HR: 13:55h
AN: SA13B-02    [Abstracts]
TI: PMC Detection and Mapping Using Aura OMI Measurements
AU: * DeLand, M T
EM: matthew_deland@ssaihq.com
AF: Science Systems and Applications, Inc. (SSAI), 10210 Greenbelt Rd., Suite 600, Lanham, MD 20706, United States
AU: Shettle, E P
EM: shettle@nrl.navy.mil
AF: Naval Research Laboratory, Code 7227 Remote Sensing Division, Washington, DC 20375-5320, United States
AU: Thomas, G E
EM: thomas@lasp.colorado.edu
AF: LASP/University of Colorado, Campus Box 392, Boulder, CO 80309-0392, United States
AU: Olivero, J J
EM: oliveroj@erau.edu
AF: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Dept. of Physical Sciences 600 S. Clyde Morris Blvd., Daytona Beach, FL 32114-3900, United States
AU: Levelt, P F
EM: levelt@knmi.nl
AF: Royal Dutch Meteorological Institute (KNMI), Wilhelminalaan 10, De Bilt, 3730 AE, Netherlands
AB: The Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI), launched on the NASA Aura spacecraft in July 2004, is a hyperspectral instrument designed to measure stratospheric profile ozone and total column ozone. OMI uses a wide field of view telescope and a CCD detector to observe a 2600 km swath across the orbit track with 13 km x 24 km pixels at the surface for nadir measurements (13 km x 48 km at UV wavelengths), while simultaneously collecting spectral information over the wavelength range 264-511 nm for each pixel. These measurements provide full global coverage every day at the latitudes where polar mesospheric clouds (PMCs) occur, with substantial overlap between consecutive orbits. We have successfully adapted the PMC detection algorithm developed for SBUV and SBUV/2 measurements for use with OMI Level 1B data. These results demonstrate a factor of 100- 200 increase in PMC detections, significantly improved resolution of horizontal structure, and greater dynamic range compared to concurrent SBUV/2 data. These improvements are due to the expanded OMI cross-track coverage and smaller pixels compared to SBUV/2 (nadir only, 170 km x 170 km). Overlapping OMI measurements from multiple consecutive orbits allow us to examine local time variations in PMC brightness and frequency for any location above 70 degrees latitude on a daily basis. Additional refinements to the OMI algorithm will take further advantage of its increased wavelength coverage and scattering angle sampling. OMI has smaller pixels and better wavelength sampling than SBUV/2 instruments, providing much improved information for PMC particle size analysis. PMC maps from OMI will also provide an important validation resource for the NASA AIM (Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere) mission, launched on 25 April 2007.
DE: 0340 Middle atmosphere: composition and chemistry
DE: 0394 Instruments and techniques
DE: 1640 Remote sensing (1855)
DE: 1650 Solar variability (7537)
DE: 3360 Remote sensing
SC: SPA-Aeronomy [SA]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting