Wikipedia

Ozone monitoring instrument


The ozone monitoring instrument (OMI)[1] is a nadir-viewing visual and ultraviolet spectrometer aboard the NASA Aura spacecraft, which is part of the satellite constellation A-Train. In this group of satellites Aura flies in formation about 15 minutes behind Aqua satellite, both of which orbit the Earth in a polar Sun-synchronous pattern, and which provides nearly global coverage in one day. Aura satellite was launched on July 15, 2004, and OMI has collected data since August 9, 2004.[2]

Ozone Monitoring Instrument on-board Aura-Satellite
Overview of OMI/Aura by NASA
ManufacturerDutch Space
DesignerNetherlands Agency for Aerospace Programmes, Finnish Meteorological Institute and the National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA)
Country of originNetherlands
OperatorNASA
ApplicationsAtmospheric composition, air pollution, ozone layer monitoring
Specifications
ConstellationA-Train
Launch mass5 kg (OMI)
Dimensions50x40x35 cm3 (OMI)
Power66 watts ((OMI)
RegimeSun-Synchronous (Aura Satellite)
Design life20 years

From a technical point of view, OMI instrument use hyperspectral imaging to observe solar-backscatter radiation to the space with an spectral range that covers the visible and ultraviolet. Its spectral capabilities were designed to achieve specific requirements of total ozone amounts retrievals in terms of accuracy and precision. Also its characteristics provide accurate radiometric and wavelength self calibration over the long-term project requirements.

OMI project

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The OMI project is a cooperation between the Netherlands Agency for Aerospace Programmes (NIVR), the Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) and the National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA).

The OMI project was carried out under the direction of the NIVR and financed by the Dutch Ministries of Economic Affairs, Transport and Public Works and the Ministry of Education and Science. The instrument was built by Dutch Space in co-operation with Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research Science and Industry and Netherlands Institute for Space Research. The Finnish industry supplied the electronics. The scientific part of the OMI project is managed by KNMI (principal investigator Prof. Dr. P. F. Levelt now at the Delft University of Technology), in close co-operation with NASA and the Finnish Meteorological Institute.

Scientific objectives and atmospheric monitoring

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One of the scientific objectives of OMI is to measure trace gases: ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide[3] (NO2), sulfur dioxide[4] (SO2), formaldehyde (HCHO),[5] BrO,[6] and OClO. However, OMI sensors can distinguish between aerosol types, such as smoke, dust, and sulfates,[7] and can measure cloud pressure[8][7] and cloud coverage, which provide data to derive tropospheric ozone.[9] In that regard OMI follows in the heritage of TOMS, SBUV, GOME, SCIAMACHY, and GOMOS. On top of that, OMI aims to detect emissions in volcanic eruptions with up to at least 100 times more sensitivity than TOMS. The Ozone Monitoring Instrument has been proved an useful platform to monitor other traces gases like Glyoxal,[10] variables like surface UV radiation,[11] or total column estimations like the water vapor,[12] NO2 and Ozone. Has been uses in operational services by European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for ozone and air quality forecasts, and the Volcanic Ash Advisory Centers (VAACs) for the rerouting of aircraft in case of a volcanic eruption.

Instrument Information

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The instrument observes Earth's backscattered radiation and uses two imaging grating spectrometers, and each grating spectrometer is coupled to a CCD detector with 780x576 (spectral x spatial) pixels. The instrument can operate in two different modes: the normal operational mode where a single pixel in the observation has an spatial resolution 13x24 km2 at nadir (straight down), and the zoom mode where this resolution is increased to 13x12 km2.

Spectral Information

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Spectral information. Full Width at Half Maximum (FWHM) is also refereed as Average Spectral Resolution. Average Spectral Sampling Distance (ASSD).
Channel Total Range Full Performance Range FWHM ASSD (nm/pixel)
UV-1 264-311 nm 270-310 nm 0.63 0.33
UV-2 307-383 nm 310-365 nm 0.42 0.14
VIS 349-504 nm 365-504 nm 0.63 0.21

OMI measurements cover a spectral region of 264–504 nm (nanometers) with a spectral resolution between 0.42 nm and 0.63 nm and a nominal ground footprint of 13 × 24 km2 at nadir. This spectral coverage is divided in three different channels two of them in the ultraviolet range, and one in the visible spectrum. Note that the ground pixel size of the UV-1 channel is twice as large in the swath direction compared to the other two channels, this optical design of the UV channel were done to reduce straylight in this wavelength range.[13]

Orbital Information

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The Aura satellite orbits at an altitude of 705 km in a sun-synchronous polar orbit with an exact 16-day repeat cycle and with a local equator crossing time of 13. 45 ( 1:45 P.M.) on the ascending node. The orbital inclination is 98.1 degrees, providing latitudinal coverage from 82° N to 82° S. It is a wide-field-imaging spectrometer with a 114° across-track viewing angle range that provides a 2600 km wide swath, enabling measurements with a daily global coverage.

