Research article
20 Jul 2012
Research article | 20 Jul 2012
New Aura Microwave Limb Sounder observations of BrO and implications for Bry
L. Millán1, N. Livesey1, W. Read1, L. Froidevaux1, D. Kinnison2, R. Harwood3, I. A. MacKenzie3, and M. P. Chipperfield4
L. Millán et al.
L. Millán1, N. Livesey1, W. Read1, L. Froidevaux1, D. Kinnison2, R. Harwood3, I. A. MacKenzie3, and M. P. Chipperfield4
- 1Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
- 2National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado, USA
- 3School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, UK
- 4Institute for Climate and Atmospheric Science, University of Leeds, UK
- 1Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
- 2National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado, USA
- 3School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, UK
- 4Institute for Climate and Atmospheric Science, University of Leeds, UK
Hide author details
Received: 10 Dec 2011 – Discussion started: 10 Jan 2012 – Revised: 08 May 2012 – Accepted: 26 Jun 2012 – Published: 20 Jul 2012
This paper introduces a new inversion algorithm for retrievals of stratospheric BrO from the Aura Microwave Limb Sounder. This version is based on the algorithm described by Livesey et al. (2006a) but uses a more realistic atmospheric state to constrain the retrieval. A description of the methodology and an error analysis are presented. Single daily profile precision uncertainty, when taking the ascending-descending (day-night) difference, was found to be up to 40 pptv while systematic error biases were estimated to be less than about 3 pptv. Monthly mean comparisons show broad agreement with other measurements as well as with state-of-the-art numerical models. We infer a 2005 yearly total inorganic Bry using the measured MLS BrO to be 20.3 ± 4.5 pptv, which implies a contribution from very short lived substances to the stratospheric bromine budget of 5 ± 4.5 pptv.
