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In this study, we present O3 retrievals from ground-based Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) solar absorption measurements between June 2018 and December 2019 at Xianghe, China (39.75 ∘ N, 116.96 ∘ E). The FTIR spectrometer at Xianghe is operated with indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) and indium antimonide (InSb) detectors, recording the spectra between 1800 and 11 000 cm −1 . As the harmonized FTIR O3 retrieval strategy ( Vigouroux et al. , 2015 ) within the Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change (NDACC) uses the 1000 cm −1 spectral range, we apply the O3 retrieval in the 3040 cm −1 spectral range at Xianghe. The retrieved O3 profile is mainly sensitive to the vertical range between 10 and 40 km, and the degrees of freedom for signal is 2.4±0.3 ( 1σ ), indicating that there are two individual pieces of information in partial columns between the surface and 20 km and between 20 and 40 km. According to the optimal estimation method, the systematic and random uncertainties of the FTIR O3 total columns are about 13.6 % and 1.4 %, respectively. The random uncertainty is consistent with the observed daily standard deviation of the FTIR retrievals. To validate the FTIR O3 total and partial columns, we apply the same O3 retrieval strategy at Maido, Reunion (a.k.a. Reunion Island; 21.08 ∘ N, 55.38 ∘ E). The FTIR O3 (3040 cm −1 ) measurements at Xianghe and Maido are then compared with the nearby ozonesondes at Beijing (39.81 ∘ N, 116.47 ∘ E) and at Gillot (20.89 ∘ S, 55.53 ∘ E), respectively, as well as with co-located TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) satellite measurements at both sites. In addition at Maido, we compare the FTIR O3 (3040 cm −1 ) retrievals with the standard NDACC FTIR O3 measurements using the 1000 cm −1 spectral range. It was found that the total columns retrieved from the FTIR O3 3040 cm −1 measurements are underestimated by 5.5 %–9.0 %, which is mainly due to the systematic uncertainty in the partial column between 20 and 40 km (about −10.4 %). The systematic uncertainty in the partial column between surface and 20 km is relatively small (within 2.4 %). By comparison with other measurements, it was found that the FTIR O3 (3040 cm −1 ) retrievals capture the seasonal and synoptic variations of the O3 total and two partial columns very well. Therefore, the ongoing FTIR measurements at Xianghe can provide useful information on the O3 variations and (in the future) long-term trends.

A nascent in situ cirrus was observed on 11 January 2019 in the tropical tropopause layer (TTL) over the southwestern Indian Ocean, with the use of balloon-borne instruments. Data from CFH (Cryogenic Frost Point Hygrometer) and COBALD (Compact Optical Backscatter and AerosoL Detector) instruments were used to characterize the cirrus and its environment. Optical modeling was employed to estimate the cirrus microphysicalproperties from the COBALD backscatter measurements. Newly-formed ice crystals with radius −1 were reported at the tropopause. The relatively low concentration and CFH ice supersaturation (1.5) suggests a homogeneous freezing event stalled by a high-frequency gravity wave. The observed vertical wind speed and temperature anomalies that triggered the cirrus formation were due to a 1.5-km vertical-scale wave, as shown by a spectral analysis. This cirrus observation shortly after nucleation is beyond remote sensing capabilities and presents a type of cirrus never reported before.

International audience; A nascent in situ cirrus was observed on January 11, 2019 in the tropical tropopause layer (TTL) over the southwestern Indian Ocean, with the use of balloon-borne instruments. Data from cryogenic frost point hygrometer (CFH) and Compact Optical Backscatter and AerosoL Detector (COBALD) instruments were used to characterize the cirrus and its environment. Optical modeling was employed to estimate the cirrus microphysical properties from the COBALD backscatter measurements. Newly fomed ice crystals with radius

Reprocessed ozonesonde data from eight SHADOZ (Southern Hemisphere ADditional OZonesondes) sites have been used to derive the first analysis of uncertainty estimates for both profile and total column ozone (TCO). The ozone uncertainty is a composite of the uncertainties of the individual terms in the ozone partial pressure (PO3) equation, those being the ozone sensor current, background current, internal pump temperature, pump efficiency factors, conversion efficiency, and flow rate. Overall, PO3 uncertainties (ΔPO3) are within 15% and peak around the tropopause (15 ± 3 km) where ozone is a minimum and ΔPO3 approaches the measured signal. The uncertainty in the background and sensor currents dominates the overall ΔPO3 in the troposphere including the tropopause region, while the uncertainties in the conversion efficiency and flow rate dominate in the stratosphere. Seasonally, ΔPO3 is generally a maximum in the March–May, with the exception of SHADOZ sites in Asia, for which the highest ΔPO3 occurs in September–February. As a first approach, we calculate sonde TCO uncertainty (ΔTCO) by integrating the profile ΔPO3 and adding the ozone residual uncertainty, derived from the McPeters and Labow (2012, doi:10.1029/2011JD017006) 1σ ozone mixing ratios. Overall, ΔTCO are within ±15 Dobson units (DU), representing ~5–6% of the TCO. Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer and Ozone Monitoring Instrument (TOMS and OMI) satellite overpasses are generally within the sonde ΔTCO. However, there is a discontinuity between TOMS v8.6 (1998 to September 2004) and OMI (October 2004–2016) TCO on the order of 10 DU that accounts for the significant 16 DU overall difference observed between sonde and TOMS. By comparison, the sonde‐OMI absolute difference for the eight stations is only ~4 DU.

