KEYWORDS: Temperature metrology, Satellites, Data processing, Environmental sensing, Data centers, Stratosphere, Meteorology, Data analysis, Earth observing sensors, Mesosphere
MIPAS on ENVISAT measures vertical profiles of atmospheric temperature, ozone, and other species with nearly global coverage and
high accuracy/precision. The standard observation mode covers the altitude region between 6 and 68 km. The atmospheric state parameters
retrieved from MIPAS measurements using the IMK data analysis processor are compared with a number of other satellite observations. Our comparisons in this paper will focus on temperatures measured by MIPAS, HALOE, SABER, and UKMO Stratospheric Assimilated Data. Both individual profiles and zonal means measured by MIPAS and other
instruments at different seasons and geolocations show reasonable agreement, though some differences exist due to characteristics of the
individual instruments and observation scenarios. The MIPAS measurements during the stratospheric major sudden warming during the southern hemisphere winter of 2002 are also presented to show the
features of this unusual event. The analysis indicates the reliability of MIPAS-IMK data products and their capability for providing valuable scientific information.
On 1 March 2002 the Envisat research satellite has been launched successfully into its sun-synchronous orbit. One of its instruments for atmospheric composition sounding is the Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding, a limb-scanning mid-infrared Fourier transform spectrometer. Different scientific objectives of data users require different approaches to data analysis, which are discussed. A strategy on how to validate the involved algorithms and relevant strategies is presented.
On March 1, 2002 the space-borne limb viewing mid-infrared high-resolution Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding (MIPAS) has been brought on board the ENVISAT satellite into a polar sun-synchroneous orbit. Although the level-1 testing and validation phase has not been finished, ESA has made available datasets of 4 early orbits to several groups involved in MIPAS calibration/validation; the groups have been given the opportunity for functionality tests of their analysis codes. We here present some example results of the IMK/IAA MIPAS level-2 processor the concept of which is presented in a companion paper. Temperatures retrieved along the orbits are compared to ECMWF data. Processing parameters as chosen in pre-launch studies, such as cloud identification thresholds, microwindow selection, or instrument characteristics, are discussed. Preliminary retrievals for various atmospheric conditions are shown.
Spectral limb radiances measured by the Michelson Interferometer
for Passive Atmospheric Sounding (MIPAS) onboard the Envisat
Environmental research satellite are characterized in
terms of instrument line shape (ILS), noise equivalent spectral
radiance (NESR) and possible impact of non-local thermodynamic
equilibrium emission in deep space calibration spectra.
Furthermore, it is assessed if the operational processing baseline
to set the top of the model atmosphere to 120~km is justified.
The major findings are: The ILS parametrization provided along
with the measurement data is sub-optimal; spectral residuals can
be reduced by application of an ILS correction function. Spectral
noise as estimated in this study is systematically lower than the
values provided along with the measurement data. There is no
evidence for significant noise correlations in the spectral
domain. There is no indication of non-local thermodynaic equilibrium
induced upper atmospheric signal in the so-called 'deep-space'
spectra which are used for the radiometric zero-level calibration.
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