Aura Microwave Limb Sounder upper tropospheric and lower stratospheric H2O and relative humidity with respect to ice validation

W. G. Read; Alyn Lambert; J. Bacmeister; R. E. Cofield; L. E. Christensen; D. T. Cuddy; W. H. Daffer; B. J. Drouin; E. Fetzer; L. Froidevaux; R. Fuller; R. Herman; R. F. Jarnot; K. Kelly; B. W. Knosp; L. J. Kovalenko; N. J. Livesey; G. L. Manney; H. M. Pickett; H. C. Pumphrey; Karen H. Rosenlof; X. Sabounchi; M. L. Santee; M. J. Schwartz; W. V. Snyder; P. C. Stek; L. L. Takacs; R. P. Thurstans; Holger Vömel; P. A. Wagner; J. W. Waters; E. M. Weinstock

doi:10.1029/2007JD008752

Aura Microwave Limb Sounder upper tropospheric and lower stratospheric H₂O and relative humidity with respect to ice validation

W. G. Read^*, Alyn Lambert, J. Bacmeister, R. E. Cofield, L. E. Christensen, D. T. Cuddy, W. H. Daffer, B. J. Drouin, E. Fetzer, L. Froidevaux, R. Fuller, R. Herman, R. F. Jarnot, K. Kelly, B. W. Knosp, L. J. Kovalenko, N. J. Livesey, G. L. Manney, H. M. Pickett, H. C. PumphreyKaren H. Rosenlof, X. Sabounchi, M. L. Santee, M. J. Schwartz, W. V. Snyder, P. C. Stek, L. L. Takacs, R. P. Thurstans, Holger Vömel, P. A. Wagner, J. W. Waters, E. M. Weinstock

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Geosciences

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Abstract / Description of output

The validation of version 2.2 (v2.2) H₂O measurements from the Earth Observing Systems (EOS) Microwave Limb Sounder (Aura MLS) on the Aura satellite are presented. Results from comparisons made with Aqua Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS), Vaisala radiosondes, frost point hygrometer, and WB57 aircraft hygrometers are presented. Comparisons with the Aura MLS v1.5 H₂O, Goddard global modeling and assimilation office Earth Observing System analyses (GEOS-5) are also discussed. For H₂O mixing ratios less than 500 ppmv, the MLS v2.2 has an accuracy better than 25% between 316 and 147 hPa. The precision is 65% at 316 hPa that reduces to 25% at 147 hPa. This performance is better than expected from MLS measurement systematic error analyses. MLS overestimates H₂O for mixing ratios greater than 500 ppmv which is consistent with a scaling error in either the calibrated or calculated MLS radiances. The validation of the accuracy of MLS v2.2 H₂O from 121 to 83 hPa which is expected to be better than 15% cannot be confirmed at this time because of large disagreements among the hygrometers used in the AVE campaigns. The precision of the v2.2 H₂O from 121 to 83 hPa is 10-20%. The vertical resolution is 1.5-3.5 km depending on height. The horizontal resolution is 210 × 7 km² along and perpendicular to the Aura orbit track, respectively. Relative humidity is calculated from H₂O avid temperature. The precision, accuracy, and spatial resolution are worse than for H₂O.

Original language	English
Article number	D24S35
Journal	Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres
Volume	112
Issue number	24
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1029/2007JD008752
Publication status	Published - 27 Dec 2007

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Read, W. G., Lambert, A., Bacmeister, J., Cofield, R. E., Christensen, L. E., Cuddy, D. T., Daffer, W. H., Drouin, B. J., Fetzer, E., Froidevaux, L., Fuller, R., Herman, R., Jarnot, R. F., Kelly, K., Knosp, B. W., Kovalenko, L. J., Livesey, N. J., Manney, G. L., Pickett, H. M., ... Weinstock, E. M. (2007). Aura Microwave Limb Sounder upper tropospheric and lower stratospheric H₂O and relative humidity with respect to ice validation. Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres, 112(24), Article D24S35. https://doi.org/10.1029/2007JD008752

