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- Brohede, Samuel, 1977, et al.
(author)
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Validation of Odin/OSIRIS stratospheric NO2 profiles
- 2007
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In: Journal of Geophysical Research. - 0148-0227 .- 2156-2202. ; 112:D07310
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper presents the validation study of stratospheric NO2 profiles retrieved from Odin/OSIRIS measurements of limb-scattered sunlight (version 2.4). The Optical Spectrograph and Infrared Imager System (OSIRIS) NO2 data set is compared to coincident solar occultation measurements by the Halogen Occultation Experiment (HALOE), Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) II, SAGE III, and Polar Ozone and Aerosol Measurement (POAM) III during the 2002–2004 period. Comparisons with seven Systeme d'Analyse par Observation Zenithal (SAOZ) balloon measurements are also presented. All comparisons show good agreement, with differences, both random and systematic, of less than 20% between 25 km and 35 km. Inconsistencies with SAGE III below 25 km are found to be caused primarily by diurnal effects from varying NO2 concentrations along the SAGE III line-of-sight. On the basis of the differences, the OSIRIS random uncertainty is estimated to be 16% between 15 km and 25 km, 6% between 25 km and 35 km, and 9% between 35 km and 40 km. The estimated systematic uncertainty is about 22% between 15 and 25 km, 11–21% between 25 km and 35 km, and 11–31% between 35 km and 40 km. The uncertainties for AM (sunrise) profiles are generally largest and systematic deviations are found to be larger at equatorial latitudes. The results of this validation study show that the OSIRIS NO2 profiles are well behaved, with reasonable uncertainty estimates between 15 km and 40 km. This unique NO2 data set, with more than hemispheric coverage and high vertical resolution will be of particular interest for studies of nitrogen chemistry in the middle atmosphere, which is closely linked to ozone depletion.
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| 2. |
- Sioris, C. E., et al.
(author)
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Vertical profiles of lightning-produced NO2 enhancements in the upper troposphere observed by OSIRIS
- 2007
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In: Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. - 1680-7316 .- 1680-7324. ; 7:16, s. 4281-4294
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The purpose of this study is to perform a global search of the upper troposphere (z >= 10 km) for enhancements of nitrogen dioxide and determine their sources. This is the first application of satellite-based limb scattering to study upper tropospheric NO2. We have searched two years ( May 2003 - May 2005) of OSIRIS ( Optical Spectrograph and Infrared Imager System) operational NO2concentrations ( version 2.3/ 2.4) to find large enhancements in the observations by comparing with photochemical box model calculations and by identifying local maxima in NO2 volume mixing ratio. We find that lightning is the main production mechanism responsible for the large enhancements in OSIRIS NO2 observations as expected. Similar patterns in the abundances and spatial distribution of the NO2 enhancements are obtained by perturbing the lightning within the GEOS- Chem 3- dimensional chemical transport model. In most cases, the presence of lightning is confirmed with coincident imagery from LIS ( Lightning Imaging Sensor) and the spatial extent of the NO2 enhancement is mapped using nadir observations of tropospheric NO2 at high spatial resolution from SCIAMACHY ( Scanning Imaging Absorption Spectrometer for Atmospheric Chartography) and OMI ( Ozone Monitoring Instrument). The combination of the lightning and chemical sensors allows us to investigate globally the role of lightning to the abundance of NO2 in the upper troposphere ( UT). Lightning contributes 60% of the tropical upper tropospheric NO2 in GEOS- Chem simulations. The spatial and temporal distribution of NO2 enhancements from lightning ( Maylyzed.
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| 3. |
- Brohede, Samuel, 1977, et al.
(author)
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A stratospheric NO2 climatology from Odin/OSIRIS limb-scatter measurements
- 2007
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In: Canadian Journal of Physics. - 0008-4204 .- 1208-6045. ; 85:11, s. 1253-1274
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A climatology of stratospheric nitrogen dioxide (NO2), in terms of mean and standard deviation, as a function of latitude (5° bins); altitude (10–46 km in 2 km bins); local solar time (24 h); and month is constructed based on the Odin/OSIRIS limb-scattering data from 2002–2005. The measured profiles, given at specific local solar times, are scaled to all 24 h using a photochemical box model. The Odin orbit gives near global coverage around the equinoxes and hemispheric coverage elsewhere, due to lack of sunlight. The mean NO2 field at a specific local solar time involves high concentrations in the polar summer, peaking at around 25 km, with a negative equatorward gradient. Distinct high levels between 40–50° latitude at 30 km in the winter/spring hemisphere are also found, associated with the so-called {Noxon-cliff}. The diurnal cycle reveals the lowest NO2 concentrations just after sunrise and steep gradients at twilight. The 1σ standard deviation is generally quite low, around 20%, except for winter and spring high latitudes, where values are well above 50% and stretch through the entire stratosphere, a phenomenon probably related to the polar vortex. It is also found that NO2 concentrations are log-normally distributed. Comparisons to a climatology based on data from a (REPROBUS) chemical transport model for the same time period reveal relative differences below 20% in general, which is comparable to the estimated OSIRIS systematic uncertainty. Clear exceptions are the polar regions in winter/spring throughout the atmosphere and equatorial regions below 25 km, where OSIRIS is relatively higher by 40% and more. These discrepancies are most likely attributable to limitations of the model, but this has to be investigated further.
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