PACD Objectives

Objectives of the PACD project

The scope of the proposed study is the complete analysis of the L1 data obtained from MARSCHALS during the test campaign TC9 (Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany, November 2009) and of the scientific campaign PremierEx (Kiruna, Sweden, March 2010) with the M-55 Geophysica aircraft.

The products of the analysis will be the vertical profiles of the target species (Table 1) identified in the context of the study "Scientific Analysis of Limb Sounding Observations of the Upper Troposphere". These products will be used to evaluate the performances of the retrieval and the benefit of the multi-band analysis, of the multi-scan analysis, and of the synergistic analysis of mm-wave and infrared measurements. In particular, the synergistic analysis could also improve the cloud measurement capability with respect to a stand-alone analysis. The gain of information will be assessed in terms of sensitivity to cloudy sky condition. Further auxiliary retrieval products will be used aiming at the diagnostic of anomalies in the calibration (gain and offset retrieval) or in the retrieval procedure (un-accounted continuum in clear sky condition and retrieval quantifiers).

Table 1 - Target species that can be retrieved for each band of MARSCHALS

Within this framework, the project will be organized in two subsequent phases, with specific objectives that can be summarized as follows.

Phase 1 objectives

(1)   Up-date  of the Pre-Processor code (SAMM), of the MARSCHALS retrieval code (MARC), of the OCM Forward Model (OFM), and of the visualization tools of the retrieval products according to the new instrument configuration and performance.

(2)   Analysis of MARSCHALS L1 data obtained during the PREMIER-EX test campaign. The complete analysis will include single bands versus multiple bands retrieval and multi scan retrieval of the target and of the minor species; the total error budget; the conclusions on instrument performance and issues.

(3)   Comparison between MARC and RAL forward and inverse models.

(4)   Validation of L2 products obtained from the analysis of MARSCHALS measurements of the PremierEx campaign (scientific flight on 10.03.2010). The validation will be done comparing the target species retrieved from the single-band or multi-band or the multi-scan retrieval with collocated measurements.

(5)   Assessment of the gain of information obtainable on the target species from the synergistic analysis of mm-wave (MARSCHALS measurements) and infrared (MIPAS-STR measurements) spectral regions.

(6)   Comparison of the cloud sensitivity in the different spectral regions (mm-wave with respect to infrared observations) and assessment of the gain of information obtainable on the cloud parameters.

Phase 2 objectives

(1)   Analysis of MARSCHALS L1 data obtained during the TC9 campaign (test flight on 04.11.2009).

(2)   Validation of L2 products resulting from the analysis of MARSCHALS measurements obtained during the TC9 campaign.

(3)   Assessment of the gain of information obtainable on the target species from the synergistic analysis of mm-wave and infrared measurements.