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At least 199 records · Page 11

Tropospheric Total Ozone in the Region of the Equatorial south Atlantic Ocean

As a consequence of the SHADOZ effort it is possible to examine Tropospheric Total Ozone TTO, over Ascension Island (8S,14W) and compare results with similar ozone soundings for the period July 1990 through October 1992. Because of the nearly 20-year long cooperation between NASA and INPE it is possible to also compare the Ascension Island results with the long-term ozone data set available from Natal, Brazil (6S,35W). The Natal site meets requirements of the SHADOZ program. The tropopause is determined objectively using the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) criteria and the radiosonde's temperature and altitude parameters. Once tropopause heights are determined TTO can be calculated. Time-series profiles illustrate changes in TTO over the period of record.

Schmidlin, Francis J.↗

Sighting of El Chichon sulfur dioxide clouds with the Nimbus 7 total ozone mapping spectrometer

The eruptions of El Chichon volcano on March 28 and April 3 and 4, 1982 were observed by the Nimbus 7 total ozone mapping spectrometer due to strong absorption by volcanic gases at the shortest wavelengths of the spectrometer (312.5 and 317.5 nm). These ultraviolet pictures permit a measurement of the volume, dispersion, and drift of volcanic gas clouds. The tropospheric clouds were rapidly dispersed in westerly winds while persistent stratospheric clouds drifted in easterly winds at speeds up to 13 m/sec. The spectral reflectance is consistent with sulfur dioxide absorption and rules out carbon disulfide as a major constituent. A preliminary estimate of the mass of sulfur dioxide deposited in the stratosphere by the large eruptions on April 3 and 4 is 3.3 million tons. Prior estimates of volcanic cloud volume were based on extrapolation of locally measured sulfur dioxide concentrations.

Krueger, A. J.↗

Comparison of backscatter ultraviolet /BUV/ and ground-based total ozone fields for December 1970

For the period December 1970, comparison is made between the monthly average analyses (mapped fields) of the backscatter ultraviolet (BUV) total ozone data and the ground-based observations. In particular, significant differences of over 50 Dobson units are noted over the region of the North Atlantic Ocean with the BUV of greater magnitude than the ground-based data. As part of the overall verification program, both analyses are compared against the 100 mb height fields. The results indicate that the BUV analysis in the region of question is the more consistent of the two.

Miller, A. J.↗

Long-term changes in the total ozone mapping spectrometer relative to world primary standard Dobson spectrometer 83

The stability of the calibration of the Nimbus 7 solar backscatter UV (SBUV) and total ozone mapping spectrometer (TOMS) instruments by comparing their ozone measurements with those made by a single, very stable Dobson instrument: the world primary standard Dobson spectrometer number 83. Measurements of ozone made with instrument 83 at Mauna Loa observatory in eight summers between 1979 and 1989 were compared with coincident TOMS ozone measurements. The comparison shows that relative to instrument 83, ozone measured by TOMS (and SBUV) was stable between 1979 and approximately 1983, had decreased by 3 percent by 1986, and had decreased by almost 7 percent by 1989. A similar time dependence is seen when data from an ensemble of 39 Dobson stations throughout the world is compared with TOMS over the period 1979-1987. The most likely reason for the relative drift is that the diffuser plate used by both SBUV and TOMS to measure solar flux has suffered an uncorrected wavelength-dependent degradation, with most of the degradation occurring after 1983. The recently released version 6 TOMS data, corrected using the internal 'pair justification' technique, show almost no drift relative to Dobson instrument 83. Accurate measurements of long-term global ozone change will require a coherent system incorporating both ground-based and satellite-based ozone measurements.

Mcpeters, Richard D.↗

Seasonal and interannual variations in total ozone revealed by the Nimbus 4 backscattered ultraviolet experiment

The first 2 years of backscattered ultraviolet (BUV) ozone data from the Nimbus 4 spacecraft have been processed to a more refined level. The seasonal variations of total ozone for the period April 1970 to April 1972 are described using daily means for 10 deg latitude zones and a time-latitude cross section. In addition, the BUV data are compared with analyzed Dobson data and with infrared interferometer spectrometer data also obtained from the Nimbus 4 spacecraft. A harmonic analysis was performed on the daily zonal means. Amplitudes, days of peak ozone values, and percentage of variance have been computed for the annual and semiannual waves and for higher harmonics of an annual period for the 2 years. Asymmetries are found in the annual waves in the two hemispheres, with a subtle interannual difference which may be due to changes in the general circulation. A significant semiannual component is detected in the tropics for the first year. This component appears to result from influences of the annual waves in the two hemispheres. A search for shorter periods using the harmonic analysis revealed no periodicity whose amplitude was higher than the noise level.

