Eckhart Krieg

Nadir, limb, and occultation measurements with SCIAMACHY

Abstract The Scanning Imaging Absorption spectroMeter for Atmospheric CHartographY (SCIAMACHY) is a contribution to the ENVISAT-1 satellite, which is to be launched in mid 2001. The SCIAMACHY instrument is designed to measure sunlight transmitted, reflected and scattered by the Earths atmosphere or surface simultaneously from the UV to the NIR spectral spectral region (240 – 2380 nm) in various viewing geometries. Inversion of the SCIAMACHY measurements will provide the amount and distributions of a large number of atmospheric constituents in the stratosphere and troposphere (O 3 , NO 2 , H 2 O, CO 2 , CH 4 , N 2 O, BrO, CO, O 2 , O 2 ( 1 Δ g ), NO, SO 2 , H 2 CO, (ClO,) and OClO). This paper concentrates on the characteristics of the SCIAMACHY mission. In particular, the measurement strategies for the different observational modes — nadir, limb, and both solar and lunar occultation — and their operational implementation are described.

The SCIAMACHY Calibration/Monitoring Concept and First Results

The Scanning Imaging Absorption Spectrometer for Atmospheric Chartography (SCIAMACHY) is a contribution to the ENVISAT satellite, which has been launched successfully in March 2002. SCIAMACHY determines the amount and distributions of a large number of atmospheric constituents by measuring Earthshine radiance and solar irradiance spectra simultaneously from the UV to the NIR in various viewing geometries. The scientific goals of the SCIAMACHY mission can only be reached by an instrument having a high spectral and radiometric accuracy and stability. For example, to determine global NO2 concentrations SCIAMACHY measurements need to be sensitive to differential spectral structures down to the order of 10−4. These requirements can only be met by an appropriate instrument design in combination with both on-ground and in-flight calibration and monitoring. This paper gives an overview on the SCIAMACHY calibration and monitoring concept and activities which are essential to ensure the high quality of SCIAMACHY data products throughout the instrument lifetime. Furthermore, first in-flight monitoring results are presented.

The SCIAMACHY instrument on ENVISAT: first performance monitoring results

Since March 2002 the spectrometer SCIAMACHY (SCanning Imaging Absorption spectroMeter for Atmospheric CHartographY) is orbiting the Earth aboard the new European environmental satellite ENVISAT. SCIAMACHY will measure during the next years concentrations and distributions of atmospheric trace gases (O/sub 3/, BrO, OClO, ClO, SO/sub 2/, H/sub 2/CO, NO/sub 2/, CO, CO/sub 2/, CH/sub 4/, H/sub 2/O, N/sub 2/O), clouds, and aerosols. To assure the quality of these data products at any time during the whole mission a detailed knowledge of the instruments status and behavior is mandatory. To achieve this a comprehensive monitoring concept has been developed and implemented. This paper presents selected results of performance monitoring activities from the commissioning phase and from early nominal operations of the instrument, showing that SCIAMACHY is in good shape.

SCIAMACHY on ENVISAT: 4 Years in Space: A Status Report

SCIAMACHY on ENVISAT has now successfully operated more than 4 years in space. The current in-flight performance of the instrument shows an excellent status with only a few minor in-flight non-conformances. A large volume of high quality scientific data has been acquired with results being retrieved covering many aspects of the changing Earths atmosphere. In this paper a brief overview of SCIAMACHY is given with special emphasis on operations and performance aspects.