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SCIAMACHY Validation

Objective

The objective of the SCIAMACHY validation is to determine the accuracy of both operational and scientific data products for all relevant atmospheric conditions. This will be achieved by comparison of the SCIAMACHY data products with temporally and spatially coincident measurements performed by independent instrumentation from various platforms.

Coordination and Set-Up

Given the broad range of data products that can be derived from SCIAMACHY measurements, the validation of these products is a challenge requiring coordinated action both on an international and on a national basis. The Atmospheric Chemistry Validation Team (ACVT) chaired by ESA is responsible for the overall validation planning, data acquisition, data processing, data analysis, and reporting for the atmospheric chemistry instruments SCIAMACHY, MIPAS, and GOMOS on Envisat-1. The German contributions to the SCIAMACHY validation are coordinated by the Institute of Environmental Physics, Heidelberg, with support from the Institute of Environmental Physics, Bremen.

As proposed by the SCIAMACHY Validation and Interpretation Group (SCIAVALIG), a subgroup of the SCIAMACHY Science Advisory Group (SSAG), the validation will comprise two parts:

The core validation aims at providing a minimal but essential validation of SCIAMACHY products. It will be performed primarily by relevant groups from those countries which have funded SCIAMACHY (Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium).
The so-called AO validation based on selected proposals submitted to ESA following the Announcement of Opportunity for SCIAMACHY validation will complement the core validation.

The validation of SCIAMACHY will be divided in three phases:

During the commissioning phase (from launch until 6 months after launch) a preliminary validation of level-1 and level-2 data will be performed.
The aim of the main validation phase (from L+6 to L+18) is to provide the error assessment for the first official data release by means of a rigorous validation of all level-1 and level-2 products.
During the long-term validation phase (starting at L+18 and lasting throughout the operational life of SCIAMACHY) the essential elements of the main validation will be regularly repeated to establish a high-quality long-term data record.

More detailed information can be found in the SCIAMACHY Validation Requirements Document prepared by SCIAVALIG.

German Contribution to SCIAMACHY Validation

The German validation activities will cover almost all level-1 and level-2 data products during all validation phases of the operational life of SCIAMACHY. Most projects will be financed by the German Education and Science Ministry (BMBF) and by the German Aerospace Agency (DLR). Correlative measurements will be performed from various platforms for a wide range of locations and atmospheric conditions. Support to campaign planning and interpretation of measurements will be provided in the form of meteorological analyses and chemistry transport models. Please note that the validation planning is still at an early stage. Therefore the lists of instruments and measurement sites given below are preliminary and may be updated in the future.

More information about the German contribution to SCIAMACHY validation can be found in

Hoogen, R., J. P. Burrows, S. Noël, U. Platt, T. Wagner: SCIAMACHY mission objectives and validation concept: The German contribution, Proc. 14th ESA Symp. on European Rocket and Balloon Programs and Related Research (PS-file, zipped, 420k).

SCIAMACHY and ENVISAT-1

Acknowledgements

SCIAMACHY Main Page