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MetOp GOME-2 Daily Total Column Composites

The Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment-2 (GOME-2) instrument continues the long-term monitoring of atmospheric trace gas constituents started with GOME / ERS-2 and SCIAMACHY / Envisat. Currently, there are three GOME-2 instruments operating on board EUMETSAT's Meteorological Operational satellites MetOp-A, -B and -C, launched in October 2006, September 2012, and November 2018, respectively. GOME-2 can measure a range of atmospheric trace constituents, with the emphasis on global ozone distributions. Furthermore, cloud properties and intensities of ultraviolet radiation are retrieved. These data are crucial for monitoring the atmospheric composition and the detection of pollutants. DLR generates operational GOME-2 / MetOp level 2 products in the framework of EUMETSAT's Satellite Application Facility on Atmospheric Chemistry Monitoring (AC-SAF). GOME-2 near-real-time products are available already two hours after sensing.
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MetOp GOME-2 Daily Total Column Composites

MetOp/GOME-2 – Bromine Monoxide (BrO), Level 3 – Global

Gridded Level 3 BrO total column densities derived from the Metop/GOME-2-instruments. In the troposphere BrO is a short-lived atmospheric constituent released from the sea (via algae or so called ice flowers). Also volcanic eruptions emit bromine compounds reacting to BrO. In the stratosphere, the major source of BrO are halogenated hydrocarbos that are destroyed by high energy UV radiation. In the stratosphere, BrO plays a key role in the ozone hole chemistry. The total BrO column is retrieved from GOME solar back-scattered measurements in the UV wavelength region between 332 and 359 nm [using the DOAS method]. The applied Airmassfactor is based on monthly climatologies. The Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment-2 (GOME-2) instrument continues the long-term monitoring of atmospheric trace gas constituents started with GOME / ERS-2 and SCIAMACHY / Envisat. Three instruments operate on board EUMETSAT's Meteorological Operational satellites MetOp-A, -B, and -C, launched in 2006, 2012, and 2018, respectively. GOME-2 measures a range of atmospheric trace constituents, with the emphasis on global ozone distribution. Furthermore, cloud properties and intensities of ultraviolet radiation are retrieved. These data are crucial for monitoring the atmospheric composition and the detection of pollutants. DLR generates operational GOME-2 / MetOp products in the framework of EUMETSAT's Satellite Application Facility on Atmospheric Composition Monitoring (AC-SAF).


MetOp/GOME-2 – Cloud Fraction (CF), Level 3 – Global

Gridded Level 3 cloud fraction derived from Metop/GOME observations. Cloud physical properties (cloud fraction, cloud top height, cloud optical thickness) are derived from GOME/GOME-2 observations using the OCRA (Optical Cloud Recognition Algorithm) and ROCINN (Retrieval of Cloud Information using Neural Networks). For more details please refer to relevant peer-review papers listed on the GOME and GOME-2 documentation pages: https://atmos.eoc.dlr.de/app/docs/ The Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment-2 (GOME-2) instrument continues the long-term monitoring of atmospheric trace gas constituents started with GOME / ERS-2 and SCIAMACHY / Envisat. Three instruments operate on board EUMETSAT's Meteorological Operational satellites MetOp-A, -B, and -C, launched in 2006, 2012, and 2018, respectively. GOME-2 measures a range of atmospheric trace constituents, with the emphasis on global ozone distribution. Furthermore, cloud properties and intensities of ultraviolet radiation are retrieved. These data are crucial for monitoring the atmospheric composition and the detection of pollutants. DLR generates operational GOME-2 / MetOp products in the framework of EUMETSAT's Satellite Application Facility on Atmospheric Composition Monitoring (AC-SAF).


METOP GOME-2 L2C Daily Cloud Optical Thickness (COT)

OCRA (Optical Cloud Recognition Algorithm) and ROCINN (Retrieval of Cloud Information using Neural Networks) are used for retrieving the following geophysical cloud properties from GOME and GOME-2 data: cloud fraction (cloud cover), cloud-top pressure (cloud-top height), and cloud optical thickness (cloud-top albedo). OCRA is an optical sensor cloud detection algorithm that uses the PMD devices on GOME / GOME-2 to deliver cloud fractions for GOME / GOME-2 scenes. ROCINN takes the OCRA cloud fraction as input and uses a neural network training scheme to invert GOME / GOME-2 reflectivities in and around the O2-A band. VLIDORT [Spurr (2006)] templates of reflectances based on full polarization scattering of light are used to train the neural network. ROCINN retrieves cloud-top pressure and cloud-top albedo. The cloud optical thickness is computed using libRadtran [Mayer and Kylling (2005)] radiative transfer simulations taking as input the cloud-top albedo retrieved with ROCINN.


