EOS Validation Program

Institution: Christopher Newport University
                    NASA Langley Research Center
                    M/S 472
                    Hampton, VA 23681-0001
Phone: (757) 864-7599
FAX: (757) 864-8818
E-mail: n.s.pougatchev@larc.nasa.gov

June 1999
Final Report, March 2003

The gas filter correlation radiometer MOPITT (Measurement Of Pollution In The Troposphere) will be launched aboard of the EOS AM-1 platform. The instrument will generate science data products of three levels [Wang et al., 1996]. The proposed work addresses the validation of level 2 data products, i.e. Product MOP2.1: Tropospheric CO profiles; Product MOP2.2: CO total columns; and Product MOP2.3: CH4 total columns.

It is based on the same principle as CO remote sensor MAPS which flew four times aboard U.S. space shuttle. Ground-based infrared solar spectroscopic measurements of CO have been successfully used for validation of the MAPS data [Pougatchev et al., 1997a].

Therefore we propose to use these technique, approaches, and experience for validation of the MOPITT measurements.

In particular, we propose:

1.To be consistent with the MOPITT global coverage, high resolution solar infrared spectra will be recorded by the international team on a regular basis at 12 (twelve) scientific stations including: Kitt Peak (USA), Lauder (New Zealand), Egbert and Eureka (Canada), Spitsbergen (Norway), Harestua (Sweden), Rikubetsu and Moshiri (Japan), Jungfraujoch (Switzerland), Zugspitze (Germany), Zvenigorod and Kislovodsk (Russia).

2.For the MOPITT validation, total columns of the CO and CH4 will be retrieved from the recorded spectra. Additionally, elements of the CO vertical distribution will also be inferred [Pougatchev and Rinsland, 1995]. Long-path surface measurements of CO and CH4 will also be performed at the summit of Zugspitze. The retrieval procedure will be optimized for each station to improve the accuracy of the spectroscopic measurements. Averaging kernel formalism will be used to characterize the spectroscopic measurements and make them explicitly comparable to the MOPITT data.

3.Final data processing and quality control, will be performed by the principal investigator who will be an interface between the international team and the MOPITT instrument science team.