The ozonesonde is a small balloon-borne instrument that is attached to a standard radiosonde to measure profiles of ozone from the surface to 35 km with ∼100-m vertical resolution. Ozonesonde data constitute a mainstay of satellite calibration and are used for climatologies and analysis of trends, especially in the lower stratosphere where satellites are most uncertain. The electrochemical concentration cell (ECC) ozonesonde has been deployed at ∼100 stations worldwide since the 1960s, with changes over time in manufacture and procedures, including details of the cell chemical solution and data processing. As a consequence, there are biases among different stations and discontinuities in profile time series from individual site records. For 22 years the Jülich (Germany) Ozonesonde Intercomparison Experiment (JOSIE) has periodically tested ozonesondes in a simulation chamber designated the World Calibration Centre for Ozonesondes (WCCOS) by WMO. During October–November 2017 a JOSIE campaign evaluated the sondes and procedures used in Southern Hemisphere Additional Ozonesondes (SHADOZ), a 14-station sonde network operating in the tropics and subtropics. A distinctive feature of the 2017 JOSIE was that the tests were conducted by operators from eight SHADOZ stations. Experimental protocols for the SHADOZ sonde configurations, which represent most of those in use today, are described, along with preliminary results. SHADOZ stations that follow WMO-recommended protocols record total ozone within 3% of the JOSIE reference instrument. These results and prior JOSIEs demonstrate that regular testing is essential to maintain best practices in ozonesonde operations and to ensure high-quality data for the satellite and ozone assessment communities.

In this study, we present O3 retrievals from ground-based Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) solar absorption measurements between June 2018 and December 2019 at Xianghe, China (39.75° N, 116.96° E). The FTIR spectrometer at Xianghe is operated with indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) and indium antimonide (InSb) detectors, recording the spectra between 1800 and 11000 cm−1. As the harmonized FTIR O3 retrieval strategy (Vigouroux et al., 2015) within the Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change (NDACC) uses the 1000 cm−1 spectral range, we designed an alternative O3 retrieval strategy in the 3040 cm−1 spectral range at Xianghe. The retrieved O3 profile is mainly sensitive to the vertical range between 5 and 40 km, and the degree of freedom for signal is 2.4 ± 0.3 (1σ), indicating that there are two individual pieces of information in partial columns between the surface and 20 km and between 20 and 40 km. According to the optimal estimation method, the systematic and random uncertainties of the FTIR O3 total columns are about 13.6 % and 1.4 %, respectively. The random uncertainty is consistent with the observed daily standard deviation of the FTIR retrievals. To validate the FTIR O3 total and partial columns, we apply the same O3 retrieval strategy at Maïdo, Reunion Island (21.08° N, 55.38° E). The FTIR O3 (3040 cm−1) measurements at Xianghe and Maïdo are then compared with the nearby ozonesondes at Beijing (39.81° N, 116.47° E) and at Gillot (20.89° S, 55.53° E), respectively, as well as with co-located TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) satellite measurements at both sites. In addition, at Maïdo, we compare the FTIR O3 (3040 cm−1) retrievals with the standard NDACC FTIR O3 measurements using the 1000 cm−1 spectral range. It is found that the total columns retrieved from the FTIR O3 3040 cm−1 measurements are underestimated by 5.5–9.0 %, which is mainly due to the systematic uncertainty in the partial column between 20 and 40 km (about −10.4 %). The systematic uncertainty in the partial column between surface and 20 km is relatively small (within 2.4 %). By comparison with other measurements, it is found that the FTIR O3 (3040 cm−1) retrievals capture very well the seasonal and synoptic variations of the O3 total and two partial columns. Therefore, the ongoing FTIR measurements at Xianghe can provide useful information on the O3 variations and (in the future) long-term trends.

Observations of ozonesonde measurements of the NDACC/SHADOZ program and humidity profiles from the daily Météeo-France radiosondes at Réunion Island (21.1° S, 55.5° E) from November 2013 to April 2016 are analyzed to identify the origin of wet upper tropospheric air masses with low ozone mixing ratio observed above the island, located in the South West Indian Ocean (SWIO). A seasonal variability in hydration events in the upper troposphere was found and linked to the convective activity within the SWIO basin. In the upper troposphere, ozone mixing ratios were lower (mean of 57 ppbv) in humid air masses (RH > 50 %) compared to the background mean ozone mixing ratio (73.8 ppbv). A convective signature was identified in the ozone profile dataset by studying the probability of occurrence of different ozone thresholds. It was found that ozone mixing ratios lower than 45 to 50 ppbv had a local maximum of occurrence between 10 and 13 km in altitude, indicative of the mean level of convective outflow. Combining FLEXPART Lagrangian backtrajectories with METEOSAT 7 infrared brightness temperature products, we established the origin of convective influence on the upper troposphere above Réunion island. It has been found that the upper troposphere above Réunion island is impacted by convective outflows in austral summer. Most of the time, deep convection is not observed in the direct vicinity of the island, but more than a thousand of kilometers away from the island, in the tropics, either from tropical storms or the Inter Tropical Convective Zone. In November and December, the air masses above Réunion Island originate, on average, from Central Africa and the Mozambique channel. During January, February the source region is the North-east of Mozambique and Madagascar. Those results improve our understanding of the impact of the ITCZ and tropical cyclones hydration of the upper troposphere in the subtropics in the SWIO.

Balloon-borne measurements of CFH water vapor, ozone and temperature and water vapor lidar measurements from the Maïdo Observatory at Réunion Island in the Southwest Indian Ocean (SWIO) were used to study tropical cyclones' influence on TTL composition. The balloon launches were specifically planned using a Lagrangian model and METEOSAT 7 infrared images to sample the convective outflow from Tropical Storm (TS) Corentin on 25 January 2016 and Tropical Cyclone (TC) Enawo on 3 March 2017. Comparing CFH profile to MLS monthly climatologies, water vapor anomalies were identified. Positive anomalies of water vapor and temperature, and negative anomalies of ozone between 12 and 15 km in altitude (247 to 121 hPa) originated from convectively active regions of TS Corentin and TC Enawo, one day before the planned balloon launches, according to the Lagrangian trajectories. Near the tropopause region, air masses on 25 January 2016 were anomalously dry around 100 hPa and were traced back to TS Corentin active convective region where cirrus clouds and deep convective clouds may have dried the layer. An anomalously wet layer around 68 hPa was traced back to the South East IO where a monthly water vapor anomaly of 0.5 ppbv was observed. In contrast, no water vapor anomaly was found near or above the tropopause region on 3 March 2017 over Maïdo as the tropopause region was not downwind of TC Enawo. This study compares and contrasts the impact of two tropical cyclones on the humidification of the TTL over the Southwest Indian Ocean.