METOP GOME-2 L2C Daily Cloud Optical Thickness (CTP)

OCRA (Optical Cloud Recognition Algorithm) and ROCINN (Retrieval of Cloud Information using Neural Networks) are used for retrieving the following geophysical cloud properties from GOME and GOME-2 data: cloud fraction (cloud cover), cloud-top pressure (cloud-top height), and cloud optical thickness (cloud-top albedo). OCRA is an optical sensor cloud detection algorithm that uses the PMD devices on GOME / GOME-2 to deliver cloud fractions for GOME / GOME-2 scenes. ROCINN takes the OCRA cloud fraction as input and uses a neural network training scheme to invert GOME / GOME-2 reflectivities in and around the O2-A band. VLIDORT [Spurr (2006)] templates of reflectances based on full polarization scattering of light are used to train the neural network. ROCINN retrieves cloud-top pressure and cloud-top albedo. The cloud-top pressure for GOME scenes is derived from the cloud-top height provided by ROCINN and an appropriate pressure profile.


METOP GOME-2 L2C Daily Water Vapour (H2O)

The operational H2O total column products are generated using the algorithm GDP (GOME Data Processor) version 4.x integrated into the UPAS (Universal Processor for UV/VIS Atmospheric Spectrometers) processor for generating level 2 trace gas and cloud products.The total H2O column is retrieved from GOME solar backscattered measurements in the red wavelength region (614-683.2 nm), using the Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (DOAS) method.


MetOp/GOME-2 – Water Vapor (H2O), Level 3 – Global

Gidded Level 3 H2O total columns. The Earth's capacity to sustain life is attributed to two mechanisms: the greenhouse effect and the hydrological cycle. Water vapour in the atmosphere is a critical component of both processes and the main naturally occurring greenhouse gas in the Earth's climate system. Water in gaseous form varies more than other greenhouse gases. Monitoring atmospheric water vapour globally is essential to understand its climate impacts. Measurements of water vapor columns are derived from satellite observations of solar radiation in the ultraviolet and visible (430 – 450 nm) spectral ranges. A water vapour absorption band is detectable across some European Sentinel platforms (Sentinel-4, Sentinel-5P and 5), former (GOME and SCIAMACHY) and future instruments (CO2M). This absorption signature by water vapor is used to derive the shown concentrations with the Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (DOAS) technique. The retrieval methodology, as applied to the fleet of available platforms, demonstrates several advantages, including optimal sensitivity and coverage characteristics across both oceans and continents, enhanced temporal sampling frequency for weather applications, and continuous extension of long-term datasets for climate study purposes. This is accomplished by DLR in the framework of the EUMETSAT's Satellite Application Facility on Atmospheric Composition (AC-SAF) monitoring where DLR generates operational GOME-2 / MetOp products.


MetOp/GOME-2 – Formaldehyde (HCHO), Level 3 – Global

Gridded Level 3 formaldehyde (HCHO) column densities derived from the Metop/GOME-2-instruments. In the troposphere HCHO is a short-lived atmospheric constituent caused by incomplete combustion processes, e.g. fossil fuel consumption or biomass buring or it is build by atmospheric chemical species from other volatile organic component (VOCs). It plays an important role in the build up of tropospheric ozone. The total HCHO column is retrieved from GOME solar back-scattered measurements in the UV wavelength region 328.5nm to 346nm [using the DOAS method]. In addition, an air mass factor based on monthly climatological HCHO profiles is considered. The Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment-2 (GOME-2) instrument continues the long-term monitoring of atmospheric trace gas constituents started with GOME / ERS-2 and SCIAMACHY / Envisat. Three instruments operate on board EUMETSAT's Meteorological Operational satellites MetOp-A, -B, and -C, launched in 2006, 2012, and 2018, respectively. GOME-2 measures a range of atmospheric trace constituents, with the emphasis on global ozone distribution. Furthermore, cloud properties and intensities of ultraviolet radiation are retrieved. These data are crucial for monitoring the atmospheric composition and the detection of pollutants. DLR generates operational GOME-2 / MetOp products in the framework of EUMETSAT's Satellite Application Facility on Atmospheric Composition Monitoring (AC-SAF).


MetOp/GOME-2 – Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), Level 3 – Global

Gridded Level 3 NO2 total (NO2 tropospheric) column densities derived from the Metop/GOME-2-instruments. In the troposphere NO2 is a short-lived atmospheric constituent caused by combustion processes, e.g. fossil fuel consumption or biomass buring or by lightning. In the troposphere as well as in the stratosphere NO2 plays an important role in the ozone chemistry. The total NO2 column is retrieved from GOME solar back-scattered measurements in the visible wavelength region around 440nm [using the DOAS method]. To derive tropospheric NO2 columns, the estimated stratospheric component is substracted from the total column. In addition, an air mass factor based on monthly climatological NO2 profiles is considered. The Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment-2 (GOME-2) instrument continues the long-term monitoring of atmospheric trace gas constituents started with GOME / ERS-2 and SCIAMACHY / Envisat. Three instruments operate on board EUMETSAT's Meteorological Operational satellites MetOp-A, -B, and -C, launched in 2006, 2012, and 2018, respectively. GOME-2 measures a range of atmospheric trace constituents, with the emphasis on global ozone distribution. Furthermore, cloud properties and intensities of ultraviolet radiation are retrieved. These data are crucial for monitoring the atmospheric composition and the detection of pollutants. DLR generates operational GOME-2 / MetOp products in the framework of EUMETSAT's Satellite Application Facility on Atmospheric Composition Monitoring (AC-SAF).


