Measuring Stratospheric H2O with an Airborne Spectrometer

Abstract

his study examines the ability of an infrared spectral sensor flying at the tropopause level for retrieving stratospheric H2O. Synthetic downwelling radiance spectra simulated by the line-by-line radiative transfer model are used for this examination. The potential of high-sensitivity water vapor retrieval is demonstrated by an ideal sensor with low detector noise, high spectral resolution, and full infrared coverage. A suite of hypothetical sensors with varying specifications is then examined to determine the technological requirements for a satisfactory retrieval. This study finds that including far infrared in the sensor?s spectral coverage is essential for achieving accurate H2O retrieval with an accuracy of 0.4 ppmv (1-sigma). The uncertainties in other gas species such as CH4, N2O, O3, and CO2 do not significantly affect the H2O retrieval. Such a hyperspectral instrument may afford an advantageous tool, especially for detecting small-scale lower-stratospheric moistening events.