Hilsenrath, E.↗

The solar UV related changes in total ozone from a solar rotation to a solar cycle

The Nimbus-7 TOMS version 6 data, corrected for the instrument degradation, are analyzed to delineate the solar UV related changes in total ozone (TOZ) against background signals of dynamical origin. It is shown that the solar UV related change in TOZ over a solar cycle is about 1.5 percent that may be attributed to about 6 percent change in the solar UV flux near 200 nm. This estimate is also consistent with the solar UV related changes in TOZ over a time scale of a solar rotation. In the solar rotation case, ozone lags the solar UV by 3-4 days and its sensitivity to solar UV change is a factor of 2-3 less than for the solar cycle case. Both these effects are attributed to chemical time constants in the lower stratosphere that are comparable to the period of a solar rotation.

Chandra, S.↗

Seasonal variations of total ozone revealed by the Nimbus-4 BUV data set

Backscattered ultraviolet (BUV) data from the Nimbus-4 spacecraft for the period 1970-1977 have been processed to a refined level. The seasonal and interannual variations of total ozone are examined on a global scale, using daily zonal means of 10 deg latitude bands and a time-latitude cross section. A harmonic analysis was performed on the daily zonal means and the amplitude, days of peak ozone values, and percentage of variance were computed for the annual, semiannual and higer harmonics for several years and each year. A clear quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) was revealed from the tropics to midlatitudes after removing the mean annual wave. Asymmetries in the annual wave in the two hemispheres found earlier for the period 1970-1972 persist through the entire observation period. Interannual variations appear to be the result of the QBO of ozone from low to midlatitudes. Asymmetries in the QBO amplitude phase, and period were also detected in the two hemispheres.

Hilsenrath, E.↗

Regional correlation between TOMS total ozone from NIMBUS-7 satellite and geopotential height from the GLAS analysis

In order to study the relation between zone and the atmospheric circulation on a global scale the global correlation has been computed between TOMS total ozone measurements from NIMBUS-7 satellite and collocated geopotential heights analysis at all mandatory pressure levels between 1000-50 mb. The heights are obtained from the 4 deg x 5 deg GLAS analysis that uses both conventional (rawinsonde) and the operational TIROS-N satellite soundings but no ozone data. Zonal averages have been substracted to eliminate the correlation due merely to latitudinal dependence, and emphasize the correlation associated with synoptic features. Tables are presented with correlation coefficients for the four synoptic times covering the Pacific Ocean, Asia, Europe and the Atlantic Ocean, and United States regions. These coverages are approximate since NIMBUS-7 does not observe exactly the same region each day.

Munteanu, M. J.↗

Estimation of Smoothing Error in SBUV Profile and Total Ozone Retrieval

Data from the Nimbus-4, Nimbus-7 Solar Backscatter Ultra Violet (SBUV) and seven of the NOAA series of SBUV/2 instruments spanning 41 years are being reprocessed using V8.6 algorithm. The data are scheduled to be released by the end of August 2011. An important focus of the new algorithm is to estimate various sources of errors in the SBUV profiles and total ozone retrievals. We discuss here the smoothing errors that describe the components of the profile variability that the SBUV observing system can not measure. The SBUV(/2) instruments have a vertical resolution of 5 km in the middle stratosphere, decreasing to 8 to 10 km below the ozone peak and above 0.5 hPa. To estimate the smoothing effect of the SBUV algorithm, the actual statistics of the fine vertical structure of ozone profiles must be known. The covariance matrix of the ensemble of measured ozone profiles with the high vertical resolution would be a formal representation of the actual ozone variability. We merged the MLS (version 3) and sonde ozone profiles to calculate the covariance matrix, which in general case, for single profile retrieval, might be a function of the latitude and month. Using the averaging kernels of the SBUV(/2) measurements and calculated total covariance matrix one can estimate the smoothing errors for the SBUV ozone profiles. A method to estimate the smoothing effect of the SBUV algorithm is described and the covariance matrixes and averaging kernels are provided along with the SBUV(/2) ozone profiles. The magnitude of the smoothing error varies with altitude, latitude, season and solar zenith angle. The analysis of the smoothing errors, based on the SBUV(/2) monthly zonal mean time series, shows that the largest smoothing errors were detected in the troposphere and might be as large as 15-20% and rapidly decrease with the altitude. In the stratosphere above 40 hPa the smoothing errors are less than 5% and between 10 and 1 hPa the smoothing errors are on the order of 1%. We validate our estimated smoothing errors by comparing the SBUV ozone profiles with other ozone profiling sensors.

