1. |
- Lossow, Stefan, 1977, et al.
(author)
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The SPARC water vapour assessment II: Profile-to-profile comparisons of stratospheric and lower mesospheric water vapour data sets obtained from satellites
- 2019
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In: Atmospheric Measurement Techniques. - : Copernicus GmbH. - 1867-1381 .- 1867-8548. ; 12:5, s. 2693-2732
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. Within the framework of the second SPARC (Stratosphere-troposphere Processes And their Role in Climate) water vapour assessment (WAVAS-II), profile-to-profile comparisons of stratospheric and lower mesospheric water vapour were performed by considering 33 data sets derived from satellite observations of 15 different instruments. These comparisons aimed to provide a picture of the typical biases and drifts in the observational database and to identify data-set-specific problems. The observational database typically exhibits the largest biases below 70 hPa, both in absolute and relative terms. The smallest biases are often found between 50 and 5 hPa. Typically, they range from 0.25 to 0.5 ppmv (5 % to 10 %) in this altitude region, based on the 50 % percentile over the different comparison results. Higher up, the biases increase with altitude overall but this general behaviour is accompanied by considerable variations. Characteristic values vary between 0.3 and 1 ppmv (4 % to 20 %). Obvious data-set-specific bias issues are found for a number of data sets. In our work we performed a drift analysis for data sets overlapping for a period of at least 36 months. This assessment shows a wide range of drifts among the different data sets that are statistically significant at the 2 σ uncertainty level. In general, the smallest drifts are found in the altitude range between about 30 and 10 hPa. Histograms considering results from all altitudes indicate the largest occurrence for drifts between 0.05 and 0.3 ppmv decade-1. Comparisons of our drift estimates to those derived from comparisons of zonal mean time series only exhibit statistically significant differences in slightly more than 3 % of the comparisons. Hence, drift estimates from profile-to-profile and zonal mean time series comparisons are largely interchangeable. As for the biases, a number of data sets exhibit prominent drift issues. In our analyses we found that the large number of MIPAS data sets included in the assessment affects our general results as well as the bias summaries we provide for the individual data sets. This is because these data sets exhibit a relative similarity with respect to the remaining data sets, despite the fact that they are based on different measurement modes and different processors implementing different retrieval choices. Because of that, we have by default considered an aggregation of the comparison results obtained from MIPAS data sets. Results without this aggregation are provided on multiple occasions to characterise the effects due to the numerous MIPAS data sets. Among other effects, they cause a reduction of the typical biases in the observational database.
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2. |
- Emmert, J. T., et al.
(author)
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NRLMSIS 2.1: An Empirical Model of Nitric Oxide Incorporated Into MSIS
- 2022
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In: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics. - 2169-9380 .- 2169-9402. ; 127:10
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We have developed an empirical model of nitric oxide (NO) number density at altitudes from similar to 73 km to the exobase, as a function of altitude, latitude, day of year, solar zenith angle, solar activity, and geomagnetic activity. The model is part of the NRLMSIS (R) 2.1 empirical model of atmospheric temperature and species densities; this upgrade to NRLMSIS 2.0 consists solely of the addition of NO. MSIS 2.1 assimilates observations from six space-based instruments: UARS/HALOE, SNOE, Envisat/MIPAS, ACE/FTS, Odin/SMR, and AIM/SOFIE. We additionally evaluated the new model against independent extant NO data sets. In this paper, we describe the formulation and fitting of the model, examine biases between the data sets and model and among the data sets, compare with another empirical NO model (NOEM), and discuss scientific aspects of our analysis.
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3. |
- Robertson, S., et al.
(author)
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Mass analysis of charged aerosol particles in NLC and PMSE during the ECOMA/MASS campaign
- 2009
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In: Annales Geophysicae. - 0992-7689 .- 1432-0576. ; :27, s. 1213-1232
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- MASS (Mesospheric Aerosol Sampling Spectrometer) is a multichannel mass spectrometer for charged aerosol particles, which was flown from the Andøya Rocket Range, Norway, through NLC and PMSE on 3 August 2007 and through PMSE on 6 August 2007. The eight-channel analyzers provided for the first time simultaneous measurements of the charge density residing on aerosol particles in four mass ranges, corresponding to ice particles with radii <0.5 nm (including ions), 0.5–1 nm, 1–2 nm, and >3 nm (approximately). Positive and negative particles were recorded on separate channels. Faraday rotation measurements provided electron density and a means of checking charge density measurements made by the spectrometer. Additional complementary measurements were made by rocket-borne dust impact detectors, electric field booms, a photometer and ground-based radar and lidar. The MASS data from the first flight showed negative charge number densities of 1500–3000 cm−3 for particles with radii >3 nm from 83–88 km approximately coincident with PMSE observed by the ALWIN radar and NLC observed by the ALOMAR lidar. For particles in the 1–2 nm range, number densities of positive and negative charge were similar in magnitude (~2000 cm−3) and for smaller particles, 0.5–1 nm in radius, positive charge was dominant. The occurrence of positive charge on the aerosol particles of the smallest size and predominately negative charge on the particles of largest size suggests that nucleation occurs on positive condensation nuclei and is followed by collection of negative charge during subsequent growth to larger size. Faraday rotation measurements show a bite-out in electron density that increases the time for positive aerosol particles to be neutralized and charged negatively. The larger particles (>3 nm) are observed throughout the NLC region, 83–88 km, and the smaller particles are observed primarily at the high end of the range, 86–88 km. The second flight into PMSE alone at 84–88 km, found only small number densities (~500 cm−3) of particles >3 nm in a narrow altitude range, 86.5–87.5 km. Both positive (~2000 cm−3) and negative (~4500 cm−3) particles with radii 1–2 nm were detected from 85–87.5 km.