Electrochemical concentration cell ozonesonde measurements are an important source of highly resolved vertical profiles of ozone with long-term data records for deriving ozone trends, model development, satellite validation, and air quality studies. Ozonesonde stations employ a range of operational and data processing procedures, metadata reporting, and instrument changes that have resulted in inhomogeneities within individual station data records. A major milestone is the first reprocessing of seven Southern Hemisphere ADditional OZonesondes (SHADOZ) station ozonesonde records to account for errors and biases in operating/processing procedures. Ascension Island, Hanoi, Irene, Kuala Lumpur, La Reunion, Natal, and Watukosek station records all show an overall increase in ozone after reprocessing. Watukosek shows the largest increase of 9.0 plus or minus 2.1 Dobson Units (DU) in total column ozone; Irene and Hanoi show a 5.5 plus or minus 2.5 DU increase, while remaining sites show statistically insignificant enhancements. Negligible to modest ozone enhancements are observed after reprocessing in the troposphere (up to 8%) and stratosphere (up to 6%), except at La Reunion for which the application of background currents reduces tropospheric ozone (2.1 plus or minus1.3 DU). Inhomogeneities due to ozonesonde/solution-type changes at Ascension, Natal, and La Reunion are resolved with the application of transfer functions. Comparisons with EP-TOMS, Aura's Ozone Monitoring Instrument and Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) satellite ozone overpasses show an overall improvement in agreement after reprocessing. Most reprocessed data sets show a significant reduction in biases with MLS at the ozone maximum region (50-10 hPa). Changes in radiosonde/ozonesonde system and nonstandard solution types can account for remaining discrepancies observed at several sites when compared to satellites.

International audience; Ozone performs a key role in the middle atmosphere and its monitoring is thus necessary. At the Institute of Applied Physics of the University of Bern, Switzerland, we built a new ground-based microwave radiometer, GROMOS-C (GRound based Ozone MOnitoring System for Campaigns). It has a compact design and can be operated remotely with very little maintenance requirements, being therefore suitable for remote deployments. It has been conceived to measure the vertical distribution of ozone in the middle atmosphere, by observing pressure-broadened emission spectra at a frequency of 110.836 GHz. In addition, meridional and zonal wind profiles can be retrieved, based on the Doppler shift of the ozone line measured in the four directions of observation (north, east, south and west). In June 2014 the radiometer was installed at the Maïdo observatory, on Réunion island (21.2 • S, 55.5 • E). High-resolution ozone spectra were recorded continuously over 7 months. Vertical profiles of ozone have been retrieved through an optimal estimation inversion process, using the Atmospheric Radiative Transfer Simulator ARTS2 as the forward model. The validation is performed against ozone profiles from the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) on the Aura satellite, the ozone lidar located at the observatory and with ozone profiles from weekly radiosondes. Zonal and merid-ional winds retrieved from GROMOS-C data are validated against another wind radiometer located in situ, WIRA. In addition, we compare both ozone and winds with ECMWF (European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts) model data. Results show that GROMOS-C provides reliable ozone profiles between 30 and 0.02 hPa. The comparison with lidar profiles shows a very good agreement at all levels. The accordance with the MLS data set is within 5 % for pressure levels between 25 and 0.2 hPa. GROMOS-C's wind profiles are in good agreement with the observations by WIRA and with the model data, differences are below 5 m s −1 for both.

Observations from long-term ozonesonde measurements show robust variations and trends in the evolution of ozone in the middle and upper troposphere over Reunion Island (21.1 degrees South Latitude, 55.5 degrees East Longitude) in June-August. Here we examine possible causes of the observed ozone variation at Reunion Island using hindcast simulations by the stratosphere-troposphere Global Modeling Initiative chemical transport model for 1992-2014, driven by assimilated Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) meteorological fields. Reunion Island is at the edge of the subtropical jet, a region of strong stratospheric-tropospheric exchange. Our analysis implies that the large interannual variation (IAV) of upper tropospheric ozone over Reunion is driven by the large IAV of the stratospheric influence. The IAV of the large-scale, quasi-horizontal wind patterns also contributes to the IAV of ozone in the upper troposphere. Comparison to a simulation with constant emissions indicates that increasing emissions do not lead to the maximum trend in the middle and upper troposphere over Reunion during austral winter implied by the sonde data. The effects of increasing emission over southern Africa are limited tothe lower troposphere near the surface in August-September.

Signatures of multiple stratospheric intrusions were observed on simultaneous and collocated ozone and water vapor profiles retrieved by lidars and radiosondes at the Maido Observatory, Reunion Island (21°S, 55°E, 2160 m above sea level), during MAido LIdar Calibration CAmpaign in April 2013. A singular structure of the ozone vertical profile with three peaks (in excess of 90 ppbv, at ~8, ~10, and ~13 km altitude) embedded in a thick dry layer of air suggested stratospheric intrusions with multiple origins. The hypothesis is corroborated by a synoptic analysis based on re-analyses. European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts ERA-Interim temporal series associated with 5 days Lagrangian back trajectories initialized on each ozone peak allows to capture their stratospheric origin. The ozone peak at the lowest altitude is associated with an irreversible tropopause folding process along the polar jet stream during an extratropical cutoff low formation. Simultaneous lidar water vapor profiles of this peak show that the anticorrelation with ozone has been removed, due to mixing processes. Back trajectories indicate that the two other ozone peaks observed at higher altitudes are associated with the dynamics of the subtropical jet stream and the lower stratosphere. The observations confirm the recent stratospheric origins. The highest ozone peak is explained by the horizontal distribution of the intrusion. Use of a Lagrangian Reverse Domain Filling model and of the Meso-NH Eulerian mesoscale model with a passive stratospheric tracer allow to further document the stratosphere-troposphere transport processes and to describe the detailed potential vorticity and ozone structures in which are embedded in the observed multiple stratospheric intrusions.