Calibration and Validation

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The discussion of the calibration and validation processes began before the launch of Aura Satellite.[14][15] Once the instrument was in orbit the information of these calibration was published,[16] showing specific details of the absolute radiometric calibration, the bi-directional scattering distribution function (BSDF) calibration and the spectral calibration carried on. Note also that the instrument is equipped with an internal white light source for detector calibration purposes. The validation,[17] which aim to assess the inherent uncertainties in satellite data products of the instrument together with retrieval algorithms used for each data product, was carried on continuously since the launch of Aura satellite. The validation include products like: total ozone column,[18][19] NO2,[20][21] ozone vertical profiles.[22][23]

In-flight performance

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One important aspect of satellite instruments for scientific measurements is the evolution of the performance during the life-cycle of the sensors, as well as, the continuous evaluation of the quality of the data products. In the case of an instrument like OMI the main aspects to consider are: the radiometric and spectral stability, the row anomaly, and detector degradation. In the first aspect: the radiometric degradation of OMI ranges from ∼2% in the UV channels to ∼0.5% in the VIS channel, which is much lower than any other similar satellite instrument. Regarding the wavelength calibration of the instrument it remains stable to 0.005–0.020 nm which indicates a high wavelength stability. It was detected a row anomaly due, probably, to a partial cover of the instrument,[24] warning flags were included in the raw products to avoid the use of these specific rows and keep the quality of the retrieval products. Further information of the long-term calibration indicated in 2017[24] that the instrument will be able to provide useful science data for another 5 to 10 years.

Scientific relevance

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Image of polar mesospheric clouds taken on 10 July 2007 by OMI

The OMI project has been monitoring the atmospheric composition and providing measurements widely used in the field of atmospheric chemistry research.[25] The fact that it has been operational for more than a decade makes it also useful for trend monitoring. The reference describing the first 14 years of the OMI[7] details the research data products provided by NASA, KNMI, FMI and SAO, also according to these authors, beyond the initial goals, OMI has been important due the high-resolution NO2 and SO2 measurements (OMI is the first instrument that is able to obtain daily global coverage combined with such spatial resolution), and the fact that top-down studies allowed for source attribution analyses.

Awards

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The International Team of the Ozone Monitoring Instrument has received several awards for its contributions to a better understanding of the Earth system:

  • USGS 2018 Pecora Award The Pecora award is annual to recognize individuals or teams using remote sensing in the field of Earth Science. It consider not only the scientific role but also its role informing decision makers and supporting natural or human-induced disaster responses.
  • 2021 AMS Special Award A broad description of this award to OMI International Team is given as an AMS video.
     
    These maps of ozone concentrations over the Arctic come from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) on NASA’s Aura satellite. The left image shows March 19, 2010, and the right shows the same date in 2011.

Contributions to scientific research

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  • Assessment of the Montreal Protocol: the instrument has proved stability to provide long-term data record for monitoring the ozone layer, which is the particular interest to evaluate the possible recovery of the ozone depletion in the southern hemisphere.
  • Global concentrations of trace gases: the OMI data show a steady decline in concentrations of NO2 in the United States, Europe, and Japan, whereas in China, first strong increases were observed, followed by decreases after 2014.
  • Absorbing aerosol that can cause warming: OMI can provide information as from its ultraviolet (UV) channel it is possible to derive such absorbing capacity.[26]
  • Long-term data record of tropospheric ozone has been established: Tropospheric ozone assessment is important as it is the third main anthropogenic greenhouse gas,[27] and the fraction of ozone in the troposphere can be derived from the OMI data, either by itself alone or in combination with other instruments[28]
  • OMI formaldehyde retrievals indicate increases of this trace gas over India and China, and a downward trend over the Amazonian forest, spatially correlated with areas affected by deforestation[29]
  • OMI has been the first satellite instrument to be used for daily monitoring of volcanic emissions[30]