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4. |
- Kiefer, M., et al.
(author)
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The SPARC water vapour assessment II: biases and drifts of water vapour satellite data records with respect to frost point hygrometer records
- 2023
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In: Atmospheric Measurement Techniques. - 1867-1381 .- 1867-8548. ; 16:19, s. 4589-4642
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Satellite data records of stratospheric water vapour have been compared to balloon-borne frost point hygrometer (FP) profiles that are coincident in space and time. The satellite data records of 15 different instruments cover water vapour data available from January 2000 through December 2016. The hygrometer data are from 27 stations all over the world in the same period. For the comparison, real or constructed averaging kernels have been applied to the hygrometer profiles to adjust them to the measurement characteristics of the satellite instruments. For bias evaluation, we have compared satellite profiles averaged over the available temporal coverage to the means of coincident FP profiles for individual stations. For drift determinations, we analysed time series of relative differences between spatiotemporally coincident satellite and hygrometer profiles at individual stations. In a synopsis we have also calculated the mean biases and drifts (and their respective uncertainties) for each satellite record over all applicable hygrometer stations in three altitude ranges (10-30 hPa, 30-100 hPa, and 100 hPa to tropopause). Most of the satellite data have biases <10 % and average drifts <1 % yr-1 in at least one of the respective altitude ranges. Virtually all biases are significant in the sense that their uncertainty range in terms of twice the standard error of the mean does not include zero. Statistically significant drifts (95 % confidence) are detected for 35 % of the ≈ 1200 time series of relative differences between satellites and hygrometers.
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5. |
- Nedoluha, G.E., et al.
(author)
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The SPARC water vapor assessment II: intercomparison of satellite and ground-based microwave measurements
- 2017
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In: Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. - : Copernicus GmbH. - 1680-7316 .- 1680-7324. ; 17:23, s. 14543-14558
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- As part of the second SPARC (Stratosphere-troposphere Processes And their Role in Climate) water vapor assessment (WAVAS-II), we present measurements taken from or coincident with seven sites from which ground-based microwave instruments measure water vapor in the middle atmosphere. Six of the ground-based instruments are part of the Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change (NDACC) and provide datasets that can be used for drift and trend assessment. We compare measurements from these ground-based instruments with satellite datasets that have provided retrievals of water vapor in the lower mesosphere over extended periods since 1996. We first compare biases between the satellite and ground-based instruments from the upper stratosphere to the upper mesosphere. We then show a number of time series comparisons at 0.46 hPa, a level that is sensitive to changes in H2O and CH4 entering the stratosphere but, because almost all CH4 has been oxidized, is relatively insensitive to dynamical variations. Interannual variations and drifts are investigated with respect to both the Aura Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS; from 2004 onwards) and each instrument's climatological mean. We find that the variation in the interannual difference in the mean H2O measured by any two instruments is typically similar to 1%. Most of the datasets start in or after 2004 and show annual increases in H2O of 0-1% yr(-1). In particular, MLS shows a trend of between 0.5% yr(-1) and 0.7% yr(-1) at the comparison sites. However, the two longest measurement datasets used here, with measurements back to 1996, show much smaller trends of +0.1% yr(-1) (at Mauna Loa, Hawaii) and -0.1% yr(-1) (at Lauder, New Zealand).
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6. |
- Knutson, Folke, et al.
(author)
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A prospective, active haemovigilance study with combined cohort analysis of 19 175 transfusions of platelet components prepared with amotosalen-UVA photochemical treatment
- 2015
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In: Vox Sanguinis. - : Wiley. - 0042-9007 .- 1423-0410. ; 109:4, s. 343-352
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background and Objectives A photochemical treatment process (PCT) utilizing amotosalen and UVA light (INTERCEPT (TM) Blood System) has been developed for inactivation of viruses, bacteria, parasites and leucocytes that can contaminate blood components intended for transfusion. The objective of this study was to further characterize the safety profile of INTERCEPT-treated platelet components (PCT-PLT) administered across a broad patient population. Materials and Methods This open-label, observational haemovigilance programme of PCT-PLT transfusions was conducted in 21 centres in 11 countries. All transfusions were monitored for adverse events within 24 h post-transfusion and for serious adverse events (SAEs) up to 7 days post-transfusion. All adverse events were assessed for severity (Grade 0-4), and causal relationship to PCT-PLT transfusion. Results Over the course of 7 years in the study centres, 4067 patients received 19 175 PCT-PLT transfusions. Adverse events were infrequent, and most were of Grade 1 severity. On a per-transfusion basis, 123 (0.6%) were classified an acute transfusion reaction (ATR) defined as an adverse event related to the transfusion. Among these ATRs, the most common were chills (77, 0.4%) and urticaria (41, 0.2%). Fourteen SAEs were reported, of which 2 were attributed to platelet transfusion (<0.1%). No case of transfusion-related acute lung injury, transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease, transfusion-transmitted infection or death was attributed to the transfusion of PCT-PLT. Conclusion This longitudinal haemovigilance safety programme to monitor PCT-PLT transfusions demonstrated a low rate of ATRs, and a safety profile consistent with that previously reported for conventional platelet components.
