SCIAMACHY limb measurements in the UV/Vis spectral region: first results Original Research Article

Stratospheric density profile measurements of ozone and nitrogen dioxide derived from limb scattered radiance spectra measurements of the SCanning Imaging Absorption spectroMeter for Atmospheric CHartographY (SCIAMACHY) are presented in this paper. SCIAMACHY is part of the ENVISAT satellite instrumentation, which has been successfully launched in March 2002. SCIAMACHY determines both the total amount and vertical density distributions of a large number of atmospheric constituents by measuring the Earthshine radiance, simultaneously from the ultraviolet (UV) to the near infrared (NIR), in the three viewing geometries nadir, limb, and occultation. The results of the trace gas retrievals of ozone and nitrogen dioxide are compared with nearby POAM III measurements as a first step of verification.