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Initial results from the DE‐1 ozone imaging instrumentation
Author(s) -
Keating G. M.,
Craven J. D.,
Frank L. A.,
Young D. F.,
Bhartia P. K.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/gl012i009p00593
Subject(s) - environmental science , spacecraft , altitude (triangle) , ozone , remote sensing , instrumentation (computer programming) , northern hemisphere , atmospheric sciences , latitude , backscatter (email) , meteorology , physics , geology , geodesy , astronomy , computer science , telecommunications , geometry , mathematics , wireless , operating system
The first synoptic global‐scale images of total column ozone are obtained in the sunlit hemisphere using the imaging instrumentation on board the spacecraft Dynamics Explorer 1 (DE‐1). The total column ozone is determined using the backscatter ultraviolet technique. The high apogee altitude of the eccentric, polar orbit allows global‐scale images of the terrestrial ozone field to be obtained in 12 minutes with good spatial resolution. Previous ozone‐monitoring spacecraft have required much longer time periods for comparable spatial coverage because of their lower altitudes. The much higher altitude of DE‐1 also provides hours of continuous imaging of features, as compared to minutes or seconds with previous spacecraft. Substantial short‐term (less than 1 day) variations in the synoptic ozone field have been detected. This paper provides a brief description of this unique observation platform and shows the validity of the measured fields using comparisons with the Dobson network and with various meteorological measurements.