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7. |
- Plieninger, J., et al.
(author)
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Validation of revised methane and nitrous oxide profiles from MIPAS-ENVISAT
- 2016
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In: Atmospheric Measurement Techniques. - : Copernicus GmbH. - 1867-1381 .- 1867-8548. ; 9:2, s. 765-779
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Improved versions of CH4 and N2O profiles derived at the Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research and Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (CSIC) from spectra measured by the Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding (MIPAS) have become available. For the MIPAS full-resolution period (2002-2004) these are V5H-CH4-21 and V5H-N2O-21 and for the reduced-resolution period (2005-2012) these are V5R-CH4-224, V5R-CH4-225, V5R-N2O-224 and V5R-N2O-225. Here, we compare CH4 profiles to those measured by the Fourier Transform Spectrometer on board of the Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment (ACE-FTS), the HALogen Occultation Experiment (HALOE) and the Scanning Imaging Absorption Spectrometer for Atmospheric CHartographY (SCIAMACHY), to the Global Cooperative Air Sampling Network (GCASN) surface data. We find the MIPAS CH4 profiles below 25 km to be typically higher of the order of 0.1 ppmv for both measurement periods. N2O profiles are compared to those measured by ACE-FTS, the Microwave Limb Sounder on board of the Aura satellite (Aura-MLS) and the Sub-millimetre Radiometer on board of the Odin satellite (Odin-SMR) as well as to the Halocarbons and other Atmospheric Trace Species Group (HATS) surface data. The mixing ratios of the satellite instruments agree well with each other for the full-resolution period. For the reduced-resolution period, MIPAS produces similar values as Odin-SMR, but higher values than ACE-FTS and HATS. Below 27 km, the MIPAS profiles show higher mixing ratios than Aura-MLS, and lower values between 27 and 41 km. Cross-comparisons between the two MIPAS measurement periods show that they generally agree quite well, but, especially for CH4, the reduced-resolution period seems to produce slightly higher mixing ratios than the full-resolution data.
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9. |
- Lazaridis, Iosif, et al.
(author)
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Ancient human genomes suggest three ancestral populations for present-day Europeans
- 2014
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In: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 513:7518, s. 409-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We sequenced the genomes of a similar to 7,000-year-old farmer from Germany and eight similar to 8,000-year-old hunter-gatherers from Luxembourg and Sweden. We analysed these and other ancient genomes(1-4) with 2,345 contemporary humans to show that most present-day Europeans derive from at least three highly differentiated populations: west European hunter-gatherers, who contributed ancestry to all Europeans but not to Near Easterners; ancient north Eurasians related to Upper Palaeolithic Siberians(3), who contributed to both Europeans and Near Easterners; and early European farmers, who were mainly of Near Eastern origin but also harboured west European hunter-gatherer related ancestry. We model these populations' deep relationships and show that early European farmers had similar to 44% ancestry from a 'basal Eurasian' population that split before the diversification of other non-African lineages.
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10. |
- Russell, James M., III, et al.
(author)
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Analysis of northern midlatitude noctilucent cloud occurrences using satellite data and modeling
- 2014
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In: Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres. - 2169-897X. ; 119:6, s. 3238-3250
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Motivated by numerous ground-based noctilucent cloud (NLC) sightings at latitudes as low as similar to 40 degrees N in recent years, we have conducted a study to determine if there have been any systematic NLC increases in the midnorthern latitudes. This question is addressed through investigating both the measured and modeled polar mesospheric cloud (PMC) occurrence frequencies. Temperature measured by the SABER instrument on the TIMED satellite over the 2002-2011 time period and a 7 year water vapor climatology developed from the data measured by the MLS instrument on the Aura satellite for the 2005-2011 period are used to simulate midlatitude PMCs. PMCs measured by the OSIRIS instrument on the Odin satellite and the SHIMMER instrument on the STPSat-1 satellite are used to extensively validate the model-generated PMC results. After validating the model against the PMC data, the model results were used to examine changes in the PMCs at midlatitudes between 2002 and 2011. The results show a statistically significant increase in the number of PMCs each season in the latitude range 40 degrees N-55 degrees N for the 10 year period examined. Increases in cloud frequency appear to be driven by the corresponding temperature decreases over the same time period. During this time, solar activity decreased from an active to a quiet period, which might have been partially responsible for the temperature decrease over this time period.
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