Retrieval algorithm for OClO from TROPOMI (TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument) by differential optical absorption spectroscopy

Abstract

Here we present a new retrieval algorithm of the slant column densities (SCDs) of chlorine dioxide (OClO) by differential optical absorption spectroscopy (DOAS) from measurements performed by TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) on board of Sentinel-5P satellite. To achieve a substantially improved accuracy, which is especially important for OClO observations, accounting for absorber and pseudo absorber structures in optical depth even of the order of 10−4 is important. Therefore, in comparison to existing retrievals, we include several additional fit parameters by accounting for spectral effects like the temperature dependency of the Ring effect and Ring absorption effects, a higher-order term for the OClO SCD dependency on wavelength and accounting for the BrO absorption. We investigate the performance of different retrieval settings by an error analysis with respect to random variations, large-scale systematic variations as a function of solar zenith angle and also more localized systematic variations by a novel application of an autocorrelation analysis. The retrieved TROPOMI OClO SCDs show a very good agreement with ground-based zenith sky measurements and are correlated well with preliminary data of the operational TROPOMI OClO retrieval algorithm currently being developed as part of ESA's Sentinel-5P+ Innovation project.