Intercomparison and evaluation of satellite peroxyacetyl nitrate observations in the upper troposphere–lower stratosphere
Peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) is an important chemical species in the troposphere as it aids the long-range transport of NO<sub><i>x</i></sub> and subsequent formation of O<sub>3</sub> in relatively clean remote regions. Over the past few decades observations from...
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Copernicus Publications
2016-11-01
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| Series: | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| Online Access: | https://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/16/13541/2016/acp-16-13541-2016.pdf |
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| author | R. J. Pope R. J. Pope N. A. D. Richards N. A. D. Richards M. P. Chipperfield M. P. Chipperfield D. P. Moore D. P. Moore S. A. Monks S. A. Monks S. R. Arnold N. Glatthor M. Kiefer T. J. Breider J. J. Harrison J. J. Harrison J. J. Remedios J. J. Remedios C. Warneke C. Warneke J. M. Roberts G. S. Diskin L. G. Huey A. Wisthaler A. Wisthaler E. C. Apel P. F. Bernath W. Feng W. Feng |
| author_facet | R. J. Pope R. J. Pope N. A. D. Richards N. A. D. Richards M. P. Chipperfield M. P. Chipperfield D. P. Moore D. P. Moore S. A. Monks S. A. Monks S. R. Arnold N. Glatthor M. Kiefer T. J. Breider J. J. Harrison J. J. Harrison J. J. Remedios J. J. Remedios C. Warneke C. Warneke J. M. Roberts G. S. Diskin L. G. Huey A. Wisthaler A. Wisthaler E. C. Apel P. F. Bernath W. Feng W. Feng |
| author_sort | R. J. Pope |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) is an important chemical species in the
troposphere as it aids the long-range transport of NO<sub><i>x</i></sub> and subsequent
formation of O<sub>3</sub> in relatively clean remote regions. Over the past few
decades observations from aircraft campaigns and surface sites have been used
to better understand the regional distribution of PAN. However, recent
measurements made by satellites allow for a global assessment of PAN in the
upper troposphere–lower stratosphere (UTLS). In this study, we investigate
global PAN distributions from two independent retrieval methodologies, based
on measurements from the Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric
Sounding (MIPAS) instrument, on board Envisat from the Institute of
Meteorology and Climate Research (IMK), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, and
the Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester (UoL).
Retrieving PAN from MIPAS is challenging due to the weak signal in the
measurements and contamination from other species. Therefore, we compare the
two MIPAS datasets with observations from the Atmospheric Chemistry
Experiment Fourier transform spectrometer (ACE-FTS), in situ aircraft data
and the 3-D chemical transport model TOMCAT. MIPAS shows peak UTLS PAN
concentrations over the biomass burning regions (e.g. ranging from 150 to
> 200 pptv at 150 hPa) and during the summertime Asian monsoon as
enhanced convection aids the vertical transport of PAN from the lower
atmosphere. At 150 hPa, we find significant differences between the two
MIPAS datasets in the tropics, where IMK PAN concentrations are larger by
50–100 pptv. Comparisons between MIPAS and ACE-FTS show better agreement
with the UoL MIPAS PAN concentrations at 200 hPa, but with mixed results
above this altitude. TOMCAT generally captures the magnitude and structure of
climatological aircraft PAN profiles within the observational variability
allowing it to be used to investigate the MIPAS PAN differences. TOMCAT–MIPAS
comparisons show that the model is both positively (UoL) and negatively (IMK)
biased against the satellite products. These results indicate that satellite
PAN observations are able to detect realistic spatial variations in PAN in
the UTLS, but further work is needed to resolve differences in existing
retrievals to allow quantitative use of the products. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-24T04:35:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5f2bbb72023d4b1682a5e8e413d5407a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1680-7316 1680-7324 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-24T04:35:42Z |
| publishDate | 2016-11-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| spelling | doaj.art-5f2bbb72023d4b1682a5e8e413d5407a2022-12-21T17:15:12ZengCopernicus PublicationsAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics1680-73161680-73242016-11-0116135411355910.5194/acp-16-13541-2016Intercomparison and evaluation of satellite peroxyacetyl nitrate observations in the upper troposphere–lower stratosphereR. J. Pope0R. J. Pope1N. A. D. Richards2N. A. D. Richards3M. P. Chipperfield4M. P. Chipperfield5D. P. Moore6D. P. Moore7S. A. Monks8S. A. Monks9S. R. Arnold10N. Glatthor11M. Kiefer12T. J. Breider13J. J. Harrison14J. J. Harrison15J. J. Remedios16J. J. Remedios17C. Warneke18C. Warneke19J. M. Roberts20G. S. Diskin21L. G. Huey22A. Wisthaler23A. Wisthaler24E. C. Apel25P. F. Bernath26W. Feng27W. Feng28School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, UKNational Centre for Earth Observation, University of Leeds, Leeds, UKSchool of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, UKNational Centre for Earth Observation, University of Leeds, Leeds, UKSchool of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, UKNational Centre for Earth Observation, University of Leeds, Leeds, UKDepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester, UKNational Centre for Earth Observation, University of Leicester, Leicester, UKEarth