References

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  1. ^ Levelt, P.F.; van den Oord, G.H.J.; Dobber, M.R.; Malkki, A.; Huib Visser; Johan de Vries; Stammes, P.; Lundell, J.O.V.; Saari, H. (31 May 2006). "The ozone monitoring instrument". IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing. 44 (5): 1093–1101. Bibcode:2006ITGRS..44.1093L. doi:10.1109/TGRS.2006.872333. ISSN 0196-2892.
  2. ^ "Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) Data User's Guide" (PDF). NASA. 5 January 2012.
  3. ^ Lamsal, Lok N.; Krotkov, Nickolay A.; Vasilkov, Alexander; Marchenko, Sergey; Qin, Wenhan; Yang, Eun-Su; Fasnacht, Zachary; Joiner, Joanna; Choi, Sungyeon; Haffner, David; Swartz, William H.; Fisher, Bradford; Bucsela, Eric (21 January 2021). "Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) Aura nitrogen dioxide standard product version 4.0 with improved surface and cloud treatments". Atmospheric Measurement Techniques. 14 (1): 455–479. Bibcode:2021AMT....14..455L. doi:10.5194/amt-14-455-2021. ISSN 1867-1381.
  4. ^ Fioletov, Vitali E.; McLinden, Chris A.; Krotkov, Nickolay; Li, Can; Joiner, Joanna; Theys, Nicolas; Carn, Simon; Moran, Mike D. (15 September 2016). "A global catalogue of large SO2 sources and emissions derived from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument". Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. 16 (18): 11497–11519. doi:10.5194/acp-16-11497-2016. ISSN 1680-7316.
  5. ^ Marais, E. A.; Jacob, D. J.; Guenther, A.; Chance, K.; Kurosu, T. P.; Murphy, J. G.; Reeves, C. E.; Pye, H. O. T. (1 August 2014). "Improved model of isoprene emissions in Africa using Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) satellite observations of formaldehyde: implications for oxidants and particulate matter". Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. 14 (15): 7693–7703. Bibcode:2014ACP....14.7693M. doi:10.5194/acp-14-7693-2014. ISSN 1680-7316.
  6. ^ Suleiman, Raid M.; Chance, Kelly; Liu, Xiong; González Abad, Gonzalo; Kurosu, Thomas P.; Hendrick, Francois; Theys, Nicolas (4 April 2019). "OMI total bromine monoxide (OMBRO) data product: algorithm, retrieval and measurement comparisons". Atmospheric Measurement Techniques. 12 (4): 2067–2084. Bibcode:2019AMT....12.2067S. doi:10.5194/amt-12-2067-2019. ISSN 1867-1381.
  7. ^ a b c Levelt, Pieternel F.; Joiner, Joanna; Tamminen, Johanna; Veefkind, J. Pepijn; Bhartia, Pawan K.; Stein Zweers, Deborah C.; Duncan, Bryan N.; Streets, David G.; Eskes, Henk; van der A, Ronald; McLinden, Chris; Fioletov, Vitali; Carn, Simon; de Laat, Jos; DeLand, Matthew (24 April 2018). "The Ozone Monitoring Instrument: overview of 14 years in space". Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. 18 (8): 5699–5745. Bibcode:2018ACP....18.5699L. doi:10.5194/acp-18-5699-2018. ISSN 1680-7316.
  8. ^ Note that several studies of OMI retrievals indicate that the cloud pressures derived from OMI measure an average pressure reached by solar photons inside a cloud.
  9. ^ Mielonen, T.; de Haan, J. F.; van Peet, J. C. A.; Eremenko, M.; Veefkind, J. P. (9 February 2015). "Towards the retrieval of tropospheric ozone with the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI)". Atmospheric Measurement Techniques. 8 (2): 671–687. Bibcode:2015AMT.....8..671M. doi:10.5194/amt-8-671-2015. ISSN 1867-1381.
  10. ^ Kwon, Hyeong-Ahn; González Abad, Gonzalo; Chan Miller, Christopher; Hall, Kirsten R.; Nowlan, Caroline R.; O’Sullivan, Ewan; Wang, Huiqun; Chong, Heesung; Ayazpour, Zolal; Liu, Xiong; Chance, Kelly (September 2024). "Updated OMI Glyoxal Column Measurements Using Collection 4 Level 1B Radiances". Earth and Space Science. 11 (9). doi:10.1029/2024EA003705. ISSN 2333-5084.
