Knowledge Bank

The Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment (GOME) and the SCanning Imaging Absorption spectroMeter for Atmospheric CHartograph Y (SCIAMACHY) are moderate resolution diode array-based spectrometers that will make atmospheric constituent and aerosol measurements from European satellite platforms beginning in the mid 1990's. GOME measures the atmosphere in the UV and visible in nadir scanning, while SCIAMACHY performs a combination of nadir, limb, and occultation measurements in the UV, visible and infrared. Both instruments make measurements in the spectral region from 240 to 790 nm. Sensitivity analyses show that, in this part of the atmospheric spectrum, they will be able to measure the tropospheric species $O3,O2,O4,H2O,NO2$, and, in polluted regions, $SO2$ and $H2CO$. In the stratosphere, they will be able to measure $O3,O2,H2O,NO$ (above 40 km), $NO2,BrO$, and, in perturbed polar regions, ClO and OClO. In particular, the respective contributions to the $O3$ measurements from stratospheric and tropospheric ozone are separable in nadir viewing using spectroscopic information. The sensitivity studies leading to predicted measurement capabilities for GOME and the UV/visible portion of SCIAMACHY are presented, with particular regard for the underlying spectroscopic analysis.