbstractMars and Venus have atmospheres but lack intrinsic dipole magnetic fields. Consequently, the solar wind interaction at each planet results in the formation of an induced magnetosphere. Our work aims to compare the low‐altitude (< 250 km) component of the induced magnetic field at Venus and Mars using observations from Pioneer Venus Orbiter and Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN. We restrict the in‐situ data from Mars to regions of weak crustal magnetism. At Venus, it has long been known the vertical structure of the induced magnetic field profiles have recurring features that enable them to be classified as either magnetized or unmagnetized. We find the induced field profiles at Mars are more varied, lack recurring features, and are unable to be classified in the same way. The solar zenith angle dependence of the low‐altitude field strength at both planets is controlled by the shape of the magnetic pileup boundary. Also, because the ionospheric thermal pressure at Venus is often comparable to the solar wind dynamic pressure, the induced fields are weaker than required to balance the solar wind by themselves. By contrast, induced fields at Mars are stronger than required to achieve pressure balance. Lastly, we find the induced fields in the magnetized ionosphere of Venus have a weaker dependence on solar wind dynamic pressure than the induced fields at Mars. Our results point to planetary properties, such as planet‐Sun distance, having a major effect on the properties of induced fields at nonmagentized planets.

Titan’s “Average” Ionospheric Structures from Cassini

Abstract The decadal observations of Titan’s neutral atmosphere and ionosphere by the Ion and Neutral Mass Spectrometer mass spectrometer and other instruments on board the Cassini spacecraft at the Saturnian system provide a precious data set concerning the large-scale structure of Titan’s upper ionosphere. An attempt is made in this study to generate average 3D ion density distributions for different ion species by using a simple approximation of the solar zenith angle dependence. Both altitude dependence and neutral gas number density dependence of the ion density distributions will be presented. This empirical approach allows a comprehensive visualization of the global properties of Titan’s ionosphere that could be useful as engineering models for future missions to Titan.

Rethinking the correction for absorbing aerosols in the OMI- and TROPOMI-like surface UV algorithms

Abstract. Satellite estimates of surface UV irradiance have been available since 1978 from the TOMS UV spectrometer and have continued with significantly improved ground resolution using the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI 2004–current) and Sentinel 5 Precursor (S5P 2017–current). The surface UV retrieval algorithm remains essentially the same: it first estimates the clear-sky UV irradiance based on measured ozone and then accounts for the attenuation by clouds and aerosols, applying two consecutive correction factors. When estimating the total aerosol effect in surface UV irradiance, there are two major classes of aerosols to be considered: (1) aerosols that only scatter UV radiation and (2) aerosols that both scatter and absorb UV radiation. The former effect is implicitly included in the measured effective Lambertian-equivalent scene reflectivity (LER), so the scattering aerosol influence is estimated through cloud correction factor. Aerosols that absorb UV radiation attenuate the surface UV radiation more strongly than non-absorbing aerosols of the same extinction optical depth. Moreover, since these aerosols also attenuate the outgoing satellite-measured radiance, the cloud correction factor that treats these aerosols as purely scattering underestimates their aerosol optical depth (AOD), causing underestimation of LER and overestimation of surface UV irradiance. Therefore, for correction of aerosol absorption, additional information is needed, such as a model-based monthly climatology of aerosol absorption optical depth (AAOD). A correction for absorbing aerosols was proposed almost a decade ago and later implemented in the operational OMI and TROPOMI UV algorithms. In this study, however, we show that there is still room for improvement to better account for the solar zenith angle (SZA) dependence and nonlinearity in the absorbing aerosol attenuation, and as a result we propose an improved correction scheme. There are two main differences between the new proposed correction and the one that is currently operational in OMI and TROPOMI UV algorithms. First, the currently operational correction for absorbing aerosols is a function of AAOD only, while the new correction additionally takes the solar zenith angle dependence into account. Second, the second-order polynomial of the new correction takes the nonlinearity in the correction as a function of AAOD better into account, if compared to the currently operational one, and thus better describes the effect by absorbing aerosols over a larger range of AAOD. To illustrate the potential impact of the new correction in the global UV estimates, we applied the current and new proposed correction for global fields of AAOD from the aerosol climatology currently used in OMI UV algorithm, showing a typical differences of ±5 %. This new correction is easy to implement operationally using information of solar zenith angle and existing AAOD climatology.

