A framework for accurate, long-term, global and high resolution observations of tropospheric H2O-δD pairs—a MUSICA review [Discussion paper]

In the lower/middle troposphere H2O-δD pairs are good proxies for moisture pathways, however their observation is challenging. The project MUSICA (MUlti-platform remote Sensing of Isotopologues for investigating the Cycle of Atmospheric water) addresses this challenge by integrating remote sensing with in-situ measurement techniques. The aim is to retrieve accurate tropospheric H2O-δD pairs from the middle infrared spectra measured from ground by the 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 review the MUSICA framework, present the final MUSICA products, and outline the NDACC/FTIR’s and METOP/IASI’s potential for observing accurate and consistent 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 empirically demonstrate that the calibrated remote sensing H2O-δD pairs can identify different lower/middle tropospheric moisture pathways and advert to the risk of misinterpretations caused by an incorrect processing of such remote sensing data. Fourth, we reveal that the different sensors (NDACC/FTIR instruments, MetOp/IASI-A, and MetOp/IASI-B) provide consistent H2O-δD pairs for very distinct atmospheric clear sky conditions. Fifth, we document the unique possibilities of the NDACC/FTIR instruments for providing long-term records (important for climatological studies) and of the MetOp/IASI sensors for observing diurnal signals on quasi global scale and with high horizontal resolution. This study has been conducted in the framework of the project MUSICA which is funded by the European Research Council under the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) / ERC Grant agreement number 256961. E. Sepúlveda is supported by the Ministerio de Economía and Competitividad of Spain for the project NOVIA (CGL2012-37505). The aircraft campaign has been co-funded by the project MUSICA and the Spanish national project AMISOC (CGL2011-24891). The AERONET sun photometer at Izaña (PI: Dr. Emilio Cuevas) has been calibrated within AERONET EUROPE TNA supported by the European Community Research Infrastructure Action under the FP7 Capacities program for Integrating Activities, ACTRIS grant agreement number 262254. The Izaña aerosol in-situ measurements are part of the project POLLINDUST (CGL2011-26259) funded by the Minister of Economy and Competitiveness of Spain.