International audience; The 2-year lidar water vapor database (November 2013 - October 2015) of the Maïdo Observatory (Reunion Island / 21°S,55.5°E) is now calibrated. The performance of the lidar to provide accurate vertical structures are shown to be good. The ability of measuring quantities of a few ppmv in the lower stratosphere is demonstrated up to 22 km (based on Cryogenic Frostpoint Hygrometer sondes/lidar profiles comparisons) for an integration time period of 48 hours and a vertical resolution of 1.3 km.

The SHADOZ network was assembled to validate a new generation of ozone-monitoring satellites and to better characterize the vertical structure of tropical ozone in the troposphere and stratosphere. Beginning with nine stations in 1998, more than 7000 ozone and P-T-U profiles are available from 14 SHADOZ sites that have operated continuously for at least a decade. We analyze ozone profiles from the recently reprocessed SHADOZ dataset that is based on adjustments for inconsistencies caused by varying ozonesonde instruments and operating techniques. First, sonde-derived total ozone column amounts are compared to the overpasses from the EP/TOMS, OMI and OMPS satellites that cover 1998-2016. Second, characteristics of the stratospheric and tropospheric columns are examined along with ozone structure in the tropical tropopause layer (TTL). We find that: (1) Relative to our earlier evaluations of SHADOZ data, in 2003, 2007 and 2012, sonde-satellite total ozone column offsets at 12 stations are 2% or less, a significant improvement. (2) As in prior studies, the ten tropical SHADOZ stations, defined as within +19 degrees latitude, display statistically uniform stratospheric column ozone, 229 + 3.9 DU, and a tropospheric zonal wave-one pattern with a 14 DU mean amplitude. (3) The TTL ozone column, which is also zonally uniform, masks complex vertical structure; this argues against using satellites for lower stratospheric ozone trends. (4) Reprocessing has led to more uniform stratospheric column amounts across sites and reduced bias in stratospheric profiles. As a consequence the variability in total column ozone now averages 5%.

After 43 years of inactivity, the Calbuco volcano which is located in the southern part of Chile erupted on 22 April 2015. The space-time evolutions (distribution and transport) of its aerosol plume are investigated by combining satellite (CALIOP, IASI, OMPS), in situ aerosol counting (LOAC OPC) and lidar observations, and the MIMOSA advection model. The Calbuco aerosol plume reached the Indian Ocean 1 week after the eruption. Over the Reunion Island site (21° S; 55.5° E), the aerosol signal was unambiguously enhanced in comparison with "background" conditions with a volcanic aerosol layer extending from 18 km to 21 km during the May–July period. All the data reveal an increase by a factor of ~ 2 in the SAOD (Stratospheric Aerosol Optical Depth) with respect to values observed before the eruption. The aerosol e-folding time is approximately 90 days. Microphysical measurements obtained before, during and after the eruption reflecting the impact of the Calbuco eruption on the lower stratospheric aerosol content have been analyzed over Reunion site. During the passage of the plume, the volcanic aerosol was characterized by an effective radius of 0.16 ± 0.02 µm with an unimodal lognormal size distribution and the aerosol number concentration appears 20 times higher than before and one year after the eruption. A tendency toward "background" conditions has been observed about one year after the eruption, by April 2016. The volcanic aerosol plume is advected eastward in the Southern Hemisphere and its latitudinal extent is clearly bounded by the subtropical barrier and the polar vortex. The transient behavior of the aerosol layers observed above Reunion Island between May and July 2015 reflects an inhomogeneous geographical distribution of the plume which is controlled by the latitudinal motion of these dynamical barriers.

The Maïdo high-altitude observatory located in Reunion Island (21° S, 55.5° E) is equipped with Lidar1200, an innovative Raman lidar designed to measure the water vapor mixing ratio in the troposphere and the lower stratosphere. The calibration methodology is based on a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) IWV (Integrated Water Vapor) dataset and lamp measurements. The mean relative standard error on the calibration coefficient is around 2.7 %. Two years of lidar water vapor measurements from November 2013 to October 2015 are now processed. By comparing CFH (Cryogenic Frost point Hygrometer) radiosonde profiles with the Raman lidar profiles, the ability of the lidar to provide accurate measurements is possible up to 22 km. The ability of measuring water vapor mixing ratios of a few ppmv in the lower stratosphere is demonstrated with a 48-hours integration time period, an absolute error lower than 0.8 ppmv and a relative error less than 20 %. This Raman lidar is dedicated to provide regular profiles of water vapor measurements with a high vertical resolution and low uncertainties to international networks; in the wider interest of research on stratosphere-troposphere exchange processes and on the long-term survey of water vapor in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere in the Southern Hemisphere. A strategy of data sampling and filtering is proposed to meet these objectives with regard to the altitude range requested. 10-min time integration and 65–90 m vertical resolution ensure a vertical profile reaching 10 km, but more than 2800 minutes and a vertical resolution of 150–1300 m are necessary to reach the lower stratosphere with an uncertainty less than 20 %.