Solar Ultraviolet Radiation Risk Estimates-A Comparison of Different Action Spectra and Detector Responsivities.

Studies assessing the dose–response relationship for human skin cancer induction by solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) apply a range of methods to quantify relevant UVR doses, but information about the comparability of these datasets is scarce. We compared biologically weighted effectivities applying the most relevant UVR action spectra in order to test the ability of certain UVR detectors to mimic these biological effects at different times during the day and year. Our calculations were based on solar spectra measured at Dortmund, Germany (51.5° N) and at Townsville, Australia (19.3° S), or computed for latitudes 20° S and 50° N. Convolutions with the CIE action spectra for erythema and non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) and with ICNIRP’s weighting function showed comparable solar zenith angle (SZA) dependences with little influence of season or latitude. A different SZA dependence was found with Setlow’s action spectrum for melanoma induction. Calculations for a number of UVR detector responsivities gave widely discrepant absolute irradiances and doses, which were nevertheless related to those calculated with both CIE spectra by correction factors largely independent of the SZA. Commonly used detectors can thus provide quite accurate estimates of NMSC induction by solar UVR, whereas they may be inadequate to mimic melanoma induction.

Intercomparison of low- and high-resolution infrared spectrometers for ground-based solar remote sensing measurements of total column concentrations of CO<sub>2</sub>, CH<sub>4</sub>, and CO

Abstract. The Total Carbon Column Observing Network (TCCON) is the baseline ground-based network of instruments that record solar absorption spectra from which accurate and precise column-averaged dry-air mole fractions of CO2 (XCO2), CH4 (XCH4), CO (XCO), and other gases are retrieved. The TCCON data have been widely used for carbon cycle science and validation of satellites measuring greenhouse gas concentrations globally. The number of stations in the network (currently about 25) is limited and has a very uneven geographical coverage: the stations in the Northern Hemisphere are distributed mostly in North America, Europe, and Japan, and only 20 % of the stations are located in the Southern Hemisphere, leaving gaps in the global coverage. A denser distribution of ground-based solar absorption measurements is needed to improve the representativeness of the measurement data for various atmospheric conditions (humid, dry, polluted, presence of aerosol), various surface conditions such as high albedo (>0.4) and very low albedo, and a larger latitudinal distribution. More stations in the Southern Hemisphere are also needed, but a further expansion of the network is limited by its costs and logistical requirements. For this reason, several groups are investigating supplemental portable low-cost instruments. The European Space Agency (ESA) funded campaign Fiducial Reference Measurements for Ground-Based Infrared Greenhouse Gas Observations (FRM4GHG) at the Sodankylä TCCON site in northern Finland aims to characterise the assessment of several low-cost portable instruments for precise solar absorption measurements of XCO2, XCH4, and XCO. The test instruments under investigation are three Fourier transform spectrometers (FTSs): a Bruker EM27/SUN, a Bruker IRcube, and a Bruker Vertex70, as well as a laser heterodyne spectroradiometer (LHR) developed by the UK Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. All four remote sensing instruments performed measurements simultaneously next to the reference TCCON instrument, a Bruker IFS 125HR, for a full year in 2017. The TCCON FTS was operated in its normal high-resolution mode (TCCON data set) and in a special low-resolution mode (HR125LR data set), similar to the portable spectrometers. The remote sensing measurements are complemented by regular AirCore launches performed from the same site. They provide in situ vertical profiles of the target gas concentrations as auxiliary reference data for the column retrievals, which are traceable to the WMO SI standards. The reference measurements performed with the Bruker IFS 125HR were found to be affected by non-linearity of the indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) detector. Therefore, a non-linearity correction of the 125HR data was performed for the whole campaign period and compared with the test instruments and AirCore. The non-linearity-corrected data (TCCONmod data set) show a better match with the test instruments and AirCore data compared to the non-corrected reference data. The time series, the bias relative to the reference instrument and its scatter, and the seasonal and the day-to-day variations of the target gases are shown and discussed. The comparisons with the HR125LR data set gave a useful analysis of the resolution-dependent effects on the target gas retrieval. The solar zenith angle dependence of the retrievals is shown and discussed. The intercomparison results show that the LHR data have a large scatter and biases with a strong diurnal variation relative to the TCCON and other FTS instruments. The LHR is a new instrument under development, and these biases are currently being investigated and addressed. The campaign helped to characterise and identify instrumental biases and possibly retrieval biases, which are currently under investigation. Further improvements of the instrument are ongoing. The EM27/SUN, the IRcube, the modified Vertex70, and the HR125LR provided stable and precise measurements of the target gases during the campaign with quantified small biases. The bias dependence on the humidity along the measurement line of sight has been investigated and no dependence was found. These three portable low-resolution FTS instruments are suitable to be used for campaign deployment or long-term measurements from any site and offer the ability to complement the TCCON and expand the global coverage of ground-based reference measurements of the target gases.

