An Error Analysis of a Method for Retrieval of Tropospheric Aerosols Using UV Satellite Sensor

Abstract

The atmospheric aerosols play an important role in tropospheric chemistry. In this paper, we make an error analysis of a method for remote sensing of tropospheric aerosols over land using Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment (GOME) sensor. This algorithm, based on Direct Method [Torres et al., 1998], makes use of radiance measured in two UV wavelengths (335 and 395 nm). In this spectral region, the surface reflectivity is lower than that in visible range, for example, which enables us to retrieve aerosol properties easier over land in particular. At first, we present the results of sensitivity study with the two channels. Next, we make error analyses caused.by the uncertainties in the parameters such as surface albedo, height of aerosol layer, or viewing angle within a GOME pixel, so as to retrieve aerosol optical thickness and mode radius.