Recognizing the importance of ozone in the troposphere and lower stratosphere in the tropics, a DIAL tropospheric ozone lidar system (LIO3TUR) was developped and installed at the Université de la Réunion campus site (close to the sea) in Reunion Island (southern tropics) in 1998. From 1998 to 2010, it acquired 427 ozone profiles from the low to the upper troposphere and has been central to several studies. In 2012, the system was moved up to the new Maïdo Observatory facility (2160 m above mean sea level – amsl) where it started operation in February 2013. The current system (LIO3T) configuration generates a 266 nm beam obtained with the fourth harmonic of a Nd:YAG laser sent into a Raman cell filled up with deuterium (using helium as buffer gas) generating the 289 and 316 nm beams enabling the use of the DIAL method for ozone profile measurements. Optimal range for the actual system is 6–19 km amsl, depending on the instrumental and atmospheric conditions; for a 1-hour integration time, vertical resolution varies from 0.7 km at 6 km amsl to 1.3 km at 19 km amsl, and mean uncertainty within the 6–19 km range is between 6 and 13 %. Comparisons with 8 electrochemical concentration cell (ECC) sondes simultaneously launched from the Maïdo Observatory show a good agreement between datasets with a 7.7 % mean absolute value of the relative differences with respect to the mean (D) between 6 and 17 km amsl (LIO3T low); comparisons with 37 ECC sondes launched from the nearby Gillot site during day time in a ±24-hour window around lidar shooting result in a 10.3 % D between 6 and 19 km amsl (LIO3T low); comparisons with 11 ground-based Network for Detection of Atmosphere Composition Change (NDACC) Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrometer measurements acquired during day time in a ±24-hour window around lidar shooting show a good agreement between datasets with a D of 11.8 % for the 8.5–16 km partial column (LIO3T high); and comparisons with 39 simultaneous Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) observations over Reunion Island show a good agreement between datasets with a D of 11.3 % for the 6–16 km partial column (LIO3T high). ECC, LIO3TUR and LIO3T O3 monthly climatologies all exhibit the same range of values and patterns. In particular, the southern hemisphere biomass burning seasonal enhancement, the ozonopause altitude decrease in late austral winter-spring, as well as the signature of deep convection bringing boundary layer-ozone poor air masses up to the mid-upper troposphere in late austral summer, are clearly visible on all datasets.

We validate the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) Ozone Profile (PROFOZ) product from October 2004 through December 2014 retrieved by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) algorithm against ozonesonde observations. We also evaluate the effects of OMI row anomaly (RA) on the retrieval by dividing the dataset into before and after the occurrence of serious OMI RA, i.e., pre-RA (2004–2008) and post-RA (2009–2014). The retrieval shows good agreement with ozonesondes in the tropics and midlatitudes and for pressure ∼ 50 hPa after applying OMI averaging kernels to ozonesonde data. The MBs of the stratospheric ozone column (SOC, the ozone column from the tropopause pressure to the ozonesonde burst pressure) are within 2 % with SDs of ∼ 50 hPa. The SOC MBs increase up to 3 % with SDs as great as 6 % and the TOC SDs increase up to 30 %. The comparison generally degrades at larger solar zenith angles (SZA) due to weaker signals and additional sources of error, leading to worse performance at high latitudes and during the midlatitude winter. Agreement also degrades with increasing cloudiness for pressure > ∼ 100 hPa and varies with cross-track position, especially with large MBs and SDs at extreme off-nadir positions. In the tropics and midlatitudes, the post-RA comparison is considerably worse with larger SDs reaching 2 % in the stratosphere and 8 % in the troposphere and up to 6 % in TOC. There are systematic differences that vary with latitude compared to the pre-RA comparison. The retrieval comparison demonstrates good long-term stability during the pre-RA period but exhibits a statistically significant trend of 0.14–0.7 % year−1 for pressure

Increases in free-tropospheric (FT) ozone based on ozonesonde records from the early 1990s through 2008 over two subtropical stations, Irene (near Pretoria, South Africa) and Réunion (21° S, 55° E; ~2800 km NE of Irene in the Indian Ocean), have been reported. Over Irene a large increase in the urban-influenced boundary layer (BL, 1.5–4 km) was also observed during the 18-year period, equivalent to 30% decade−1. Here we show that the Irene BL trend is at least partly due to a gradual change in the sonde launch times from early morning to the midday period. The FT ozone profiles over Irene in 1990–2007 are re-examined, filling in a 1995–1999 gap with ozone profiles taken during the Measurements of Ozone by Airbus In-service Aircraft (MOZAIC) project over nearby Johannesburg. A multivariate regression model that accounts for the annual ozone cycle, El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and possible tropopause changes was applied to monthly averaged Irene data from 4 to 11 km and to 1992–2011 Réunion sonde data from 4 to 15 km. Statistically significant trends appear predominantly in the middle and upper troposphere (UT; 4–11 km over Irene, 4–15 km over Réunion) in winter (June–August), with increases ~1 ppbv yr−1 over Irene and ~2 ppbv yr−1 over Réunion. These changes are equivalent to ~25 and 35–45% decade−1, respectively. Both stations also display smaller positive trends in summer, with a 45% decade−1 ozone increase near the tropopause over Réunion in December. To explain the ozone increases, we investigated a time series of dynamical markers, e.g., potential vorticity (PV) at 330–350 K. PV affects UT ozone over Irene in November–December but displays little relationship with ozone over Réunion. A more likely reason for wintertime FT ozone increases over Irene and Réunion appears to be long-range transport of growing pollution in the Southern Hemisphere. The ozone increases are consistent with trajectory origins of air parcels sampled by the sondes and with recent NOx emissions trends estimated for Africa, South America and Madagascar. For Réunion trajectories also point to sources from the eastern Indian Ocean and Asia.