Validation of OMI erythemal doses with multi-sensor ground-based measurements in Thessaloniki, Greece

The aim of this study is to validate the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) erythemal dose rates using ground-based measurements in Thessaloniki, Greece. In the Laboratory of Atmospheric Physics of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, a Yankee Environmental System UVB-1 radiometer measures the erythemal dose rates every minute, and a Norsk Institutt for Luftforskning (NILU) multi-filter radiometer provides multi-filter based irradiances that were used to derive erythemal dose rates for the period 2005–2014. Both these datasets were independently validated against collocated UV irradiance spectra from a Brewer MkIII spectrophotometer. Cloud detection was performed based on measurements of the global horizontal radiation from a Kipp & Zonen pyranometer and from NILU measurements in the visible range. The satellite versus ground observation validation was performed taking into account the effect of temporal averaging, limitations related to OMI quality control criteria, cloud conditions, the solar zenith angle and atmospheric aerosol loading. Aerosol optical depth was also retrieved using a collocated CIMEL sunphotometer in order to assess its impact on the comparisons. The effect of total ozone columns satellite versus ground-based differences on the erythemal dose comparisons was also investigated. Since most of the public awareness alerts are based on UV Index (UVI) classifications, an analysis and assessment of OMI capability for retrieving UVIs was also performed.An overestimation of the OMI erythemal product by 3–6% and 4–8% with respect to ground measurements is observed when examining overpass and noontime estimates respectively. The comparisons revealed a relatively small solar zenith angle dependence, with the OMI data showing a slight dependence on aerosol load, especially at high aerosol optical depth values. A mean underestimation of 2% in OMI total ozone columns under cloud-free conditions was found to lead to an overestimation in OMI erythemal doses of 1–5%.While OMI overestimated the erythemal dose rates over the range of cloudiness conditions examined, its UVIs were found to be reliable for the purpose of characterizing the ambient UV radiation impact.

An interactive ocean surface albedo scheme (OSAv1.0): formulation and evaluation in ARPEGE-Climat (V6.1) and LMDZ (V5A)

Abstract. Ocean surface represents roughly 70 % of the Earth's surface, playing a large role in the partitioning of the energy flow within the climate system. The ocean surface albedo (OSA) is an important parameter in this partitioning because it governs the amount of energy penetrating into the ocean or reflected towards space. The old OSA schemes in the ARPEGE-Climat and LMDZ models only resolve the latitudinal dependence in an ad hoc way without an accurate representation of the solar zenith angle dependence. Here, we propose a new interactive OSA scheme suited for Earth system models, which enables coupling between Earth system model components like surface ocean waves and marine biogeochemistry. This scheme resolves spectrally the various contributions of the surface for direct and diffuse solar radiation. The implementation of this scheme in two Earth system models leads to substantial improvements in simulated OSA. At the local scale, models using the interactive OSA scheme better replicate the day-to-day distribution of OSA derived from ground-based observations in contrast to old schemes. At global scale, the improved representation of OSA for diffuse radiation reduces model biases by up to 80 % over the tropical oceans, reducing annual-mean model–data error in surface upwelling shortwave radiation by up to 7 W m−2 over this domain. The spatial correlation coefficient between modeled and observed OSA at monthly resolution has been increased from 0.1 to 0.8. Despite its complexity, this interactive OSA scheme is computationally efficient for enabling precise OSA calculation without penalizing the elapsed model time.

