SCIAMACHY Startpage ------------------------ SCIAMACHY Sensor Navigation ------------------------ SCIA-Aerosol Products SCIA - CH4 Column averaged mixing ratio (XCH4) SCIA - CO2 Column averaged mixing ratio (XCO2) SCIA - CO Vertical Column Real Time Orbit Display Operations Support Website Measurement Modes Spectral Features Portrait (in German) ENVISAT

SCIAMACHY is an atmospheric sensor aboard the European satellite ENVISAT. It was launched in March 2002 as a joint project of Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. It measures atmospheric absorption in spectral bands from the ultraviolet to the near infrared (240 nm - 2380 nm), providing knowledge about the composition, dynamics and radiation balance of the atmosphere. Moreover, aerosols, cloud properties and surface reflection can be retrieved.

SCIAMACHY / ENVISAT: Latest data products. (Product status is "operational")

Level 3 (Daily Composites):	Total O3 Column (nadir) Total NO2 Column (nadir)
Level 3 (Daily Composites):	O3 VMR (limb) NO2 VMR (limb)

Objectives

SCIAMACHY was conceived to improve our global knowledge and understanding of a variety of issues of importance for the chemistry and physics of the atmosphere (troposphere, stratosphere and mesosphere) and potential changes resulting from either anthropogenic behavior or natural phenomena such as:

• Stratospheric Ozone with focus on the Antarctic ozone hole and the mid-latitudes
• Tropospheric pollution arising from industrial activity and biomass burning
• Troposphere - stratosphere exchange
• Special events such as volcanic eruptions, solar proton events, and related regional and global phenomena

Instrument

SCIAMACHY is an imaging spectrometer comprising a mirror system, a sun diffusor, a telescope, a spectrometer, a calibration unit and thermal and electronic subsystems. SCIAMACHY performs measurements in nadir, limb, and solar/lunar occultation geometry. From these measurements total column amounts and stratospheric profiles of a multitude of atmospheric constituents are retrieved on a global scale. The observations of trace gases are performed simultaneously and globally. Limitations occur on the night side of the orbit (eclipse mode), where the sun does not illuminate the atmosphere and, consequently, no reflected and backscattered solar radiation can be measured. In this mode, a sequence of eclipse observations (e.g. air glow, biomass burning) are achieved. Global coverage is obtained in three days.

SCIAMACHY allows to retrieve O3, BrO, OClO, ClO, SO2, H2CO, NO, NO2, NO3, CO, CO2, CH4, H2O, N2O, aerosols, radiation, cloud properties.

A version with reduced capabilities, the Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment (GOME), has already been flying on ERS-2. As one of the atmospheric instruments on ENVISAT, SCIAMACHY data is complementing the information obtained with MIPAS, GOMOS and MERIS.

Highlights and Features

• What is SCIAMACHY doing at the moment?
• The SCIAMACHY book - online version
• UV-Check based on SCIAMACHY ozone data
• Ozone hole size as derived from GOME and SCIAMACHY satellite data

Stories on SCIAMACHY

• CO2 levels measured from space for the first time by German SCIAMACHY instrument
• Arctic ozone hole is bigger than ever before
• Schutz vor Sonnenbrand im Urlaub: UV-Check-Service des DLR
• Das "Atmen" des Regenwaldes
• Drastischer Ozonabbau über Europa
• Schiffsemissionen auf der Spur
• Schutz vor Sonnenbrand - UV-Check-Service des DLR
• DLR-Umweltsensor GRIPS 4 auf Südkurs im Atlantik
• Bromexplosion und Eisblumen in Arktis und Antarktis
• Ausbruch des Vulkans Grimsvötn in Island

Data Access

• Latest SCIA - O3 Products
• Latest SCIA - NO2 Products
• SCIA - Aerosol products
• SCIA - CH 4 Column averaged mixing ratio (XCH 4)
• SCIA - CO 2 Column averaged mixing ratio (XCO 2)
• SCIA - CO Vertical Column
• ESA Earth Observation products including SCIAMACHY Level 0 to 2
• Integrated Air Quality platform based on SCIAMACHY data
• SCIAMACHY based services for GMES project PROMOTE
• Contact ESAs Earth Observation help desk
• Data products from University of Bremen
• Products at KNMI

Links

• SCIAMACHY @ ESA
• Scientific studies and general information at University of Bremen
• Technical Information from SRON (Space Research Organization Netherlands)
• General information from BIRA (Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy)
• SCIAMACHY validation site

Contact

If you would like to have more information about the SCIAMACHY data, please contact wdc@dlr.de.