Thermal infrared nadir observations of 24 atmospheric gases

Thermal infrared nadir sounders are ideal for observing total columns or vertical profiles of atmospheric gases such as water, carbon dioxide and ozone. High resolution sounders with a spectral resolution below 5 cm−1 can distinguish fine spectral features of trace gases. Forty years after the launch of the first hyperspectral sounder IRIS, we have now several state of the art instruments in orbit, with improved instrumental specifications. In this letter we give an overview of the trace gases which have been observed by infrared nadir sounders, focusing on new observations of the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI). We present typical observations of 14 rare reactive trace gas species. Several species are reported here for the first time in nadir view, including nitrous acid, furan, acetylene, propylene, acetic acid, formaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide, observations which were made in a pyrocumulus cloud from the Australian bush fires of February 2009. Being able to observe this large number of reactive trace gases will likely improve our knowledge of source emissions and their impact on the environment and climate.

• Publication year

  2011

• Venue

  Geophysical Research Letters

• Publication date

  2011-05-01

• Fields of study

  Geology, Physics, Environmental Science

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.1029/2011GL047271
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar

• No claims are published for this paper.

• No concepts are published for this paper.

• Global, Long‐Term Sulphur Dioxide Measurements from TOVS Data: A New Tool for Studying Explosive Volcanism and Climate

  2013influential reference
• First space-based derivation of the global atmospheric methanol emission fluxes

  2011cited by this paper
• Infrared satellite observations of hydrogen sulfide in the volcanic plume of the August 2008 Kasatochi eruption

  2011cited by this paper
• Global distributions of methanol and formic acid retrieved for the first time from the IASI/MetOp thermal infrared sounder

  2011cited by this paper
• Satellite monitoring of ammonia: A case study of the San Joaquin Valley

  2010cited by this paper
• Detection of volcanic SO2, ash, and H2SO4 using the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI)

  2010cited by this paper
• IASI measurements of reactive trace species in biomass burning plumes

  2009cited by this paper
• Thermal and near infrared sensor for carbon observation Fourier-transform spectrometer on the Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite for greenhouse gases monitoring.

  2009cited by this paper
• Global ammonia distribution derived from infrared satellite observations

  2009cited by this paper
• Monitoring of atmospheric composition using the thermal infrared IASI/METOP sounder

  2009cited by this paper
• Tracking and quantifying volcanic SO 2 with IASI, the September 2007 eruption at Jebel at Tair

  2008cited by this paper
• Oxidation capacity of the city air of Santiago, Chile

  2008cited by this paper
• Twelve years of global observations of formaldehyde in the troposphere using GOME and SCIAMACHY sensors

  2008cited by this paper
• First satellite observations of lower tropospheric ammonia and methanol

  2008cited by this paper
• ACE-FTS observation of a young biomass burning plume: first reported measurements of C 2 H 4 , C 3 H 6 O, H 2 CO and PAN by infrared occultation from space

  2007cited by this paper
• AIRS: Improving Weather Forecasting and Providing New Data on Greenhouse Gases.

  2006cited by this paper
• TES on the aura mission: scientific objectives, measurements, and analysis overview

  2006cited by this paper
• Quantifying tropospheric volcanic emissions with AIRS: The 2002 eruption of Mt. Etna (Italy)

  2005cited by this paper
• The HITRAN 2008 molecular spectroscopic database

  2005cited by this paper
• Retrieval and characterization of ozone vertical profiles from a thermal infrared nadir sounder

  2005cited by this paper
• Gas-Phase Databases for Quantitative Infrared Spectroscopy

  2004cited by this paper
• Trace gas measurements from infrared satellite for chemistry and climate applications

  2003cited by this paper
• A Long-Term Record of Aerosol Optical Depth from TOMS Observations and Comparison to AERONET Measurements

  2002cited by this paper
• Increases in greenhouse forcing inferred from the outgoing longwave radiation spectra of the Earth in 1970 and 1997

  2001cited by this paper
• Interferometric monitor for greenhouse gases (IMG)

  1997cited by this paper
• The Nimbus 4 infrared spectroscopy experiment: 1. Calibrated thermal emission spectra

  1972cited by this paper
• AIRS Improving Weather Forecasting and Providing New Data on Greenhouse Gases

  year unknowncited by this paper

• Post‐Monsoon Pollution Events in the Indo‐Gangetic Plain Using 18 Years [2007–2024] of IASI Carbon Monoxide Satellite Measurements

  2026cites this paper
• An algorithm to retrieve peroxyacetyl nitrate from AIRS

  2026cites this paper
• Characterization of aerosol optical depth (AOD) anomalies in September and October 2022 over Skukuza in South Africa

  2025cites this paper
• Early evolution of the ozone mini-hole generated by the Australian bushfires 2019–2020 observed from satellite and ground-based instruments

