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First reprocessing of Southern Hemisphere ADditional OZonesondes (SHADOZ) profile records (1998–2015): 1. Methodology and evaluation
Author(s) -
Witte Jacquelyn C.,
Thompson Anne M.,
Smit Herman G. J.,
Fujiwara Masatomo,
Posny Françoise,
Coetzee Gert J. R.,
Northam Edward T.,
Johnson Bryan J.,
Sterling Chance W.,
Mohamad Maznorizan,
Ogino ShinYa,
Jordan Allen,
Silva Francisco R.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: atmospheres
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2169-8996
pISSN - 2169-897X
DOI - 10.1002/2016jd026403
Subject(s) - southern hemisphere , troposphere , stratosphere , environmental science , satellite , microwave limb sounder , meteorology , northern hemisphere , ozone , atmospheric sciences , climatology , geography , geology , physics , astronomy
Electrochemical concentration cell ozonesonde measurements are an important source of highly resolved vertical profiles of ozone (O 3 ) with long‐term data records for deriving O 3 trends, model development, satellite validation, and air quality studies. Ozonesonde stations employ a range of operational and data processing procedures, metadata reporting, and instrument changes that have resulted in inhomogeneities within individual station data records. A major milestone is the first reprocessing of seven Southern Hemisphere ADditional OZonesondes (SHADOZ) station ozonesonde records to account for errors and biases in operating/processing procedures. Ascension Island, Hanoi, Irene, Kuala Lumpur, La Réunion, Natal, and Watukosek station records all show an overall increase in O 3 after reprocessing. Watukosek shows the largest increase of 9.0 ± 2.1 Dobson Units (DU) in total column O 3 ; Irene and Hanoi show a 5.5 ± 2.5 DU increase, while remaining sites show statistically insignificant enhancements. Negligible to modest O 3 enhancements are observed after reprocessing in the troposphere (up to 8%) and stratosphere (up to 6%), except at La Réunion for which the application of background currents reduces tropospheric O 3 (−2.1 ± 1.3 DU). Inhomogeneities due to ozonesonde/solution‐type changes at Ascension, Natal, and La Réunion are resolved with the application of transfer functions. Comparisons with EP‐TOMS, Aura's Ozone Monitoring Instrument and Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) satellite O 3 overpasses show an overall improvement in agreement after reprocessing. Most reprocessed data sets show a significant reduction in biases with MLS at the ozone maximum region (50–10 hPa). Changes in radiosonde/ozonesonde system and nonstandard solution types can account for remaining discrepancies observed at several sites when compared to satellites.