Solar Illumination Control of the Polar Wind

AbstractPolar wind outflow is an important process through which the ionosphere supplies plasma to the magnetosphere. The main source of energy driving the polar wind is solar illumination of the ionosphere. As a result, many studies have found a relation between polar wind flux densities and solar EUV intensity, but less is known about their relation to the solar zenith angle at the ionospheric origin, certainly at higher altitudes. The low energy of the outflowing particles and spacecraft charging means it is very difficult to measure the polar wind at high altitudes. We take advantage of an alternative method that allows estimations of the polar wind flux densities far in the lobes. We analyze measurements made by the Cluster spacecraft at altitudes from 4 up to 20 RE. We observe a strong dependence on the solar zenith angle in the ion flux density and see that both the ion velocity and density exhibit a solar zenith angle dependence as well. We also find a seasonal variation of the flux density.

Analysis of geostationary satellite-derived cloud parameters associated with environments with high ice water content

Abstract. We present an evaluation of the ability of passive broadband geostationary satellite measurements to detect high ice water content (IWC > 1 g m−3) as part of the European High Altitude Ice Crystals (HAIC) project for detection of upper-atmospheric high IWC, which can be a hazard for aviation. We developed a high IWC mask based on measurements of cloud properties using the Cloud Physical Properties (CPP) algorithm applied to the geostationary Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI). Evaluation of the high IWC mask with satellite measurements of active remote sensors of cloud properties (CLOUDSAT/CALIPSO combined in the DARDAR (raDAR–liDAR) product) reveals that the high IWC mask is capable of detecting high IWC values > 1 g m−3 in the DARDAR profiles with a probability of detection of 60–80 %. The best CPP predictors of high IWC were the condensed water path, cloud optical thickness, cloud phase, and cloud top height. The evaluation of the high IWC mask against DARDAR provided indications that the MSG-CPP high IWC mask is more sensitive to cloud ice or cloud water in the upper part of the cloud, which is relevant for aviation purposes. Biases in the CPP results were also identified, in particular a solar zenith angle (SZA) dependence that reduces the performance of the high IWC mask for SZAs > 60°. Verification statistics show that for the detection of high IWC a trade-off has to be made between better detection of high IWC scenes and more false detections, i.e., scenes identified by the high IWC mask that do not contain IWC > 1 g m−3. However, the large majority of these detections still contain IWC values between 0.1 and 1 g m−3. Comparison of the high IWC mask against results from the Rapidly Developing Thunderstorm (RDT) algorithm applied to the same geostationary SEVIRI data showed that there are similarities and differences with the high IWC mask: the RDT algorithm is very capable of detecting young/new convective cells and areas, whereas the high IWC mask appears to be better capable of detecting more mature and ageing convection as well as cirrus remnants. The lack of detailed understanding of what causes aviation hazards related to high IWC, as well as the lack of clearly defined user requirements, hampers further tuning of the high IWC mask. Future evaluation of the high IWC mask against field campaign data, as well as obtaining user feedback and user requirements from the aviation industry, should provide more information on the performance of the MSG-CPP high IWC mask and contribute to improving the practical use of the high IWC mask.

Validation of integrated water vapor from OMI satellite instrument against reference GPS data at the Iberian Peninsula.

This paper shows the validation of integrated water vapor (IWV) measurements retrieved from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI), using as reference nine ground-based GPS stations in the Iberian Peninsula. The study period covers from 2007 to 2009. The influence of two factors, - solar zenith angle (SZA) and IWV-, on OMI-GPS differences was studied in detail, as well as the seasonal dependence. The pseudomedian of the relative differences is -1 ± 1% and the inter-quartile range (IQR) is 41%. Linear regressions calculated over each station show an acceptable agreement (R2 up to 0.77). The OMI-GPS differences display a clear dependence on IWV values. Hence, OMI substantially overestimates the lower IWV data recorded by GPS (∼ 40%), while underestimates the higher IWV reference values (∼ 20%). In connection to this IWV dependence, the relative differences also show an evident SZA dependence when the whole range of IWV values are analyzed (OMI overestimates for high SZA values while underestimates for low values). Finally, the seasonal variation of the OMI-GPS differences is also associated with the strong IWV dependence found in this validation exercise.