Since the nineties, atmospheric measurement systems have been deployed at Reunion Island, mainly for monitoring the atmospheric composition in the framework of NDSC/NDACC (Network for the Detection of Stratospheric< /i> Change/Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change). The location of Reunion Island presents a great interest because there are very few multi-instrumented stations in the tropics and particularly in the southern hemisphere. In 2012, a new observatory was commissioned in Maïdo at 2200 m above sea level: it hosts various instruments for atmospheric measurements, including lidar systems, spectro-radiometers and in situ gas and aerosol measurements. This new high-altitude Maïdo station provides an opportunity: 1. to improve the performance of the optical instruments above the marine boundary layer, and to open new perspectives on upper troposphere and lower stratosphere studies; 2. to develop in situ measurements of the atmospheric composition for climate change surveys, in a reference site in the tropical/subtropical region of the southern hemisphere; 3. to offer trans-national access to host experiments or measurement campaigns for focused process studies. © 2013 Author(s)., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Ozone performs a key role in the middle atmosphere and its monitoring is thus necessary. At the Institute of Applied Physics of the University of Bern, Switzerland, we built a new ground-based microwave radiometer, GROMOS-C (GRound based Ozone MOnitoring System for Campaigns). It has a compact design and can be operated remotely with very little maintenance requirements, being therefore suitable for remote deployments. It has been conceived to measure the vertical distribution of ozone in the middle atmosphere, by observing pressure-broadened emission spectra at a frequency of 110.836 GHz. In addition, meridional and zonal wind profiles can be retrieved, based on the Doppler shift of the ozone line measured in the four directions of observation (north, east, south and west). In June 2014 the radiometer was installed at the Maïdo observatory, on Réunion island (21.2° S, 55.5° E). High-resolution ozone spectra were recorded continuously over 7 months. Vertical profiles of ozone have been retrieved through an optimal estimation inversion process, using the Atmospheric Radiative Transfer Simulator ARTS2 as the forward model. The validation is performed against ozone profiles from the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) on the Aura satellite, the ozone lidar located at the observatory and with ozone profiles from weekly radiosondes. Zonal and meridional winds retrieved from GROMOS-C data are validated against another wind radiometer located in situ, WIRA. In addition, we compare both ozone and winds with ECMWF (European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts) model data. Results show that GROMOS-C provides reliable ozone profiles between 30 and 0.02 hPa. The comparison with lidar profiles shows a very good agreement at all levels. The accordance with the MLS data set is within 5 % for pressure levels between 25 and 0.2 hPa. GROMOS-C's wind profiles are in good agreement with the observations by WIRA and with the model data, differences are below 5 m s−1 for both.

International audience; The Maïdo high-altitude observatory located in Reunion Island (21°S, 55°E) is equipped with an innovative lidar designed to monitor the water vapor in the whole troposphere up to the lower stratosphere with a Raman system and to monitor, simultaneously, the temperature in the stratosphere and in the mesosphere based on a Rayleigh scattering technique. Several improvements have been performed on the new instrument to optimize the water vapor mixing ratio measurements thanks to the experience of the previous system. The choice of the operational configuration of the system and the calibration methodology were realized during the campaign MALICCA-1 (MAïdo LIdar Calibration CAmpaign) which provided simultaneous measurements of water vapor and ozone in April 2013. The lidar water vapor profiles are calibrated with water vapor columns obtained from a collocated GNSS receiver. By comparing CFH and Vaisala radiosondes and satellites water vapor mixing ratio profiles with the Raman lidar profiles, the performances of the lidar are shown to be good in the troposphere. With a suitable integration time period, the ability of measuring quantities of a few ppmv in the lower stratosphere is demonstrated. This Raman lidar will provide regular measurements to international networks with high vertical resolution profiles of water vapor in order to document various studies and to insure a long-term survey of the troposphere and of the lower stratosphere.

International audience; A DIAL lidar system performing stratospheric ozone profile measurements from 15 to 45 km is installed at Reunion Island (southwest of Indian Ocean). The purpose of this communication is to present this DIAL system mounted now at the new Maïdo Observatory since February 2013, and the ozone profile retrieval. The first stratospheric ozone profiles obtained during 2013 and 2014 will be presented and discussed. Inter-comparison and differences observed with other high vertical resolution ozone profiles performed by ECC ozonesonde will be shown. Finally, comparisons with low vertical resolution ozone profiles retrieved from microwave and FTIR remote sensing measurements performed at Maïdo will be carried out, making appropriate use of the associated averaging kernels

International audience; The first operations at the new High-altitude Maïdo Observatory at La Réunion began in 2013. The Maïdo Lidar Calibration Campaign (MALICCA) was organized there in April 2013 and has focused on the validation of the thermodynamic parameters (temperature, water vapor, and wind) measured with many instruments including the new very large lidar for water vapor and temperature profiles. The aim of this publication consists of providing an overview of the different instruments deployed during this campaign and their status, some of the targeted scientific questions and associated instrumental issues. Some specific detailed studies for some individual techniques were addressed elsewhere. This study shows that temperature profiles were obtained from the ground to the mesopause (80 km) thanks to the lidar and regular meteorological balloon-borne sondes with an overlap range showing good agreement. Water vapor is also monitored from the ground to the mesopause by using the Raman lidar and microwave techniques. Both techniques need to be pushed to their limit to reduce the missing range in the lower stratosphere. Total columns obtained from global positioning system or spectrometers are valuable for checking the calibration and ensuring vertical continuity. The lidar can also provide the vertical cloud structure that is a valuable complementary piece of information when investigating the water vapor cycle. Finally, wind vertical profiles, which were obtained from sondes, are now also retrieved at Maïdo from the newly implemented microwave technique and the lidar. Stable calibrations as well as a small-scale dynamical structure are required to monitor the thermodynamic state of the middle atmosphere, ensure validation of satellite sensors, study the transport of water vapor in the vicinity of the tropical tropopause and study their link with cirrus clouds and cyclones and the impact of small-scale dynamics (gravity waves) and their link with the mean state of the mesosphere.

Ozonesonde records from the early 1990's through 2008 over two subtropical stations, Irene (near Pretoria, South Africa) and Réunion Island (21° S, 55° W, ~3500 km NE of Irene in the Indian Ocean) were reported to exhibit free tropospheric (FT) ozone increases. Over Irene a large increase in the urban-influenced boundary layer (BL, 1.5–4 km) was also observed during the 18 year period, equivalent to 30% decade−1. Here we show that the Irene BL trend is at least partly due to a gradual change in the sonde launch times from early morning to the midday period. The FT ozone profiles over Irene in 1990–2007 are re-examined, filling in a 1995–1999 gap with ozone profiles taken by Measurements of Ozone by Airbus In-service Aircraft (MOZAIC) over nearby Johannesburg. A multivariate regression model that accounts for the annual ozone cycle, ENSO and possible tropopause changes was applied to monthly averaged Irene data from 4–11 km and to 1992–2011 Réunion sonde data from 4–15 km. Statistically significant trends appear predominantly in the middle and upper troposphere (UT, 4–11 km over Irene, 5–13 km over Réunion) in winter (June–August), with increases ~1 ppbv yr−1 over Irene and ~2 ppbv yr−1 over Réunion. These changes are equivalent to ~25% and 40–50% decade−1, respectively. Both stations also display smaller positive trends in summer with a 50% decade−1 ozone increase near the tropopause over Réunion in December. To explain the ozone increases, we investigated a time series of dynamical markers, e.g., potential vorticity (PV) at 330–350 K. PV affects UT ozone over Irene in November–December but displays little relationship to ozone over Réunion. A more likely reason for wintertime FT ozone increases over Irene and Réunion appears to be long-range transport of growing pollution in the Southern Hemisphere. The ozone increases are consistent with trajectory origins of air parcels sampled by the sondes and with recent NOx emissions trends estimated for Africa, South America, and Madagascar. For Réunion trajectories also point to pollution sources from the eastern Indian Ocean.

