Validation of the BUV satellite ozone sensor using the rocket ozonesonde.

This paper reviews aspects of the rocket ozonesonde (ROCOZ) performance pertaining to the validation of satellite ozone sensing systems, particularly the backscattered ultraviolet (BUV) sensor. It is shown that while the BUV system relates cumulative vertical ozone to pressure, the ROCOZ can measure cumulative ozone as a function of radar altitude. As a consequence some method of relating atmospheric pressure and altitude is required, with a concomitant error introduced. A Monte Carlo simulation was performed to evaluate the contribution of scattered flux on the ROCOZ result. The scattered component always causes an underestimate in cumulative ozone that increases almost linearly with pressure and is only weakly dependent on the solar zenith angle. For most practical operating conditions, however, the error in cumulative ozone arising from the scattered flux is of the order of 1% or less.