Transport of solar wind plasma onto the lunar nightside surface

AbstractWe present first measurements of energetic neutral atoms that originate from solar wind plasma having interacted with the lunar nightside surface. We observe two distinct energetic neutral atom (ENA) distributions parallel to the terminator, the spectral shape, and the intensity of both of which indicate that the particles originate from the bulk solar wind flow. The first distribution modifies the dayside ENA flux to reach ∼6° into the nightside and is well explained by the kinetic temperature of the solar wind protons. The second distribution, which was not predicted, reaches from the terminator to up to 30° beyond the terminator, with a maximum at ∼102° in solar zenith angle. As most likely wake transport processes for this second distribution we identify acceleration by the ambipolar electric field and by the negatively charged lunar nightside surface. In addition, our data provide the first observation indicative of a global solar zenith angle dependence of positive dayside surface potentials.

Absolute calibration of the colour index and O<sub>4</sub> absorption derived from Multi AXis (MAX-)DOAS measurements and their application to a standardised cloud classification algorithm

Abstract. A method is developed for the calibration of the colour index (CI) and the O4 absorption derived from differential optical absorption spectroscopy (DOAS) measurements of scattered sunlight. The method is based on the comparison of measurements and radiative transfer simulations for well-defined atmospheric conditions and viewing geometries. Calibrated measurements of the CI and the O4 absorption are important for the detection and classification of clouds from MAX-DOAS observations. Such information is needed for the identification and correction of the cloud influence on Multi AXis (MAX-)DOAS profile inversion results, but might be also be of interest on their own, e.g. for meteorological applications. The calibration algorithm was successfully applied to measurements at two locations: Cabauw in the Netherlands and Wuxi in China. We used CI and O4 observations calibrated by the new method as input for our recently developed cloud classification scheme and also adapted the corresponding threshold values accordingly. For the observations at Cabauw, good agreement is found with the results of the original algorithm. Together with the calibration procedure of the CI and O4 absorption, the cloud classification scheme, which has been tuned to specific locations/conditions so far, can now be applied consistently to MAX-DOAS measurements at different locations. In addition to the new threshold values, further improvements were introduced to the cloud classification algorithm, namely a better description of the SZA (solar zenith angle) dependence of the threshold values and a new set of wavelengths for the determination of the CI. We also indicate specific areas for future research to further improve the cloud classification scheme.

A new method for the absolute radiance calibration for UV–vis measurements of scattered sunlight

Abstract. Absolute radiometric calibrations are important for measurements of the atmospheric spectral radiance. Such measurements can be used to determine actinic fluxes, the properties of aerosols and clouds, and the shortwave energy budget. Conventional calibration methods in the laboratory are based on calibrated light sources and reflectors and are expensive, time consuming and subject to relatively large uncertainties. Also, the calibrated instruments might change during transport from the laboratory to the measurement sites. Here we present a new calibration method for UV–vis instruments that measure the spectrally resolved sky radiance, for example zenith sky differential optical absorption spectroscopy (DOAS) instruments or multi-axis (MAX)-DOAS instruments. Our method is based on the comparison of the solar zenith angle dependence of the measured zenith sky radiance with radiative transfer simulations. For the application of our method, clear-sky measurements during periods with almost constant aerosol optical depth are needed. The radiative transfer simulations have to take polarisation into account. We show that the calibration results are almost independent from the knowledge of the aerosol optical properties and surface albedo, which causes a rather small uncertainty of about < 7 %. For wavelengths below about 330 nm it is essential that the ozone column density during the measurements be constant and known.

