Retrieval of Tropospheric Carbon Monoxide Profiles from High-Resolution Interferometer Observations: A New Digital Gas Correlation (DGC)Method and Applications

Abstract

Global tropospheric carbon monoxide (CO) distributions can be retrieved from observations by spaceborne gas correlation radiometers and high-resolution interferometers. The Measurement of Pollution in the Troposphere (MOPITT) is a gas correlation radiometer designed for tropospheric CO and CH4 remote sensing. It is being developed at the University of Toronto and the National Center for Atmospheric Research for launch on the EOS/AM-1 platform in 1999. Spaceborne high-resolution interferometers with troposphere CO remote sensing capability include the Interferometric Monitor for Greenhouse gases (IMG) instrument and the Troposphere Emission Spectrometer (TES). IMG was developed by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) of Japan. It was on the ADEOS-1 spacecraft launched in October 1996. TES is being developed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory for launch on the EOS/CHEM-1 platform in 2002. For the purpose of testing the MOPITT data processing algorithms before launch, a new digital gas correlation (DGC) method was developed. This method makes it possible to use existing IMG observations to validate the MOPITT retrieval algorithms. The DGC method also allows the retrieval of global troposphere CO from MOPITT, IMG, and TES observations with a consistent algorithm. The retrieved CO profiles can be intercompared, and a consistent long time series of tropospheric CO measurements can be created. In this paper, the DGC method is described. The procedures for using the DGC method to retrieve atmospheric trace species profiles are discussed. As an example, CO profiles from IMG observations have been retrieved with the DGC method as a demonstration of its feasibility and application in MOPITT retrieval algorithm validation.