  2025cites this paper
• An optimal sequential physical retrieval system for retrieving high-accuracy diurnal atmospheric gases from FY-4B/GIIRS: Theory, algorithm and evaluation

  2025cites this paper
• Challenges and opportunities offered by geostationary space observations for air quality research and emission monitoring

  2025cites this paper
• Atmospheric HONO Observed Over Global Biomass Burning Regions Using Satellite Observations of TROPOMI and GEMS

  2025cites this paper
• Global decadal measurements of methanol, ethene, ethyne, and HCN from the Cross-track Infrared Sounder

  2025cites this paper
• New line list for the ν4 bands of the trans (790.117 cm–1) and cis (851.943 cm–1) conformers of nitrous acid (HONO): accurate positions and absolute intensities

  2024cites this paper
• Modification of IPI Method for Extraction of Short-Term and Imminent OLR Anomalies and Case Study of Two Large Earthquakes

  2024cites this paper
• Pyrogenic HONO seen from space: insights from global IASI observations

  2024influential citation
• A new instrumentation for simultaneous terahertz and mid-infrared spectroscopy in corrosive gaseous mixtures.

  2024cites this paper
• Opinion: Beyond global means – novel space-based approaches to indirectly constrain the concentrations of and trends and variations in the tropospheric hydroxyl radical (OH)

  2024cites this paper
• Satellite‐Based Identification of Large Anthropogenic NMVOC Emission Sources

  2024cites this paper
• Sudden Stratospheric Warmings in the Northern Hemisphere Observed With IASI

  2023cites this paper
• Measurement report: Spatiotemporal variability of peroxy acyl nitrates (PANs) over Mexico City from TES and CrIS satellite measurements

  2023cites this paper
• New line intensities for the far infrared bands of the Trans- and Cis-conformer of nitrous acid (HONO), new determination of the Trans-Cis conformer barrier and its impact on the astrophysical detection of nitrous acid in protostellar clouds

  2023cites this paper
• Time evolution of temperature profiles retrieved from 13 years of infrared atmospheric sounding interferometer (IASI) data using an artificial neural network

  2022cites this paper
• Ethylene industrial emitters seen from space

  2022cites this paper
• UK Ammonia Emissions Estimated With Satellite Observations and GEOS‐Chem

  2021cites this paper
• Identification of Short and Long‐Lived Atmospheric Trace Gases From IASI Space Observations

  2021cites this paper
• Infrared spectra in air pollution research and monitoring from space: a review

  2021cites this paper
• Simulation Model of Reactive Nitrogen Species in an Urban Atmosphere using a Deep Neural Network: RND v1.0

  2021cites this paper
• Satellite measurements of peroxyacetyl nitrate from the Cross-Track Infrared Sounder: Comparison with ATom aircraft measurements

  2021cites this paper
• Time evolution of temperature profiles retrieved from 13 years of IASI data using an artificial neural network

  2021cites this paper
• Generalization of the complete data fusion to multi-target retrieval of atmospheric parameters and application to FORUM and IASI-NG simulated measurements

  2021cites this paper
• Transport and Variability of Tropospheric Ozone over Oceania and Southern Pacific during the 2019-20 Australian Bushfires

  2021cites this paper
• The Impacts of Peroxyacetyl Nitrate in the Atmosphere of Megacities and Large Urban Areas: A Historical Perspective

  2021cites this paper
• Global nitrous acid emissions and levels of regional oxidants enhanced by wildfires

  2020cites this paper
• Artificial Neural Networks to Retrieve Land and Sea Skin Temperature from IASI

  2020cites this paper
• Spaceborne Measurements of Formic and Acetic Acids: A Global View of the Regional Sources

  2020cites this paper
• Ten-Year Assessment of IASI Radiance and Temperature

  2020cites this paper
• A study of the influence of tropospheric subsidence on spring and summer surface ozone concentrations at the JRC Ispra station in northern Italy

  2019cites this paper
• Calculating the O3 Instantaneous Longwave Radiative Impact from Satellite Observations

  2019cites this paper
• Acetone Atmospheric Distribution Retrieved From Space

  2019cites this paper
• A General Framework for Global Retrievals of Trace Gases From IASI: Application to Methanol, Formic Acid, and PAN

  2018cites this paper
• Use of Hyperspectral Infrared Radiances to Infer Atmospheric Trace Gases

  2018cites this paper
• Pre-seismic anomalies from optical satellite observations: a review

  2018cites this paper
• Decrease in tropospheric O 3 levels in the Northern Hemisphere observed by IASI

  2017cites this paper
• An investigation on the origin of regional springtime ozone episodes in the western Mediterranean

  2017cites this paper
• O3 variability in the troposphere as observed by IASI over 2008–2016: Contribution of atmospheric chemistry and dynamics

  2017cites this paper
• Fast retrievals of tropospheric carbonyl sulfide with IASI

