First Results on the DOAS-Retrieval of OClO from SCIAMACHY Nadir Measurements

Abstract

The Scanning Imaging Absorption Spectrometer for Atmospheric Chartography was launched successfully onboard ENVISAT on March 1, 2002. It observes solar radiation transmitted, backscattered from the atmosphere and reflected from the ground in nadir, limb and occultation viewing modes. Chlorinedioxide (OClO), an important indicator for stratospheric chlorine activation, can be measured in the UV spectral range by Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (DOAS). First results of the DOAS retrieval of OClO slant column densities (SCDs) from the SCIAMACHY measurements are presented. The influence of several parameters like the wavelength range chosen as fitting window or the reference spectra included in the fit on the quality of the retrieval is examined. It is found that a proper correction of polarisation features in the spectra is essential for a good DOAS analysis of OClO. The OClO SCDs derived from SCIAMACHY are compared to measurements of the Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment (GOME) which has successfully measured OClO since 1995. SCIAMACHY flies in the same orbit, but measures approx. 30 minutes earlier than GOME. As OClO shows a strong diurnal variation, this leads to differences in the observed column densities, which may be useful to investigate the photochemistry of OClO and related compounds. Also, the spatial resolution of SCIAMACHY is higher (30*60 km^2 compared to 40*320 km^2 for GOME), which will allow a more detailed study of small scale effects like e.g. chlorine activation in mountain waves.

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