Development of a new methodology for the retrieval of in-situ stratospheric trace gas concentration from airborne limb-absorption measurements

The UV-Vis DOAS spectrometer GASCOD/A4pi (Gas Analyzer Spectrometer Correlating Optical Differences, Airborne version) was installed on board the stratospheric Geophysica aircraft during the APE-THESEO and APE-GAIA campaign in February-March and September-October 1999 respectively. The instrument is provided by five input windows, three of which measure scattered solar radiation from the zenith and from two horizontal windows, 90 degrees away from the zenith to perform limb-absorption measurements. Spectra from 290 to 700 nm were processed through DOAS technique to obtain trace gases column amounts. Data from horizontal windows, which are performed for the first time from an airborne spectrometer, are used to retrieve an average concentration of the gases along a characteristic length of the line of sight. An atmospheric Air Mass Factor model (AMEFCO) is used to calculate the probability density function and the characteristic length used to reduce the slant column amounts to in-situ concentration values. The validation of the method is performed through a comparison of the values obtained, with a in-situ chemiluminescent ozone analyzer (FOZAN) which performed synchronous measurements on board Geophysica aircraft. Data from the APE-GAIA campaign was presented and discussed