  11. ^ Tanskanen, A.; Krotkov, N.A.; Herman, J.R.; Arola, A. (24 April 2006). "Surface ultraviolet irradiance from OMI". IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing. 44 (5): 1267–1271. doi:10.1109/TGRS.2005.862203. hdl:11603/28634. ISSN 0196-2892.
  12. ^ Wang, Huiqun; Souri, Amir Hossein; González Abad, Gonzalo; Liu, Xiong; Chance, Kelly (27 September 2019). "Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) Total Column Water Vapor version 4 validation and applications". Atmospheric Measurement Techniques. 12 (9): 5183–5199. doi:10.5194/amt-12-5183-2019. ISSN 1867-1381.
  13. ^ Instituut, Koninklijk Nederlands Meteorologisch (22 November 2019). "Instrument - Ozone Monitoring Instrument - KNMI Projects". www.knmiprojects.nl. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  14. ^ Dobber, M.; Dirksen, R.; Levelt, P.; van den Oord, B.; Jaross, G.; Kowalewski, M.; Mount, G.; Heath, D.; Hilsenrath, E.; de Vries, J. (1 April 2003). "Ozone Monitoring Instrument flight-model on-ground calibration from a scientific point of view". Egs - AGU - Eug Joint Assembly: 6489. Bibcode:2003EAEJA.....6489D.
  15. ^ Dobber, Marcel & Dirksen, Ruud & Levelt, P. & Oord, G.H.J. & Jaross, Glen & Kowalewski, Matt & Mount, George & Heath, Donald & Hilsenrath, Ernest & Cebula, R. (2004). Ozone Monitoring Instrument flight-model on-ground and in-flight calibration. 554. 89-96.
  16. ^ Dobber, M.R.; Dirksen, R.J.; Levelt, P.F.; van den Oord, G.H.J.; Voors, R.H.M.; Kleipool, Q.; Jaross, G.; Kowalewski, M.; Hilsenrath, E.; Leppelmeier, G.W.; Johan de Vries; Dierssen, W.; Rozemeijer, N.C. (May 2006). "Ozone monitoring instrument calibration". IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing. 44 (5): 1209–1238. doi:10.1109/TGRS.2006.869987. ISSN 0196-2892.
  17. ^ Loew, Alexander; Bell, William; Brocca, Luca; Bulgin, Claire E.; Burdanowitz, Jörg; Calbet, Xavier; Donner, Reik V.; Ghent, Darren; Gruber, Alexander; Kaminski, Thomas; Kinzel, Julian; Klepp, Christian; Lambert, Jean-Christopher; Schaepman-Strub, Gabriela; Schröder, Marc (6 June 2017). "Validation practices for satellite-based Earth observation data across communities". Reviews of Geophysics. 55 (3): 779–817. doi:10.1002/2017RG000562. ISSN 8755-1209.
  18. ^ McPeters, R.; Kroon, M.; Labow, G.; Brinksma, E.; Balis, D.; Petropavlovskikh, I.; Veefkind, J. P.; Bhartia, P. K.; Levelt, P. F. (16 August 2008). "Validation of the Aura Ozone Monitoring Instrument total column ozone product". Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres. 113 (D15). doi:10.1029/2007JD008802. ISSN 0148-0227.
  19. ^ Balis, D.; Kroon, M.; Koukouli, M. E.; Brinksma, E. J.; Labow, G.; Veefkind, J. P.; McPeters, R. D. (27 December 2007). "Validation of Ozone Monitoring Instrument total ozone column measurements using Brewer and Dobson spectrophotometer ground-based observations". Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres. 112 (D24). doi:10.1029/2007JD008796. ISSN 0148-0227.
  20. ^ Compernolle, Steven; Verhoelst, Tijl; Pinardi, Gaia; Granville, José; Hubert, Daan; Keppens, Arno; Niemeijer, Sander; Rino, Bruno; Bais, Alkis; Beirle, Steffen; Boersma, Folkert; Burrows, John P.; De Smedt, Isabelle; Eskes, Henk; Goutail, Florence (10 July 2020). "Validation of Aura-OMI QA4ECV NO2 climate data records with ground-based DOAS networks: the role of measurement and comparison uncertainties". Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. 20 (13): 8017–8045. doi:10.5194/acp-20-8017-2020. ISSN 1680-7316.
