Observational constraints on ozone radiative forcing

According to the IPCC AR4, tropospheric ozone is the third most important greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide and methane with a radiative forcing of 0.35 W/m2 [0.25-0.65 W/m2] since preindustrial times. However, this estimate has not changed substantially since the IPCC SAR (1995). Hyperspectral thermal infrared sounders such as the Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES) aboard the NASA Aura spacecraft provide a new capability to directly constrain estimates of the top-of-the atmosphere thermal ozone radiative effect. In particular, we show how novel long-wave instantaneous radiative kernels (IRK) and ozone from TES in conjunction with chemistry-climate models such as NASA GISS-PUCCINI and NCAR CAM-Chem can be used to correct for the present day ozone radiative effect (2005-2010) and provide insight into preindustrial-to-present day ozone radiative forcing.