This paper presents a climatology and trends of tropospheric ozone in the Southwestern Indian Ocean (Reunion Island) and South Africa (Irene and Johannesburg). This study is based on a multi-instrumental dataset: PTU-O3 ozonesondes, DIAL LIDAR and MOZAIC airborne instrumentation. The seasonal profiles of tropospheric ozone at Reunion Island have been calculated from two different data sets: ozonesondes and LIDAR. The two climatological profiles are similar, except in austral summer when the LIDAR profiles show greater values in the free troposphere, and in the upper troposphere when the LIDAR profiles show lower values during all seasons. These results show that the climatological value of LIDAR profiles must be discussed with care since LIDAR measurements can be performed only under clear sky conditions, and the upper limit of the profile depends on the signal strength. In addition, linear trends have been calculated from ozonesonde data at Reunion and Irene. Considering the whole tropospheric column, the trend is slightly positive for Reunion, and more clearly positive for Irene. Trend calculations have also been made separating the troposphere into three layers, and separating the dataset into seasons. Results show that the positive trend for Irene is governed by the lower layer that is affected by industrial pollution and biomass burning. On the contrary, for Reunion Island, the strongest trends are observed in the upper troposphere, and in winter when stratosphere-troposphere exchange is more frequently expected.

International audience; This paper presents a climatology and trends of tropospheric ozone in the southwestern part of Indian Ocean (Reunion Island) and South Africa (Irene and Johannesburg). This study is based on a multi-instrumental dataset: PTU-O3 radiosoundings, DIAL LIDAR, MOZAIC airborne instrumentation and Dasibi UV ground based measurements. The seasonal profiles of tropospheric ozone at Reunion Island have been calculated from two different data sets: radiosondes and LIDAR. The two climatological profiles are similar, except in austral summer when smaller values for the LIDAR profiles in the free troposphere, and in the upper troposphere for all seasons occur. These results show that the LIDAR profiles are at times not representative of the true ozone climatological value as measurements can be taken only under clear sky conditions, and the upper limit reached depends on the signal. In the lower troposphere, climatological ozone values from radiosondes have been compared to a one year campaign of ground based measurements from a Dasibi instrument located at high altitude site (2150 m) at Reunion Island. The seasonal cycle is comparable for the two datasets, with Dasibi UV values displaying slightly higher values. This suggests that if local dynamical and possibly physico-chemical effects may influence the ozone level, the seasonal cycle can be followed with ground level measurements. Average ground level concentrations measured on the summits of the island seem to be representative of the lower free troposphere ozone concentration at the same altitude (~2000 m) whereas night time data would be representative of tropospheric concentration at a higher altitude (~3000 m) due to the subsidence effect. Finally, linear trends have been calculated from radiosondes data at Reunion and Irene. Considering the whole tropospheric column, the trend is slightly positive for Reunion, and more clearly positive for Irene. Trend calculations have also been made separating the troposphere into three layers, and separating the dataset into seasons. Results shows that the positive trend for Irene is governed by the lower layer most probably by industrial pollution and biomass burning. On the contrary, for Reunion Island, the strongest trends are observed in the upper troposphere, and in winter when stratospheric-tropospheric exchange is more frequently expected.

Rayleigh–Mie lidar measurements of stratospheric temperature and aerosol profiles have been carried out at Reunion Island (southern tropics) since 1993. Since June 1998, an operational extension of the system is permitting additional measurements of tropospheric ozone to be made by differential absorption lidar. The emission wavelengths (289 and 316 nm) are obtained by stimulated Raman shifting of the fourth harmonic of a Nd:YAG laser in a high-pressure deuterium cell. A mosaic of four parabolic mirrors collects the backscattered signal, and the transmission is processed by the multiple fiber collector method. The altitude range of ozone profiles obtained with this system is 3–17 km. Technical details of this lidar system working in the southern tropics, comparisons of ozone lidar profiles with radiosondes, and scientific perspectives are presented. The significant lack of tropospheric ozone measurements in the tropical and equatorial regions, the particular scientific interest in these regions, and the altitude range of the ozone measurements to 16–17 km make this lidar supplement useful and its adaptation technically conceivable at many Rayleigh–Mie lidar stations.

International audience; We compare Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES) version 2 (V002) nadir ozone profiles with ozonesonde profiles from the Intercontinental Chemical Transport Experiment Ozonesonde Network Study, the World Ozone and Ultraviolet Data Center, the Global Monitoring Division of the Earth System Research Laboratory, and the Southern Hemisphere Additional Ozonesonde archives. Approximately 1600 coincidences spanning 72.5°S-80.3°N from October 2004 to October 2006 are found. The TES averaging kernel and constraint are applied to the ozonesonde data to account for the TES measurement sensitivity and vertical resolution. TES sonde differences are examined in six latitude zones after excluding profiles with thick high clouds. Values for the bias and standard deviation are determined using correlations of mean values of TES ozone and sonde ozone in the upper troposphere (UT) and lower troposphere (LT). The UT biases range from 2.9 to 10.6 ppbv, and the LT biases range from 3.7 to 9.2 ppbv, excluding the Arctic and Antarctic LT where TES sensitivity is low. A similar approach is used to assess seasonal differences in the northern midlatitudes where the density and frequency of sonde measurements are greatest. These results are briefly compared to TES V001 ozone validation work which also used ozonesondes but was carried out prior to improvements in the radiometric calibration and ozone retrieval in V002. Overall, the large number of TES and sonde comparisons indicate a positive bias of approximately 3-10 ppbv for the TES V002 nadir ozone data set and have helped to identify areas of potential improvement for future retrieval versions.

