Technical Note: A new global database of trace gases and aerosols from multiple sources of high vertical resolution measurements

[摘要] A new database of trace gases and aerosols with global coverage, derived fromhigh vertical resolution profile measurements, has been assembled as acollection of binary data files; hereafter referred to as the "BinaryDataBase of Profiles" (BDBP). Version 1.0 of the BDBP, described here,includes measurements from different satellite- (HALOE, POAM II and III,SAGE I and II) and ground-based measurement systems (ozonesondes). Inaddition to the primary product of ozone, secondary measurements of othertrace gases, aerosol extinction, and temperature are included. All data aresubjected to very strict quality control and for every measurement apercentage error on the measurement is included. To facilitate analyses, eachmeasurement is added to 3 different instances (3 different grids) of thedatabase where measurements are indexed by: (1) geographic latitude,longitude, altitude (in 1 km steps) and time, (2) geographic latitude,longitude, pressure (at levels ~1 km apart) and time, (3) equivalentlatitude, potential temperature (8 levels from 300 K to 650 K) and time.

In contrast to existing zonal mean databases, by including a wider range ofmeasurement sources (both satellite and ozonesondes), the BDBP issufficiently dense to permit calculation of changes in ozone by latitude,longitude and altitude. In addition, by including other trace gases such aswater vapour, this database can be used for comprehensive radiative transfercalculations. By providing the original measurements rather than derivedmonthly means, the BDBP is applicable to a wider range of applications thandatabases containing only monthly mean data. Monthly mean zonal mean ozoneconcentrations calculated from the BDBP are compared with the database ofRandel and Wu, which has been used in many earlier analyses. As opposed tothat database which is generated from regression model fits, the BDBP usesthe original (quality controlled) measurements with no smoothing applied inany way and as a result displays higher natural variability.

[学科分类] 大气科学