From OMI to TROPOMI : entering the realm of air quality from space

Paper number

IAC-06-B1.3.07

Author

Dr. Johan de Vries, Dutch Space B.V., The Netherlands

Coauthor

Mr. Erik Laan, Nederlandse Vereninging voor Ruimtevaart (NVR), The Netherlands

Coauthor

Prof. Ilse Aben, The Netherlands

Coauthor

Dr. Rienk Jongma, The Netherlands

Coauthor

Dr. Pieternel Levelt, The Netherlands

Coauthor

Dr. Gijsbertus van den Oord, The Netherlands

Coauthor

Dr. Pepijn Veefkind, The Netherlands

Coauthor

Dr. Andrew Court, TNO Science and Industry, The Netherlands

Coauthor

Ms. Isabel Escudero, TNO TPD, The Netherlands

Year

2006

Abstract

The Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) on NASA’s AURA satellite is one of the first instruments measuring a fairly complete daily set of air quality parameters from space. This anwers to the growing interest in obtaining space data for the air we breath rather than higher altitude air masses. 
OMI combines UV-Visible nadir viewing spectroscopy, small ground pixels and daily global coverage. As SCIAMACHY, it uses the high sensitivity of UV-Visible spectroscopy to the lowest kilometers of the atmosphere and the boundary layer. It has fairly small ground pixels (13 x 24 km2) to allow for a high fraction of cloudfree observations and to help to observe detailed spatial features. Daily measurements form a prerequisite for air quality data.
The paper shows examples of OMI air quality measurements and it explains in what sense these measurements can be improved. This makes use of the results of a study in the Netherlands on air quality user requirements and instrument design for an OMI follow-on instrument. 
The improvements for the new instrument, TROPOMI, are explained : an O2A channel is added to improve on surface and cloud albedo, cloud fraction and cloud top height and a new separate module is added for the SWIR wavelengths for measuring CO and CH4. The ground pixel is reduced to 10 x 10 km2 and signal-to-noises are improved to allow measurements in low albedo areas. The design makes use of newly developed detectors and new optics to reduce the overall instrument size.
Lastly, the paper discusses the continuity of air quality data for the coming 10 - 15 years and provides scenarios on how this could be filled in with the existing OMI towards the new TROPOMI and with a potential OMI-2 gap filler.

Abstract document

IAC-06-B1.3.07.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-06-B1.3.07.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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