GEMS BrO Retrieval Sensitivity Test Using a Radiative Transfer Model

Abstract

: To estimate errors in GEMS retrievals for bromine monoxide (BrO) total vertical column densities (VCDs), we perform a sensitivity test using synthetic spectra generated by a radiative transfer model. Hourly synthetic data are produced for 00-07 UTC on the first day of every month in Jul 2013- Jun 2014. Solution errors estimated by the optimal estimation method tend to decrease with increasing air mass factors (AMFs) but increase when AMFs are larger than 5. Interference errors induced by formaldehyde (HCHO) absorption appear to be larger with smaller BrO AMFs. Total BrO retrieval errors estimated by combining solution and interference errors show an average of 26.74±30.18% for all data samples and 60.39±133.78% for those with solar zenith angles higher than 80°. Due to interfering spectral features and measurement errors not considered in this study, errors in BrO retrievals from actual GEMS measurements may have different magnitudes from our estimates. However, the variability of errors assessed in this study is still expected to appear in the actual BrO retrievals.