  21. ^ Celarier, E. A.; Brinksma, E. J.; Gleason, J. F.; Veefkind, J. P.; Cede, A.; Herman, J. R.; Ionov, D.; Goutail, F.; Pommereau, J.-P.; Lambert, J.-C.; van Roozendael, M.; Pinardi, G.; Wittrock, F.; Schönhardt, A.; Richter, A. (16 August 2008). "Validation of Ozone Monitoring Instrument nitrogen dioxide columns". Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres. 113 (D15). doi:10.1029/2007JD008908. ISSN 0148-0227.
  22. ^ Liu, X.; Bhartia, P. K.; Chance, K.; Froidevaux, L.; Spurr, R. J. D.; Kurosu, T. P. (12 March 2010). "Validation of Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) ozone profiles and stratospheric ozone columns with Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) measurements". Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. 10 (5): 2539–2549. doi:10.5194/acp-10-2539-2010. ISSN 1680-7316.
  23. ^ Kroon, M.; de Haan, J. F.; Veefkind, J. P.; Froidevaux, L.; Wang, R.; Kivi, R.; Hakkarainen, J. J. (20 September 2011). "Validation of operational ozone profiles from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument". Journal of Geophysical Research. 116 (D18). doi:10.1029/2010JD015100. ISSN 0148-0227.
  24. ^ a b Schenkeveld, V. M. Erik; Jaross, Glen; Marchenko, Sergey; Haffner, David; Kleipool, Quintus L.; Rozemeijer, Nico C.; Veefkind, J. Pepijn; Levelt, Pieternel F. (1 June 2017). "In-flight performance of the Ozone Monitoring Instrument". Atmospheric Measurement Techniques. 10 (5): 1957–1986. doi:10.5194/amt-10-1957-2017. ISSN 1867-1381. PMID 29657582.
  25. ^ "ACP – Special issue – Ten years of Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) observations (ACP/AMT inter-journal SI)".
  26. ^ Torres, Omar; Tanskanen, Aapo; Veihelmann, Ben; Ahn, Changwoo; Braak, Remco; Bhartia, Pawan K.; Veefkind, Pepijn; Levelt, Pieternel (27 December 2007). "Aerosols and surface UV products from Ozone Monitoring Instrument observations: An overview". Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres. 112 (D24). doi:10.1029/2007JD008809. ISSN 0148-0227.
  27. ^ Checa-Garcia, Ramiro; Hegglin, Michaela I.; Kinnison, Douglas; Plummer, David A.; Shine, Keith P. (16 April 2018). "Historical Tropospheric and Stratospheric Ozone Radiative Forcing Using the CMIP6 Database". Geophysical Research Letters. 45 (7): 3264–3273. doi:10.1002/2017GL076770. ISSN 0094-8276.
  28. ^ Ziemke, J. R.; Douglass, A. R.; Oman, L. D.; Strahan, S. E.; Duncan, B. N. (22 July 2015). "Tropospheric ozone variability in the tropics from ENSO to MJO and shorter timescales". Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. 15 (14): 8037–8049. doi:10.5194/acp-15-8037-2015. ISSN 1680-7316.
  29. ^ De Smedt, I.; Stavrakou, T.; Hendrick, F.; Danckaert, T.; Vlemmix, T.; Pinardi, G.; Theys, N.; Lerot, C.; Gielen, C.; Vigouroux, C.; Hermans, C.; Fayt, C.; Veefkind, P.; Müller, J.-F.; Van Roozendael, M. (10 November 2015). "Diurnal, seasonal and long-term variations of global formaldehyde columns inferred from combined OMI and GOME-2 observations". Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. 15 (21): 12519–12545. doi:10.5194/acp-15-12519-2015. ISSN 1680-7324.
  30. ^ Carn, S. A.; Fioletov, V. E.; McLinden, C. A.; Li, C.; Krotkov, N. A. (9 March 2017). "A decade of global volcanic SO2 emissions measured from space". Scientific Reports. 7 (1): 44095. doi:10.1038/srep44095. ISSN 2045-2322.
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