MetOp/GOME-2 – Ozone (O3), Level 3 – Global

Gridded Level 3 ozone column densities derived from the Metop/GOME-2-instruments. In the stratosphere – where the majority of the total O3 amount is located - O3 plays an vital role for the UV protection. In the troposphere O3 is generated by chemical processes caused by natural and anthropogenic emission of NO2 and volatile organic components (VOCs) (e.g. HCHO). Direct exposure to O3 is harmfull for humans and our environment. The total O3 column is retrieved from GOME solar back-scattered measurements in the uv wavelength region 325-335nm [using the DOAS method]. To determine the AMF an iterative process is applied, the assumed profile depends on the latitude, month, but also on the total column. The Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment-2 (GOME-2) instrument continues the long-term monitoring of atmospheric trace gas constituents started with GOME / ERS-2 and SCIAMACHY / Envisat. Three instruments operate on board EUMETSAT's Meteorological Operational satellites MetOp-A, -B, and -C, launched in 2006, 2012, and 2018, respectively. GOME-2 measures a range of atmospheric trace constituents, with the emphasis on global ozone distribution. Furthermore, cloud properties and intensities of ultraviolet radiation are retrieved. These data are crucial for monitoring the atmospheric composition and the detection of pollutants. DLR generates operational GOME-2 / MetOp products in the framework of EUMETSAT's Satellite Application Facility on Atmospheric Composition Monitoring (AC-SAF).


MetOp/GOME-2 – Sulfur dioxide (SO2), Level 3 – Global

Gridded Level 3 SO2 total column densities derived from the Metop/GOME-2-instruments. Volcanoes are the largest soures of SO2 in the atmosphere, depending on the erruption the Sulfurous compounds can be injected into stratosphere but in most cases it stays within the troposphere. Another important source is the coal combustion. Desulfurisation facilities within the power stations have reduced the sulfur emissions around the globe. In the stratosphere sulfur is a key component for building up aerosols, which reflect parts of the solar irradiation. The total SO2 column is retrieved from GOME solar back-scattered measurements in the ultraviolet wavelength region [using the DOAS method]. Depending on the plume SO2 can be a very strong absorber, because of that the ODAS retrieval might have some smaller issues, they can be reduced by choosing different wavelenght ranges depending on the signal. We apply three different fitting windows between 310 and 360nm. For the AMF, we assume a plumeheight of 6 km altitude. The Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment-2 (GOME-2) instrument continues the long-term monitoring of atmospheric trace gas constituents started with GOME / ERS-2 and SCIAMACHY / Envisat. Three instruments operate on board EUMETSAT's Meteorological Operational satellites MetOp-A, -B, and -C, launched in 2006, 2012, and 2018, respectively. GOME-2 measures a range of atmospheric trace constituents, with the emphasis on global ozone distribution. Furthermore, cloud properties and intensities of ultraviolet radiation are retrieved. These data are crucial for monitoring the atmospheric composition and the detection of pollutants. DLR generates operational GOME-2 / MetOp products in the framework of EUMETSAT's Satellite Application Facility on Atmospheric Composition Monitoring (AC-SAF).


MetOp/GOME-2 – Tropspheric Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2Tropo), Level 3 – Global

Gridded Level 3 tropospheric NO2 column densities derived from the Metop/GOME-2-instruments. In the troposphere NO2 is a short-lived atmospheric constituent caused by combustion processes, e.g. fossil fuel consumption or biomass buring or by lightning. NO2 plays an important role in the formation of ozone. The total NO2 column is retrieved from GOME solar back-scattered measurements in the visible wavelength region around 440nm [using the DOAS method]. To derive tropospheric NO2 columns, the estimated stratospheric component is substracted from the total column. In addition, an air mass factor based on monthly climatological NO2 profiles is considered. The Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment-2 (GOME-2) instrument continues the long-term monitoring of atmospheric trace gas constituents started with GOME / ERS-2 and SCIAMACHY / Envisat. Three instruments operate on board EUMETSAT's Meteorological Operational satellites MetOp-A, -B, and -C, launched in 2006, 2012, and 2018, respectively. GOME-2 measures a range of atmospheric trace constituents, with the emphasis on global ozone distribution. Furthermore, cloud properties and intensities of ultraviolet radiation are retrieved. These data are crucial for monitoring the atmospheric composition and the detection of pollutants. DLR generates operational GOME-2 / MetOp products in the framework of EUMETSAT's Satellite Application Facility on Atmospheric Composition Monitoring (AC-SAF).