Retrieval of bromine monoxide from the Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite Nadir Mapper onboard the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership satellite

Abstract:

Bromine monoxide (BrO) is a trace gas that plays critical roles in the Earth’s atmospheric chemistry, mainly contributing to the depletion of ozone (O₃). BrO has absorption features in the ultraviolet (UV) spectral region, which enables its detection by satellite instruments measuring backscattered UV radiation. This study presents BrO retrievals from spectra measured by the Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite Nadir Mapper (OMPS-NM), launched in 2011 onboard the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (S-NPP) satellite. The physics of the BrO retrieval algorithm in this study follows those of the formaldehyde (HCHO) product of OMPS-NM and the BrO product of OMI (Ozone Monitoring Instrument), developed from the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO). To determine the optimal algorithm setting for the direct spectral fit, we examine BrO slant column densities (SCDs), SCD uncertainties, root-mean-square of residuals, and correlations between fitting parameters obtained from various fitting windows. The retrieval results demonstrate the capability of the OMPS-NM instrument for BrO observations and imply the possibility of continuing long-term global BrO monitoring achieved by applying this algorithm to multiple satellite sensors.