Kramarova, N. A.↗

The morphology and meteorology of Southern Hemisphere spring total ozone mini-holes

Two case studies of miniholes, rapid ozone decreases, noted in 1987 near the base of the Antarctic peninsula are studied using a digital filter. The results show a strong correlation of the total ozone minihole with a temperature minihole (a negative temperature perturbation), and a westward tilt with altitude of the temperature minihole. The ozone minihole is phase shifted both slightly to the east of a high in the geopotential height field and slightly to the west of a local low in the Ertel potential vorticity field.

Newman, Paul A.↗

Demonstration of AIRS Total Ozone Products to Operations to Enhance User Readiness

Cyclogenesis is a key forecast challenge at operational forecasting centers such as WPC and OPC, so these centers have a particular interest in unique products that can identify key storm features. In some cases, explosively developing extratropical cyclones can produce hurricane force, non-convective winds along the East Coast and north Atlantic as well as the Pacific Ocean, with the potential to cause significant damage to life and property. Therefore, anticipating cyclogenesis for these types of storms is crucial for furthering the NOAA goal of a "Weather Ready Nation". Over the last few years, multispectral imagery (i.e. RGB) products have gained popularity among forecasters. The GOES-R satellite champion at WPC/OPC has regularly evaluated the Air Mass RGB products from GOES Sounder, MODIS, and SEVIRI to aid in forecasting cyclogenesis as part of ongoing collaborations with SPoRT within the framework of the GOES-R Proving Ground. WPC/OPC has used these products to identify regions of stratospheric air associated with tropopause folds that can lead to cyclogenesis and hurricane force winds. RGB products combine multiple channels or channel differences into multi-color imagery in which different colors represent a particular cloud or air mass type. Initial interaction and feedback from forecasters evaluating the legacy Air Mass RGBs revealed some uncertainty regarding what physical processes the qualitative RGB products represent and color interpretation. To enhance forecaster confidence and interpretation of the Air Mass RGB, NASA SPoRT has transitioned a total column ozone product from AIRS retrievals to the WPC/OPC. The use of legacy AIRS demonstrates future JPSS capabilities possible with CrIS or OMPS. Since stratospheric air can be identified by anomalous potential vorticity and warm, dry, ozone-rich air, hyperspectral infrared sounder ozone products can be used in conjunction with the Air Mass RGB for identifying the role of stratospheric air in explosive cyclogenesis and hurricane force wind events. Currently, forecasters at WPC/OPC are evaluating the Air Mass RGB imagery in conjunction with the AIRS total column ozone to aid forecasting cyclogenesis and high wind forecasts. One of the limitations of the total ozone product is that it is difficult for forecasters to determine whether elevated ozone concentrations are related to stratospheric air or climatologically high values of ozone in certain regions. To address this limitation, SPoRT created an AIRS ozone anomaly product which calculates the percent of normal ozone based on a global stratospheric ozone mean climatology. With the knowledge that ozone values 125 percent of normal and greater typically represent stratospheric air; the anomaly product can be used with the total column ozone product to confirm regions of stratospheric air on the Air Mass RGB. This presentation describes the generation of these products along with forecaster feedback concerning the use of the AIRS ozone products in conjunction with the Air Mass RGB product for the unique forecast challenges WPC/OPC face. Additionally examples of CrIS ozone and anomaly products will be shown to further demonstrate the utility and capability of JPSS in forecasting unique events.