Numerical simulations of the influence of solar zenith angle on properties of the M1 layer of the Mars ionosphere

AbstractThe M1 layer of the Mars ionosphere is one of its most significant features, second only to the M2 layer. Observations have shown how the physical properties of this layer depend on solar zenith angle (SZA) and solar irradiance, but these trends have not yet been explored in detail by numerical simulations. Hence, the full implications of the observational findings for the M1 layer's behavior have not been established. Here we use the Boston University Mars Ionosphere Model to simulate the M1 layer over a period of 6 months. In order to adequately reproduce the SZA dependence of the observed M2 peak density, an ad hoc isothermal electron temperature profile was required. This representation was motivated by detailed energy balance calculations that predict relatively small variations in electron temperature at the M2 peak. We find several model results consistent with observations: the simulated M1 peak density is effectively proportional to Ch(SZA)−0.5, where Ch is the Chapman function; the ratio of M1 to M2 peak electron densities is independent of SZA; the simulated M1 peak altitude decreases with increasing solar irradiance; and the simulated difference in altitude between the M1 and M2 layers increases with SZA at the observed rate. Due to limitations in the assumed neutral atmosphere, the simulated increase in M1 peak altitude with increasing solar zenith angle is significantly greater than observed. In both simulations and observations, limitations in representing the width of the M1 layer prevent meaningful comparisons and connections to the neutral scale height.

Approximate forms of daytime ionospheric conductance

AbstractThe solar zenith angle (SZA) dependence of the conductance is studied and a simple theoretical form for the Hall‐to‐Pedersen conductance ratio is developed, using the peak plasma production height. The European Incoherent Scatter (EISCAT) radar observations at Tromsø (67 MLAT) on 30 March 2012 were used to calculate the conductance. The daytime electric conductance is associated with plasma created by solar extreme ultraviolet radiation incident on the neutral atmosphere of the Earth. However, it has been uncertain whether previous conductance models are consistent with the ideal Chapman theory for such plasma productions. We found that the SZA dependence of the conductance is consistent with the Chapman theory after simple modifications. The Pedersen conductance can be understood by approximating the plasma density height profile as being flat in the topside E region and by taking into account the upward gradient of atmospheric temperature. An additional consideration is necessary for the Hall conductance, which decreases with increasing SZA more rapidly than the Pedersen conductance. This rapid decrease is presumably caused by a thinning of the Hall conductivity layer from noon toward nighttime. We expressed this thinning in terms of the peak production height in the Chapman theory.

Application of active spaceborne remote sensing for understanding biases between passive cloud water path retrievals

AbstractBias between the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer–EOS (AMSR‐E) version 2 and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) collection 5.1 cloud liquid water path (Wc) products are explored with the aid of coincident active observations from the CloudSat radar and the CALIPSO lidar. In terms of detection, the active observations provide precise separation of cloudy from clear sky and precipitating from nonprecipitating clouds. In addition, they offer a unique quantification of precipitation water path (Wp) in warm clouds. They also provide an independent quantification of Wc that is based on an accurate surface reference technique, which is an independent arbiter between the two passive approaches. The results herein establish the potential for CloudSat and CALIPSO to provide an independent assessment of bias between the conventional passive remote sensing methods from reflected solar and emitted microwave radiation. After applying a common data filter to the observations to account for sampling biases, AMSR‐E is biased high relative to MODIS in the global mean by 26.4 gm−2. The RMS difference in the regional patterns is 32.4 gm−2, which highlights a large geographical dependence in the bias which is related to the tropical transitions from stratocumulus to cumulus cloud regimes. The contributions of four potential sources for this bias are investigated by exploiting the active observations: (1) bias in MODIS related to solar zenith angle dependence accounts for −2.3 gm−2, (2) bias in MODIS due to undersampling of cloud edges accounts for 4.2 gm−2, (3) a wind speed and water vapor‐dependent “clear‐sky biase” in the AMSR‐E retrieval accounts for 6.3 gm−2, and (4) evidence suggests that much of the remaining 18 gm−2 bias is related to the assumed partitioning of the observed emission signal between cloud and precipitation water in the AMSR‐E retrieval. This is most evident through the correlations between the regional mean patterns of Wp and the Wc bias within the latitudes of 30°N and 30°S, suggesting that the assumption of a regionally invariant cloud/precipitation partitioning in the AMSR‐E algorithm is the likely causal factor.

