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IASI observations of sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) in the boundary layer of Norilsk
Author(s) -
Bauduin Sophie,
Clarisse Lieven,
Clerbaux Cathy,
Hurtmans Daniel,
Coheur PierreFrançois
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: atmospheres
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2169-8996
pISSN - 2169-897X
DOI - 10.1002/2013jd021405
Subject(s) - environmental science , remote sensing , satellite , humidity , depth sounding , nadir , sulfur dioxide , boundary layer , atmosphere (unit) , atmospheric sciences , planetary boundary layer , thermal infrared , meteorology , infrared , geology , optics , physics , ecology , oceanography , astronomy , biology , thermodynamics
Norilsk is one of the most polluted cities in the world, largely because of intense mining of heavy metals. Here we present satellite observations of SO 2 in a large area surrounding the city, derived from 4 years of measurements from the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI), the nadir thermal infrared (TIR) sounder onboard the MetOp platforms. TIR instruments are conventionally considered to be inadequate for monitoring near‐surface composition, because their sensitivity to the lowest part of the atmosphere is limited by the thermal contrast between the ground and the air above it. We demonstrate that IASI is capable of measuring SO 2 (here as a partial column from 0 to 2 km) in Norilsk, thanks to the large temperature inversions and the low humidity in wintertime. We discuss the influence of thermal contrast and of surface humidity on the SO 2 retrieved columns and estimate the retrieval errors. Using a simple box model, we derive the yearly total emissions of SO 2 from Norilsk and compare them to previously reported values. More generally, we present in this work the first large‐scale demonstration of the capability of space‐based TIR sounders to measure near‐surface SO 2 anthropogenic pollution.