This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 640276.
Remedy 1: Expand coverage of differential absorption lidars to improve ability to characterise tropospheric ozone
An increase in data on tropospheric ozone is expected from various space-borne platforms with increased capabilities, such as OMPS, TES and TROPOMI and the instruments proposed for Sentinel 4 and 5. However, a reinforcement of the ground based observational capacity is also required to validate these space-borne observations and establish high-quality time series. An increase in the number of ozone balloon borne soundings is not likely due to the high costs involved (material and personnel). There is a potential for tropospheric ozone lidars (using the differential absorption lidar technique) to fill this gap. In the US, a network of tropospheric ozone lidars has been established (TOLNET). Similar initiatives could be pursued in Europe, where a latent tropospheric ozone lidar network could be revived. In Europe, such a network might become part of ACTRIS, the European Research Infrastructure which deals with short-lived greenhouse agents. Similar efforts are required in other areas of the globe to enable full characterisation of tropospheric ozone capabilities by future satellite missions.
An increase in data on tropospheric ozone is expected from various space-borne platforms with increased capabilities, such as OMPS, TES and TROPOMI and the instruments proposed for Sentinel 4 and 5. However, a reinforcement of the ground based observational capacity is also required to validate these space borne observations and establish high-quality time series. The issue is relevant to understand the links between air pollution and climate change. Satellite data alone will likely not suffice to fill the gap.
A measure of success is the increase in the number of available tropospheric ozone profiles.
- Medium
- Programmatic multi-year, multi-institution activity
- Less than 3 years
- High cost (> 5 million)
- Yes
- EU H2020 funding
- Copernicus funding
- National funding agencies
- National Meteorological Services
- WMO
- ESA, EUMETSAT or other space agency