Multi-year comparison of stratospheric BrO vertical profiles retrieved from SCIAMACHY limb and ground-based UV-visible measurements

Abstract. Vertical profiles of stratospheric bromine monoxide (BrO) retrieved daily from ENVISAT/SCIAMACHY (ENVIronmental SATellite/SCanning Imaging Absorption spectroMeter for Atmospheric CHartographY) limb scatter data and from ground-based UV-visible observations performed at Harestua (60° N, 11° E), Observatoire de Haute-Provence (44° N, 5.5° E), and Lauder (45° S, 170° E) are compared in the 15–27 km altitude range for the 2002–2006, 2005–2006, and 2002–2005 periods, respectively. At the three stations, the SCIAMACHY and ground-based UV-visible mean profiles agree reasonably well, with relative difference smaller than 23%. When comparing the BrO partial columns, the agreement obtained is good, with mean relative differences smaller than 11% and corresponding standard deviations in the 13–19% range. These comparison results are obtained, however, using different BrO cross sections in SCIAMACHY limb and ground-based UV-visible retrievals. The seasonal variation of the BrO columns at the three stations is consistently captured by both retrievals as well as large BrO column events occurring during the winter and early spring at Harestua which are associated with bromine activation.