Validation of ACE-FTS v2.2 measurements of HCl, HF, CCl3F and CCl2F2 using space-, balloon- and ground-based instrument observations

Hydrogen chloride (HCl) and hydrogen fluoride (HF) are respectively the main chlorine and fluorine reservoirs in the Earth's stratosphere. Their buildup resulted from the intensive use of man-made halogenated source gases, in particular CFC-11 (CCl3F) and CFC-12 (CCl2F2), during the second half of the 20th century. It is important to continue monitoring the evolution of these source gases and reservoirs, in support of the Montreal Protocol and also indirectly of the Kyoto Protocol. The Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment Fourier Transform Spectrometer (ACE-FTS) is a space-based instrument that has been performing regular solar occultation measurements of over 30 atmospheric gases since early 2004. In this validation paper, the HCl, HF, CFC-11 and CFC-12 version 2.2 profile data products retrieved from ACE-FTS measurements are evaluated. Volume mixing ratio profiles have been compared to observations made from space by MLS and HALOE, and from stratospheric balloons by SPIRALE, FIRS-2 and Mark-IV. Partial columns derived from the ACE-FTS data were also compared to column measurements from ground-based Fourier transform instruments operated at 12 sites. ACE-FTS data recorded from March 2004 to August 2007 have been used for the comparisons. These data are representative of a variety of atmospheric and chemical situations, with sounded air masses extending from the winter vortex to summer sub-tropical conditions. Typically, the ACE-FTS products are available in the 10-50 km altitude range for HCl and HF, and in the 7-20 and 7-25 km ranges for CFC-11 and -12, respectively. For both reservoirs, comparison results indicate an agreement generally better than 5-10% above 20 km altitude, when accounting for the known offset affecting HALOE measurements of HCl and HF. Larger positive differences are however found for comparisons with single profiles from FIRS-2 and SPIRALE. For CFCs, the few coincident measurements available suggest that the differences probably remain within +/-20%

Acetylene (C2H2) and hydrogen cyanide (HCN) from IASI satellite observations: global distribution, validation, and comparison with model.

International audienceWe present global distributions of C2H2 and HCN total columns derived from the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI). These distributions are obtained with a fast method allowing to retrieve C2H2 abundance globally with a 5% precision and HCN abundance in the tropical (subtropical) belt with a 10% (30%) precision. IASI data are compared for validation purposes with ground-based Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrometer measurements at four selected stations. We show that there is an overall agreement between the ground-based and space measurements. Global C2H2 and subtropical HCN abundances retrieved from IASI spectra show the expected seasonality linked to variations in the anthropogenic emissions and seasonal biomass burning activity, as well as exceptional events, and are in good agreement with previous spaceborne studies. IASI measurements are also compared to the distributions from the Model for Ozone and Related Chemical Tracers, version 4 (MOZART-4). Seasonal cycles observed from satellite data are reasonably well reproduced by the model. However, the model seems to overestimate (underestimate) anthropogenic (biomass burning) emissions and a negative global mean bias of 1% (16 %) of the model relative to the satellite observations was found for C2H2 (HCN)

Acetylene (C2H2) and hydrogen cyanide (HCN) from IASI satellite observations: global distribution, validation, and comparison with model.

International audienceWe present global distributions of C2H2 and HCN total columns derived from the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI). These distributions are obtained with a fast method allowing to retrieve C2H2 abundance globally with a 5% precision and HCN abundance in the tropical (subtropical) belt with a 10% (30%) precision. IASI data are compared for validation purposes with ground-based Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrometer measurements at four selected stations. We show that there is an overall agreement between the ground-based and space measurements. Global C2H2 and subtropical HCN abundances retrieved from IASI spectra show the expected seasonality linked to variations in the anthropogenic emissions and seasonal biomass burning activity, as well as exceptional events, and are in good agreement with previous spaceborne studies. IASI measurements are also compared to the distributions from the Model for Ozone and Related Chemical Tracers, version 4 (MOZART-4). Seasonal cycles observed from satellite data are reasonably well reproduced by the model. However, the model seems to overestimate (underestimate) anthropogenic (biomass burning) emissions and a negative global mean bias of 1% (16 %) of the model relative to the satellite observations was found for C2H2 (HCN)