@article{95be0b32cb3e46709b136eb7296c392f,

title = "Aura Microwave Limb Sounder upper tropospheric and lower stratospheric H2O and relative humidity with respect to ice validation",

abstract = "The validation of version 2.2 (v2.2) H2O measurements from the Earth Observing Systems (EOS) Microwave Limb Sounder (Aura MLS) on the Aura satellite are presented. Results from comparisons made with Aqua Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS), Vaisala radiosondes, frost point hygrometer, and WB57 aircraft hygrometers are presented. Comparisons with the Aura MLS v1.5 H2O, Goddard global modeling and assimilation office Earth Observing System analyses (GEOS-5) are also discussed. For H2O mixing ratios less than 500 ppmv, the MLS v2.2 has an accuracy better than 25% between 316 and 147 hPa. The precision is 65% at 316 hPa that reduces to 25% at 147 hPa. This performance is better than expected from MLS measurement systematic error analyses. MLS overestimates H2O for mixing ratios greater than 500 ppmv which is consistent with a scaling error in either the calibrated or calculated MLS radiances. The validation of the accuracy of MLS v2.2 H2O from 121 to 83 hPa which is expected to be better than 15% cannot be confirmed at this time because of large disagreements among the hygrometers used in the AVE campaigns. The precision of the v2.2 H2O from 121 to 83 hPa is 10-20%. The vertical resolution is 1.5-3.5 km depending on height. The horizontal resolution is 210 × 7 km2 along and perpendicular to the Aura orbit track, respectively. Relative humidity is calculated from H2O avid temperature. The precision, accuracy, and spatial resolution are worse than for H2O.",

author = "Read, {W. G.} and Alyn Lambert and J. Bacmeister and Cofield, {R. E.} and Christensen, {L. E.} and Cuddy, {D. T.} and Daffer, {W. H.} and Drouin, {B. J.} and E. Fetzer and L. Froidevaux and R. Fuller and R. Herman and Jarnot, {R. F.} and K. Kelly and Knosp, {B. W.} and Kovalenko, {L. J.} and Livesey, {N. J.} and Manney, {G. L.} and Pickett, {H. M.} and Pumphrey, {H. C.} and Rosenlof, {Karen H.} and X. Sabounchi and Santee, {M. L.} and Schwartz, {M. J.} and Snyder, {W. V.} and Stek, {P. C.} and Takacs, {L. L.} and Thurstans, {R. P.} and Holger V{\"o}mel and Wagner, {P. A.} and Waters, {J. W.} and Weinstock, {E. M.}",

year = "2007",

month = dec,

day = "27",

doi = "10.1029/2007JD008752",

language = "English",

volume = "112",

journal = "Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres",

issn = "0148-0227",

publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell",

number = "24",

}

Read, WG, Lambert, A, Bacmeister, J, Cofield, RE, Christensen, LE, Cuddy, DT, Daffer, WH, Drouin, BJ, Fetzer, E, Froidevaux, L, Fuller, R, Herman, R, Jarnot, RF, Kelly, K, Knosp, BW, Kovalenko, LJ, Livesey, NJ, Manney, GL, Pickett, HM, Pumphrey, HC, Rosenlof, KH, Sabounchi, X, Santee, ML, Schwartz, MJ, Snyder, WV, Stek, PC, Takacs, LL, Thurstans, RP, Vömel, H, Wagner, PA, Waters, JW & Weinstock, EM 2007, 'Aura Microwave Limb Sounder upper tropospheric and lower stratospheric H₂O and relative humidity with respect to ice validation', Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres, vol. 112, no. 24, D24S35. https://doi.org/10.1029/2007JD008752

TY - JOUR

T1 - Aura Microwave Limb Sounder upper tropospheric and lower stratospheric H2O and relative humidity with respect to ice validation

AU - Read, W. G.

AU - Lambert, Alyn

AU - Bacmeister, J.

AU - Cofield, R. E.

AU - Christensen, L. E.

AU - Cuddy, D. T.

AU - Daffer, W. H.

AU - Drouin, B. J.

