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Comparison of MAESTRO \(O_3\) and \(NO_2\) products

Ozone and \(NO_2)\ measurements retrieved by MAESTRO have been compared statistically with measurements by ozonesondes, ACE-FTS, SAGE III and POAM III instruments. Most of the occultations performed by ACE-MAESTRO (and ACE-FTS) are in the northern and southern high latitudes. The ozonesonde data used are from the WOUDC archives. A comparison of ozone mixing ratio profiles measured by ozonsonde, ACE-FTS and ACE-MAESTRO are given in the figure below:

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In this comparison MAESTRO version 1.2 data was used. At the northern polar station of Eureka, MAESTRO captures the vertical structure quite well. However,the ozonesonde measures more ozone than both MAESTRO and ACE-FTS above 25 km, a feature that may not be reliable. At Neumayer, Nairobi and Legionowo, excellent agreement is seen among all three instruments up to about 30 km. Above this altitude, ozonesonde data are often not available. However, MAESTRO and ACE-FTS profiles agree quite well at these higher altitudes except at Neumayer, where MAESTRO measures significantly less ozone than ACE-FTS above about 33 km.

A statistical comparison of ozone mixing ratios measured by MAESTRO and ozonesondes in the northern mid-latitudes (40°N–60°N) and northern high-latitudes (60°N–90°N) between February 2004 and December 2005 have been made. Coincidence criteria of 800 km and 12 hours were used to compare the satellite profiles with the ozonesonde profiles measured on the same date. The comparisons are done separately for sunrise (SR) and sunset (SS) measurements shown below:

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Comparisons were made with mean \(NO_2)\ mixing ratio profiles between ACE-FTS, MAESTRO and SAGE III and POAM III. Example plots can be found in the figures below:

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Reference

Kar, J., McElroy, C.T., Drummond, J.R., Zou, J., Nichitiu, F., Walker, K.A., Randall, C.E., Nowlan, C.R., Dufour, D.G., Boone, C.D., Bernath, P.F., Trepte, C.R., Thomason, L.W., McLinden, C.: Initial comparison of ozone and NO2 profiles from ACE-MAESTRO with balloon and satellite data, Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 112, D16301, https://doi.org/10.1029/2006JD008242, 2007.