title: Review of ozone and temperature lidar validations performed within the framework of the Network for the Detection of Stratospheric Change.
abstract: The use of assimilation tools for satellite validation requires true estimates of the accuracy of the reference data. Since its inception, the Network for Detection of Stratospheric Change (NDSC) has provided systematic lidar measurements of ozone and temperature at several places around the world that are well adapted for satellite validations. Regular exercises have been organised to ensure the data quality at each individual site. These exercises can be separated into three categories: large scale intercomparisons using multiple instruments, including a mobile lidar; using satellite observations as a geographic transfer standards to compare measurements at different sites; and comparative investigations of the analysis software. NDSC is a research network, so each system has its own history, design, and analysis, and has participated differently in validation campaigns. There are still some technological differences that may explain different accuracies. However, the comparison campaigns performed over the last decade have always proved to be very helpful in improving the measurements. To date, more efforts have been devoted to characterising ozone measurements than to temperature observations. The synthesis of the published works shows that the network can potentially be considered as homogeneous within +/-2% between 20-35 km for ozone and +/-1 K between 35-60 km for temperature. Outside this altitude range, larger biases are reported and more efforts are required. In the lower stratosphere, Raman channels seem to improve comparisons but such capabilities were not systematically compared. At the top of the profiles, more investigations on analysis methodologies are still probably needed. SAGE II and GOMOS appear to be excellent tools for future ozone lidar validations but need to be better coordinated and take more advantage of assimilation tools. Also, temperature validations face major difficulties caused by atmospheric tides and therefore require intercomparisons with the mobile systems, at all sites.
authors.affiliation: Service d'Aéronomie/IPSL, Verrière-le-Buisson, France.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Keckhut
authors.forename: Stuart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McDermid
authors.forename: Daan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Swart
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: McGee
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Godin-Beekmann
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Adriani
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barnes
authors.forename: Jean-Luc
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Baray
authors.forename: Hassan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bencherif
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Claude
authors.forename: Aleide G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: di Sarra
authors.forename: Georgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fiocco
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hauchecorne
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Leblanc
authors.forename: Choo Hie
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Shiv
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pal
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Megie
authors.forename: Hideaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakane
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Neuber
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Steinbrecht
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Thayer
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D008027:Light; D010083:Oxidants, Photochemical / Q000032:analysis*; D010126:Ozone / Q000032:analysis*; D011786:Quality Control; D012016:Reference Values; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012984:Software; D018531:Spacecraft; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D010083:Oxidants, Photochemical; D010126:Ozone