Morphology of tropical mesospheric echoes observed by VHF radar

This short communication reports on an attempt which has been made to study mesospheric echo occurrence duration for the first time, using a large data base (1998 to 2004) collected from MST radar located at Gadanki (13.5°N, 79.2°E), a tropical station in India. It is well known that VHF radar echoes in the mesosphere are due to both the presence of irregularities with scales of half the radar wavelengths, and also the production and loss rates of electrons in the lower D-region. The main aim of the present paper is to estimate the duration of mesospheric echoes at each altitude and to establish the preference of their occurrence, if any, in altitude and time. In general, mesospheric echoes show tilted layers, a sporadic nature above/below the main layer (70–80 km), and a seasonal shift in the height of occurrence. Based on the time and height of echo occurrence, we broadly divide the periods of mesospheric echo occurrence (duration) into 5–20 minutes (T1), 20–40 minutes (T2), and ≥40 minutes (T3), and the height of occurrence into 65–70 km (R1), 70–80 km (R2), and 80–85 km (R3). It is observed that long duration echoes (T2 and T3) occur mostly in the R2 region and are highly sporadic in the R1 and R3 regions. In addition, the solar zenith angle dependence on the duration of mesospheric echoes is also studied and no significant variation was found in any of the above-mentioned categories. This study will contribute to a better understanding of the dynamical aspects of the mesosphere using VHF radar observations.

Statistical analysis of ionospheric responses to solar flares in the solar cycle 23

In this study, we studied the ionospheric responses to solar flares during 1999–2006 by using GOES 0.1–0.8 nm X‐ray, 26–34 nm EUV, and GPS/total electron content (TEC). The solar zenith angle (SZA) dependence was quantitatively investigated by analyzing global TEC enhancements during about 100 X‐class flares. The mean ratio of ΔTEC at SZA = 90° to ΔTEC at SZA = 0° is about 0.39. The statistical results show that a limb flare has less effect on the ionosphere than a central flare does because the main ionization source of the ionosphere, solar EUV radiation, can be absorbed by thick solar gas due to large central meridian distance (CMD), which is called the CMD effect. Furthermore, the CMD effect decreases with decreasing flare X‐ray class. The results show that TEC responses are not highly related to solar X‐ray flux enhancement with correlation coefficient of 0.6, but more closely related to solar EUV flux enhancement with correlation coefficient of 0.91 for 26–34 nm EUV. The combination of X‐ray flux and flare location is also a good indicator for TEC response: The correlation coefficient of ∆X‐ray*cos(CMD) and ∆TEC is as high as 0.95. The seasonal dependence in TEC response is also investigated. There are larger responses in equinoxes than in solstices. The seasonal variation of neutral density is considered to be a main cause of the season dependence of TEC response.

Sixteen years of GOME/ERS‐2 total ozone data: The new direct‐fitting GOME Data Processor (GDP) version 5—Algorithm description

The Global Ozone Monitoring Instrument (GOME) was launched in April 1995 on ESA's ERS‐2 platform, and the GOME Data Processor (GDP) operational retrieval algorithm has produced total ozone columns since July 1995. We report on the new GDP5 spectral fitting algorithm used to reprocess the 16‐year GOME data record. Previous GDP total ozone algorithms were based on the DOAS method. In contrast, GDP5 uses a direct‐fitting algorithm without high‐pass filtering of radiances; there is no air mass factor conversion to vertical column amount. GDP5 includes direct radiative transfer simulation of earthshine radiances and Jacobians with respect to total ozone, albedo closure and other ancillary fitting parameters ‐ a temperature profile shift, and amplitudes for undersampling and Ring‐effect interference signals. Simulations are based on climatological ozone profiles extracted from the TOMS Version 8 database, classified by total column. GDP5 uses the high‐resolution Brion‐Daumont‐Malicet ozone absorption cross‐sections, replacing older GOME‐measured flight model data. The semi‐empirical molecular Ring correction developed for GDP4 has been adapted for direct fitting. Cloud preprocessing for GDP5 is done using updated versions of cloud‐correction algorithms OCRA and ROCINN. The reprocessed GOME GDP5 record maintains the remarkable long‐term stability of time series already achieved with GDP4. Furthermore, validation results show a clear improvement in the accuracy of the ozone product with reduced solar zenith angle and seasonal dependences, particularly in comparison with correlative observations from the ground‐based network of Brewer spectrophotometers.