Berndt, Emily↗

GOME Total Ozone and Calibration Error Derived Usign Version 8 TOMS Algorithm

The Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment (GOME) is a hyper-spectral satellite instrument measuring the ultraviolet backscatter at relatively high spectral resolution. GOME radiances have been slit averaged to emulate measurements of the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) made at discrete wavelengths and processed using the new TOMS Version 8 Ozone Algorithm. Compared to Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (DOAS) techniques based on local structure in the Huggins Bands, the TOMS uses differential absorption between a pair of wavelengths including the local stiucture as well as the background continuum. This makes the TOMS Algorithm more sensitive to ozone, but it also makes the algorithm more sensitive to instrument calibration errors. While calibration adjustments are not needed for the fitting techniques like the DOAS employed in GOME algorithms, some adjustment is necessary when applying the TOMS Algorithm to GOME. Using spectral discrimination at near ultraviolet wavelength channels unabsorbed by ozone, the GOME wavelength dependent calibration drift is estimated and then checked using pair justification. In addition, the day one calibration offset is estimated based on the residuals of the Version 8 TOMS Algorithm. The estimated drift in the 2b detector of GOME is small through the first four years and then increases rapidly to +5% in normalized radiance at 331 nm relative to 385 nm by mid 2000. The lb detector appears to be quite well behaved throughout this time period.

Gleason, J.↗

Influence of the annual cycle in meridional transport on the quasi-biennial oscillation in total ozone

The equatorial stratospheric quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) in zonal wind and temperature is observed to be symmetric about the equator. The QBO in column ozone, although it is believed to be caused primarily by vertical displacements due to the meridional circulation associated with the equatorial temperature QBO, is asymmetric with respect to the equator, and is strongly linked to the phase of the annual cycle. In this note a simple one-layer model is used to demonstrate that the gross features of the observed QBO in total ozone can be attributed to meridional advection of the ozone perturbation by the annually reversing mean meridional Hadley circulation. This advection causes a displacement of the equatorial ozone anomaly toward the winter hemisphere, and thus produces an asymmetry with respect to the equator. It also modulates the amplitude of the ozone QBO, since the phase of the equatorial wind QBO with respect to the annual cycle may produce either constructive or destructive interference beween the effects of the annually reversing meridional transport and the vertical advection by the equatorial wind QBO.

Holton, James R.↗

Total ozone variations 1970-74 using Backscattered Ultraviolet /BUV/ and ground-based observations

The most long-lived satellite set of ozone observations, to date, is that derived from the Backscatter Ultraviolet (BUV) ozone sensor on Nimbus 4 and extends from April 1970 through 1976. Unfortunately, this experiment suffered spacecraft power limitations which limited the spatial and temporal coverage and also appears to have suffered from long-term drifts which may be associated with changes in the instrument characteristics or the incident solar flux. Techniques have been developed to account for these problems, and this paper presents results of the BUV total ozone variations and compares them with those from ground-based observations, specifically the computations of Angell and Korshover (1978). After adjustments for the spatial gaps and comparison with concurrent Dobson ground-based observations, no significant trend was found in the BUV data over the years 1970-74. This finding is in contrast to a general decrease of about 2% during the same period appearing in the data of Angell and Korshover. The difference in these results is discussed in terms of the geographic sampling and the methods of hemispheric integration.

Miller, A. J.↗

UV-B radiation amplification factor determined based on the simultaneous observation of total ozone and global spectral irradiance

The Japan Meteorological Agency started the spectral observation of solar ultraviolet (UV) irradiance on 1 January 1990 at Tateno, Aerological Observatory in Tsukuba (35 deg N, 140 deg E). The observation has been carried out using the Brewer spectrophotometer for the wavelengths from 290 to 325 nm with a 0.5 nm interval every hour from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset throughout a year. Because of remarkable similarity within observed spectra, an observed spectrum can be expressed by a simple combination of a reference spectrum and two parameters expressing the deformation of the observed spectrum from the reference. By use of the relation between one of the deformation parameters and the total ozone simultaneously observed with the Dobson spectrophotometer, the possible increase of UV irradiance due to ozone depletion is estimated. For damaging UV, the irradiance possibly increases about 19 percent with the ozone depletion of 10 percent at noon throughout the year in the northern midlatitudes. DUV at noon on the summer solstice possibly increases about 5.6 percent with the ozone depletion of 10 m atm-cm for all latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere.

