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The project MUSICA (MUlti-platform remote Sensing of Isotopologues for investigating the Cycle of Atmospheric water) has shown that the sensor IASI aboard the satellite MetOp can measure the free tropospheric {H2O,δD} pair distribution twice per day on a quasi-global scale. Such data are very promising for investigating tropospheric moisture pathways, however, the complex data characteristics compromise their usage in the context of model evaluation studies. Here we present a tool that allows for simulating MUSICA MetOp/IASI {H2O,δD} pair remote sensing data for a given model atmosphere, thereby creating model data that have the remote sensing data characteristics assimilated. This model data can then be compared to the MUSICA data. The retrieval simulation method is based on the physical principles of radiative transfer and we show that the uncertainty of the simulations is within the uncertainty of the MUSICA MetOp/IASI products, i.e. the retrieval simulations are reliable enough.We demonstrate the working principle of the simulator by applying it to ECHAM5-wiso model data. The few case studies clearly reveal the large potential of the MUSICA MetOp/IASI {H2O,δD} data pairs for evaluating modelled moisture pathways. The tool is made freely available in form of MATLAB and Python routines and can be easily connected to any atmospheric water vapour isotopologue model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents upper tropospheric methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) concentrations retrieved from thermal infrared spectra as observed by the remote sensor IASI (Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer) on-board the EUMETSAT/MetOp meteorological satellites. The CH4 and N2O mixing ratios are retrieved as side products of the MetOp/IASI retrieval developed for the European Research Council project MUSICA (MUlti-platform remote Sensing of Isotopologues for investigating the Cycle of Atmospheric water). The MUSICA/IASI CH4 and N2O retrieval strategy is described in detail as well as their characterisation in terms of the vertical resolution and expected errors. Theoretically, we document that MUSICA/IASI products can capture the upper tropospheric CH4 and N2O variability (at ≈300-350hPa) with a precision better than 2%. We compare the remote sensing data to coincident high precision aircraft vertical profiles taken within the HIAPER Pole-to-Pole Observations (HIPPO) project and empirically estimate a precision of 2.1% (38.2ppbv) for each individual IASI CH4 observation. The precision is improved to 1.7% (32.1ppbv) for IASI data that have been averaged within 2°×2° boxes. For N2O the empirically estimated precision is 2.7% (8.7ppbv) for each individual observation and 2.1% (6.9ppbv) for the 2°×2° averages. The empirical study works with data from the missions HIPPO1 and HIPPO5, which cover latitudes between 67°S and 80°N during typical winter and summer conditions in both hemispheres, thus being reasonably representative for global observation during different seasons. In addition, we present a product that combines the CH4 and N2O retrieval estimates. The combination is made a-posteriori and we theoretically and empirically show that the combined product has a much better precision than the individual CH4 and N2O products. For the combined product the theoretical precision is 0.8% and the comparison with HIPPO data gives an empirical precision estimate of 1.5% (26.3ppbv) when considering all individual IASI observations and of 1.2% (21.8ppbv) for the 2°×2° averages. In the case that the horizontal, vertical and temporal variation of N2O can be robustly modeled, we can easily reconstruct CH4 from the combined product and generate high quality IASI CH4 data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the lower/middle troposphere, {H2O,δD} pairs are good proxies for moisture pathways; however, their observation, in particular when using remote sensing techniques, is challenging. The project MUSICA (MUlti-platform remote Sensing of Isotopologues for investigating the Cycle of Atmospheric water) addresses this challenge by integrating the remote sensing with in situ measurement techniques. The aim is to retrieve calibrated tropospheric {H2O,δD} pairs from the middle infrared spectra measured from ground by FTIR (Fourier transform infrared) spectrometers of the NDACC (Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change) and the thermal nadir spectra measured by IASI (Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer) aboard the MetOp satellites. In this paper, we present the final MUSICA products, and discuss the characteristics and potential of the NDACC/FTIR and MetOp/IASI {H2O,δD} data pairs. First, we briefly resume the particularities of an {H2O,δD} pair retrieval. Second, we show that the remote sensing data of the final product version are absolutely calibrated with respect to H2O and δD in situ profile references measured in the subtropics, between 0 and 7 km. Third, we reveal that the {H2O,δD} pair distributions obtained from the different remote sensors are consistent and allow distinct lower/middle tropospheric moisture pathways to be identified in agreement with multi-year in situ references. Fourth, we document the possibilities of the NDACC/FTIR instruments for climatological studies (due to long-term monitoring) and of the MetOp/IASI sensors for observing diurnal signals on a quasi-global scale and with high horizontal resolution. Fifth, we discuss the risk of misinterpreting {H2O,δD} pair distributions due to incomplete processing of the remote sensing products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]