We estimate the tropospheric column ozone using a forward trajectory model to increase the horizontal resolution of the Aura Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) derived stratospheric column ozone. Subtracting the MLS stratospheric column from Ozone Monitoring Instrument total column measurements gives the trajectory enhanced tropospheric ozone residual (TTOR). Because of different tropopause definitions, we validate the basic residual technique by computing the 200-hPa-to-surface column and comparing it to the same product from ozonesondes and Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer measurements. Comparisons show good agreement in the tropics and reasonable agreement at middle latitudes, but there is a persistent low bias in the TTOR that may be due to a slight high bias in MLS stratospheric column. With the improved stratospheric column resolution, we note a strong correlation of extratropical tropospheric ozone column anomalies with probable troposphere-stratosphere exchange events or folds. The folds can be identified by their colocation with strong horizontal tropopause gradients. TTOR anomalies due to folds may be mistaken for pollution events since folds often occur in the Atlantic and Pacific pollution corridors. We also compare the 200-hPa-to-surface column with Global Modeling Initiative chemical model estimates of the same quantity. While the tropical comparisons are good, we note that chemical model variations in 200-hPa-to-surface column at middle latitudes are much smaller than seen in the TTOR.

[1] Since 1996, quality assurance experiments of electrochemical concentration cell (ECC) ozonesondes of two different model types (SPC-6A and ENSCI-Z) have been conducted in the environmental simulation facility at the Research Centre Juelich within the framework of the Juelich Ozone Sonde Intercomparison Experiment (JOSIE). The experiments have shown that the performance characteristics of the two ECC-sonde types can be significantly different, even when operated under the same conditions. Particularly above 20 km the ENSCI-Z sonde tends to measure 5-10% more ozone than the SPC-6A sonde. Below 20 km the differences are 5% or less, but appear to show some differences with year of manufacture. There is a significant difference in the ozone readings when sondes of the same type are operated with different cathode sensing solutions. Testing the most commonly used sensing solutions showed that for each ECC-manufacturer type the use of 1.0% KI and full buffer gives 5% larger ozone values compared with the use of 0.5% KI and half buffer, and as much as 10% larger values compared with 2.0% KI and no buffer. For ozone sounding stations performing long term measurements this means that changing the sensing solution type or ECC-sonde type can easily introduce a change of +/- 5% or more in their records, affecting determination of ozone trends. Standardization of operating procedures for ECC-sondes yields a precision better than +/-(3-5)% and an accuracy of about +/-(5-10)% up to 30 km altitude.

The assessment of changes induced by human activities on Earth atmospheric composition and thus on global climate requires a long-term and regular survey of the stratospheric and tropospheric atmospheric layers. The objective of this paper is to describe the atmospheric observations performed continuously at Reunion Island (55.5 degrees east, 20.8 degrees south) for 15 years. The various instruments contributing to the systematic observations are described as well as the measured parameters, the accuracy and the database. The LiDAR systems give profiles of temperature, aerosols and ozone in the troposphere and stratosphere, probes give profiles of temperature, ozone and relative humidity, radiometers and spectrometers give stratospheric and tropospheric integrated columns of a variety of atmospheric trace gases. Data are included in international networks, and used for satellite validation. Moreover, some scientific activities for which this station offers exceptional opportunities are highlighted, especially air mass exchanges nearby dynamical barriers: (1) On the vertical scale through the tropical tropopause layer (stratosphere-troposphere exchange). (2) On the quasi-horizontal scale across the southern subtropical barrier separating the tropical stratospheric reservoir from mid- and high latitudes.

We present validation studies of MLS version 2.2 upper tropospheric and stratospheric ozone profiles using ozonesonde and lidar data as well as climatological data. Ozone measurements from over 60 ozonesonde stations worldwide and three lidar stations are compared with coincident MLS data. The MLS ozone stratospheric data between 150 and 3 hPa agree well with ozonesonde measurements, within 8% for the global average. MLS values at 215 hPa are biased high compared to ozonesondes by A`20% at middle to high latitude, although there is a lot of variability in this altitude region. Comparisons between MLS and ground-based lidar measurements from Mauna Loa, Hawaii, from the Table Mountain Facility, California, and from the Observatoire de Haute-Provence, France, give very good agreement, within A`5%, for the stratospheric values. The comparisons between MLS and the Table Mountain Facility tropospheric ozone lidar show that MLS data are biased high by A`30% at 215 hPa, consistent with that indicated by the ozonesonde data. We obtain better global average agreement between MLS and ozonesonde partial column values down to 215 hPa, although the average MLS values at low to middle latitudes are higher than the ozonesonde values by up to a few percent. MLS v2.2 ozone data agree better than the MLS v1.5 data with ozonesonde and lidar measurements. MLS tropical data show the wave one longitudinal pattern in the upper troposphere, with similarities to the average distribution from ozonesondes. High upper tropospheric ozone values are also observed by MLS in the tropical Pacific from June to November.

International audience; The lidars deployed in the NDSC framework have been used for the validation of GOMOS onboard ENVISAT. Duringthe commissioning phase around ten coincidences per site have been investigated. No significant bias, larger than ±5%,has been reported except around 50 km and 20 km where both techniques are known to present some limitations. Theestimated errors of both GOMOS and lidar are in good agreement with the standard deviation of the differencesbetween coincidences. At higher latitude, comparisons are not so good because of the measurement conditions of brightlimb during this period.