Ito, T.↗

Global tropospheric and total ozone monitoring with a Double-Etalon Fabry-Perot interferometer

Knowledge of the global scale distribution of atmospheric ozone and its temporal variability can be achieved using a satellite-based nadir-viewing device making high spectral resolution measurements with high signal-to-noise ratios. This would enable observation in the pressure-broadened wings of strong O3 lines while minimizing the impact of undesirable signal contributions associated with, for example, the terrestrial surface and interfering species. The Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) provides high spectral resolution and high throughput capabilities that are essential for this measurement task. The periodic nature of the Fabry-Perot instrument function can be advantageous when observation of periodic spectra is desired. However, for most applications, additional optical elements are necessary to reduce the effect of unwanted passbands. This is frequently accomplished using additional Fabry-Perot etalons in a series configuration in conjunction with a bandpass filter. This paper discusses a Fabry-Perot interferometer conceptual instrument design to achieve tropospheric and total ozone monitoring capability from a satellite-based nadir-viewing geometry. The design involves a double-etalon fixed-gap series configuration FPI along with an ultra-narrow bandpass filter to achieve single-order operation with an overall spectral resolution of approximately .068 cm(exp -1). The impact of inter-etalon reflections has been reduced to acceptable levels by placement of a slightly attenuating medium in between the etalons. A passive device is selected for low power consumption, and continuous day/night coverage, independent of solar zenith angle, is enabled by observing within the strong 9.6 micron ozone infrared band. The IR-FPI detection will be performed through implementation of the new Circle to Line Interferometer Optical (CLIO) system, developed by researchers at the Space Physics Research Laboratory (SPRL) of the University of Michigan, to accomplish focal plane fringe detection; the CLIO system converts the circular interferometric fringes into a linear pattern which then can be detected by conventional linear array detectors. A multiplex signal advantage is achievable as all necessary frequencies can be measured simultaneously using a multichannel configuration. Through proper selection of channel spectral regions, the FPI optimized for tropospheric O3 measurements can simultaneously observe a stratospheric component and thus the total O3 column abundance.

Larar, Allen M.↗

Ozone depletion at northern and southern latitudes derived from January 1979 to December 1991 Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer data

An extended version of the Nimbus 7/TOMS ozone data set from the period January 1, 1979 to December 31, 1991 is presented. It is shown that the ozone-trend data indicate that regions of enhanced ozone depletion rates have formed at middle and high latitudes during recent years. The seasonal dependence and geographical extent of the enhanced ozone-depletion rates for the Northern and Southern hemispheres are examined. The variability of the long-term ozone trend determination is discussed via consideration of the differences among 11-, 12-, and 13-yr trend calculations. The effects of the Mount Pinatubo eruption and other volcanic eruptions on the TOMS equatorial zonal average ozone measurements, and its influence on long-term trend determinations are discussed. On the basis of a determination of the aerosol phase function using TOMS data, the effect of stratospheric aerosols on determination of ozone amounts from TOMS are shown to be less than 1 percent.

Herman, J. R.↗

A Post-2013 Dropoff in Total Ozone at a Third of Global Ozonesonde Stations: Electrochemical Concentration Cell Instrument Artifacts?

An international effort to improve ozonesonde data quality and to reevaluate historical recordshas made significant improvements in the accuracy of global network data. However, between 2014 and2016, ozonesonde total column ozone (TCO; O3) at 14 of 37 regularly reporting stations exhibited a suddendropoff relative to satellite measurements. The ozonesonde TCO drop is 3–7% compared to satellite andground‐based TCO, and 5–10% or more compared to satellite stratospheric O3profiles, compromising theuse of recent data for trends, although they remain reliable for other uses. Hardware changes in theozonesonde instrument are likely a major factor in the O3dropoff, but no single property of the ozonesondeexplains thefindings. The bias remains in recent data. Research to understand the dropoff is in progress; thisletter is intended as a caution to users of the data. Ourfindings underscore the importance of regularozonesonde data evaluation.

ozonesonde TCO drop↗