Aura Tropospheric Ozone Columns Derived Using the TOR Approach and Mapping Techniques

A 2 predictor (PV and geopotential height) interpolation/mapping technique has been applied to Aura MLS measurements combined with GEOS-4 meteorological fields to produce stratospheric ozone columns between the 300K isentropic surface and up to the 800K surface. Subtraction of these columns from OMI total ozone column measurements under clear sky conditions results in tropospheric ozone columns derived by the Tropospheric Ozone Residual (TOR) technique. The precisions and accuracies of the resulting TORs at mid-latitudes are assessed by comparisons against tropospheric ozonesonde and TORs derived from SAGE measurements. It is found that the inclusion of total ozone column as a third predictor in the interpolation increases the precision of the derived TORs. The use of trajectory mapping is also in the process of being evaluated.