Back to Search Start Over

Validation of Carbon Trace Gas Profile Retrievals from the NOAA-Unique Combined Atmospheric Processing System for the Cross-Track Infrared Sounder

Authors :
Nicholas R. Nalli
Changyi Tan
Juying Warner
Murty Divakarla
Antonia Gambacorta
Michael Wilson
Tong Zhu
Tianyuan Wang
Zigang Wei
Ken Pryor
Satya Kalluri
Lihang Zhou
Colm Sweeney
Bianca C. Baier
Kathryn McKain
Debra Wunch
Nicholas M. Deutscher
Frank Hase
Laura T. Iraci
Rigel Kivi
Isamu Morino
Justus Notholt
Hirofumi Ohyama
David F. Pollard
Yao Té
Voltaire A. Velazco
Thorsten Warneke
Ralf Sussmann
Markus Rettinger
Source :
Remote Sensing, Vol 12, Iss 19, p 3245 (2020)
Publication Year :
2020
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2020.

Abstract

This paper provides an overview of the validation of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) operational retrievals of atmospheric carbon trace gas profiles, specifically carbon monoxide (CO), methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2), from the NOAA-Unique Combined Atmospheric Processing System (NUCAPS), a NOAA enterprise algorithm that retrieves atmospheric profile environmental data records (EDRs) under global non-precipitating (clear to partly cloudy) conditions. Vertical information about atmospheric trace gases is obtained from the Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS), an infrared Fourier transform spectrometer that measures high resolution Earth radiance spectra from NOAA operational low earth orbit (LEO) satellites, including the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (SNPP) and follow-on Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) series beginning with NOAA-20. The NUCAPS CO, CH4, and CO2 profile EDRs are rigorously validated in this paper using well-established independent truth datasets, namely total column data from ground-based Total Carbon Column Observing Network (TCCON) sites, and in situ vertical profile data obtained from aircraft and balloon platforms via the NASA Atmospheric Tomography (ATom) mission and NOAA AirCore sampler, respectively. Statistical analyses using these datasets demonstrate that the NUCAPS carbon gas profile EDRs generally meet JPSS Level 1 global performance requirements, with the absolute accuracy and precision of CO 5% and 15%, respectively, in layers where CrIS has vertical sensitivity; CH4 and CO2 product accuracies are both found to be within ±1%, with precisions of ≈1.5% and ⪅0.5%, respectively, throughout the tropospheric column.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
20724292
Volume :
12
Issue :
19
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Remote Sensing
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.86b364e15a3e43c390867e206d3158bf
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/rs12193245