System Research Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Boulder, CO, USACooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USASchool of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, UKKarlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research, Karlsruhe, GermanyKarlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research, Karlsruhe, GermanySchool of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, USADepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester, UKNational Centre for Earth Observation, University of Leicester, Leicester, UKDepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester, UKNational Centre for Earth Observation, University of Leicester, Leicester, UKEarth System Research Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Boulder, CO, USACooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USAEarth System Research Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Boulder, CO, USANASA Langley Research Center, Chemistry and Dynamics Branch, Hampton, VA, USAGeorgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USAUniversity of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, AustriaUniversity of Oslo, Oslo, NorwayAtmospheric Chemistry Division, National Centre for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO, USADepartment of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, USASchool of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, UKNational Centre for Atmospheric Science, University of Leeds, Leeds, UKPeroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) is an important chemical species in the troposphere as it aids the long-range transport of NO<sub><i>x</i></sub> and subsequent formation of O<sub>3</sub> in relatively clean remote regions. Over the past few decades observations from aircraft campaigns and surface sites have been used to better understand the regional distribution of PAN. However, recent measurements made by satellites allow for a global assessment of PAN in the upper troposphere–lower stratosphere (UTLS). In this study, we investigate global PAN distributions from two independent retrieval methodologies, based on measurements from the Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding (MIPAS) instrument, on board Envisat from the Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research (IMK), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, and the Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester (UoL). Retrieving PAN from MIPAS is challenging due to the weak signal in the measurements and contamination from other species. Therefore, we compare the two MIPAS datasets with observations from the Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment Fourier transform spectrometer (ACE-FTS), in situ aircraft data and the 3-D chemical transport model TOMCAT. MIPAS shows peak UTLS PAN concentrations over the biomass burning regions (e.g. ranging from 150 to > 200 pptv at 150 hPa) and during the summertime Asian monsoon as enhanced convection aids the vertical transport of PAN from the lower atmosphere. At 150 hPa, we find significant differences between the two MIPAS datasets in the tropics, where IMK PAN concentrations are larger by 50–100 pptv. Comparisons between MIPAS and ACE-FTS show better agreement with the UoL MIPAS PAN concentrations at 200 hPa, but with mixed results above this altitude. TOMCAT generally captures the magnitude and structure of climatological aircraft PAN profiles within the observational variability allowing it to be used to investigate the MIPAS PAN differences. TOMCAT–MIPAS comparisons show that the model is both positively (UoL) and negatively (IMK) biased against the satellite products. These results indicate that satellite PAN observations are able to detect realistic spatial variations in PAN in the UTLS, but further work is needed to resolve differences in existing retrievals to allow quantitative use of the products.https://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/16/13541/2016/acp-16-13541-2016.pdf |
| spellingShingle | R. J. Pope R. J. Pope N. A. D. Richards N. A. D. Richards M. P. Chipperfield M. P. Chipperfield D. P. Moore D. P. Moore S. A. Monks S. A. Monks S. R. Arnold N. Glatthor M. Kiefer T. J. Breider J. J. Harrison J. J. Harrison J. J. Remedios J. J. Remedios C. Warneke C. Warneke J. M. Roberts G. S. Diskin L. G. Huey A. Wisthaler A. Wisthaler E. C. Apel P. F. Bernath W. Feng W. Feng Intercomparison and evaluation of satellite peroxyacetyl nitrate observations in the upper troposphere–lower stratosphere Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| title | Intercomparison and evaluation of satellite peroxyacetyl nitrate observations in the upper troposphere–lower stratosphere |
| title_full | Intercomparison and evaluation of satellite peroxyacetyl nitrate observations in the upper troposphere–lower stratosphere |
| title_fullStr | Intercomparison and evaluation of satellite peroxyacetyl nitrate observations in the upper troposphere–lower stratosphere |
| title_full_unstemmed | Intercomparison and evaluation of satellite peroxyacetyl nitrate observations in the upper troposphere–lower stratosphere |
| title_short | Intercomparison and evaluation of satellite peroxyacetyl nitrate observations in the upper troposphere–lower stratosphere |
| title_sort | intercomparison and evaluation of satellite peroxyacetyl nitrate observations in the upper troposphere lower stratosphere |
| url | https://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/16/13541/2016/acp-16-13541-2016.pdf |
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