AU - Fetzer, E.

AU - Froidevaux, L.

AU - Fuller, R.

AU - Herman, R.

AU - Jarnot, R. F.

AU - Kelly, K.

AU - Knosp, B. W.

AU - Kovalenko, L. J.

AU - Livesey, N. J.

AU - Manney, G. L.

AU - Pickett, H. M.

AU - Pumphrey, H. C.

AU - Rosenlof, Karen H.

AU - Sabounchi, X.

AU - Santee, M. L.

AU - Schwartz, M. J.

AU - Snyder, W. V.

AU - Stek, P. C.

AU - Takacs, L. L.

AU - Thurstans, R. P.

AU - Vömel, Holger

AU - Wagner, P. A.

AU - Waters, J. W.

AU - Weinstock, E. M.

PY - 2007/12/27

Y1 - 2007/12/27

N2 - The validation of version 2.2 (v2.2) H2O measurements from the Earth Observing Systems (EOS) Microwave Limb Sounder (Aura MLS) on the Aura satellite are presented. Results from comparisons made with Aqua Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS), Vaisala radiosondes, frost point hygrometer, and WB57 aircraft hygrometers are presented. Comparisons with the Aura MLS v1.5 H2O, Goddard global modeling and assimilation office Earth Observing System analyses (GEOS-5) are also discussed. For H2O mixing ratios less than 500 ppmv, the MLS v2.2 has an accuracy better than 25% between 316 and 147 hPa. The precision is 65% at 316 hPa that reduces to 25% at 147 hPa. This performance is better than expected from MLS measurement systematic error analyses. MLS overestimates H2O for mixing ratios greater than 500 ppmv which is consistent with a scaling error in either the calibrated or calculated MLS radiances. The validation of the accuracy of MLS v2.2 H2O from 121 to 83 hPa which is expected to be better than 15% cannot be confirmed at this time because of large disagreements among the hygrometers used in the AVE campaigns. The precision of the v2.2 H2O from 121 to 83 hPa is 10-20%. The vertical resolution is 1.5-3.5 km depending on height. The horizontal resolution is 210 × 7 km2 along and perpendicular to the Aura orbit track, respectively. Relative humidity is calculated from H2O avid temperature. The precision, accuracy, and spatial resolution are worse than for H2O.

AB - The validation of version 2.2 (v2.2) H2O measurements from the Earth Observing Systems (EOS) Microwave Limb Sounder (Aura MLS) on the Aura satellite are presented. Results from comparisons made with Aqua Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS), Vaisala radiosondes, frost point hygrometer, and WB57 aircraft hygrometers are presented. Comparisons with the Aura MLS v1.5 H2O, Goddard global modeling and assimilation office Earth Observing System analyses (GEOS-5) are also discussed. For H2O mixing ratios less than 500 ppmv, the MLS v2.2 has an accuracy better than 25% between 316 and 147 hPa. The precision is 65% at 316 hPa that reduces to 25% at 147 hPa. This performance is better than expected from MLS measurement systematic error analyses. MLS overestimates H2O for mixing ratios greater than 500 ppmv which is consistent with a scaling error in either the calibrated or calculated MLS radiances. The validation of the accuracy of MLS v2.2 H2O from 121 to 83 hPa which is expected to be better than 15% cannot be confirmed at this time because of large disagreements among the hygrometers used in the AVE campaigns. The precision of the v2.2 H2O from 121 to 83 hPa is 10-20%. The vertical resolution is 1.5-3.5 km depending on height. The horizontal resolution is 210 × 7 km2 along and perpendicular to the Aura orbit track, respectively. Relative humidity is calculated from H2O avid temperature. The precision, accuracy, and spatial resolution are worse than for H2O.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=49349093187&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1029/2007JD008752

DO - 10.1029/2007JD008752

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:49349093187

SN - 0148-0227

VL - 112

JO - Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres

JF - Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres

IS - 24

M1 - D24S35

ER -

Aura Microwave Limb Sounder upper tropospheric and lower stratospheric H₂O and relative humidity with respect to ice validation

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