  2016cites this paper
• Multi-decadal satellite measurements of global volcanic degassing

  2016cites this paper
• Satellite observations of ethylene (C 2 H 4 ) from the Aura Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer: A scoping study

  2016cites this paper
• Spatial variability in tropospheric peroxyacetyl nitrate in the tropics from infrared satellite observations in 2005 and 2006

  2016cites this paper
• Temporal and spatial variability of ammonia in urban and agricultural regions of northern Colorado, United States

  2016influential citation
• Ash and ice clouds during the Mt Kelud February 2014 eruption as interpreted from IASI and AVHRR/3 observations

  2016cites this paper
• Tropospheric ozone from IASI : regional and global assessment

  2015cites this paper
• Instantaneous longwave radiative impact of ozone: an application on IASI/MetOp observations

  2015cites this paper
• Evaluation of the MACC operational forecast system – potential and challenges of global near-real-time modelling with respect to reactive gases in the troposphere

  2015cites this paper
• Acetylene (C 2 H 2 ) and hydrogen cyanide (HCN) from IASI satellite observations: global distributions, validation, and comparison with model

  2015influential citation
• Springtime variability of lower tropospheric ozone over Eastern Asia: contributions of cyclonic activity and pollution as observed from space with IASI

  2015cites this paper
• Using SEVIRI fire observations to drive smoke plumes in the CMAQ air quality model: a case study over Antalya in 2008

  2015cites this paper
• Inverse transport modeling of volcanic sulfur dioxide emissions using large-scale simulations

  2015cites this paper
• Quantifying emerging local anthropogenic emissions in the Arctic region: the ACCESS aircraft campaign experiment

  2015cites this paper
• Tropospheric ozone variability during the East Asian summer monsoon as observed by satellite (IASI), aircraft (MOZAIC) and ground stations

  2015cites this paper
• Springtime daily variations in lower-tropospheric ozone over east Asia: the role of cyclonic activity and pollution as observed from space with IASI

  2015cites this paper
• Using SEVIRI fire observations to drive smoke plumes in the CMAQ air quality model: The case of Antalya in 2008

  2015cites this paper
• Fire plume simulation with geostationary observations

  2015cites this paper
• Ammonia emissions in tropical biomass burning regions: Comparison between satellite-derived emissions and bottom-up fire inventories

  2015cites this paper
• Tracking pollutants from space: Eight years of IASI satellite observation

  2015cites this paper
• Summertime tropospheric ozone assessment over the Mediterranean region using WRF-Chem model and the thermal infrared IASI/MetOp sounder

  2014cites this paper
• Global distributions, time series and error characterization of atmospheric ammonia (NH 3 ) from IASI satellite observations

  2014influential citation
• Summertime tropospheric ozone assessment over the Mediterranean region using the thermal infrared IASI/MetOp sounder and the WRF-Chem model

  2014cites this paper
• Analysis of tropospheric trace gas amounts from satellite and ship-based DOAS-type measurements : NO2 from biomass burning and other sources

  2014cites this paper
• IASI observations of sulfur dioxide (SO2) in the boundary layer of Norilsk

  2014cites this paper
• Summertime tropospheric-ozone variability over the Mediterranean basin observed with IASI

  2014cites this paper
• Satellite observations of peroxyacetyl nitrate from the Aura Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer

  2014cites this paper
• Operational Integration of Spaceborne Measurements of Lava Discharge Rates and Sulfur Dioxide Concentrations for Global Volcano Monitoring

  2014cites this paper
• Emissions estimation from satellite retrievals: A review of current capability

  2013cites this paper
• Evaluating the Atmospheric Impact of Wildfires

  2013cites this paper
• Tropospheric ozone and nitrogen dioxide measurements in urban and rural regions as seen by IASI and GOME‐2

  2013cites this paper
• A unified approach to infrared aerosol remote sensing and type specification

  2013cites this paper
• Towards IASI-New Generation (IASI-NG): impact of improved spectral resolution and radiometric noise on the retrieval of thermodynamic, chemistry and climate variables

  2013cites this paper
• Detection in the summer polar stratosphere of air plume pollution from East Asia and North America by balloon-borne in situ CO measurements

  2012cites this paper
• Aerosol type specification in the infrared

  2012cites this paper
• Exceptional emissions of NH 3 and HCOOH in the 2010 Russian wildfires

  2012cites this paper
• The Australian bushfires of February 2009: MIPAS observations and GEM-AQ model results

  2012cites this paper
• Measurements of hydrogen cyanide (HCN) and acetylene (C 2 H 2 ) from the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI)

  2012cites this paper
• FORLI radiative transfer and retrieval code for IASI

  2012cites this paper
• Detection in the summer polar stratosphere of pollution plume from East Asia and North America by balloon-borne in situ CO measurements

  2012cites this paper
• Decadal record of satellite carbon monoxide observations

  2012cites this paper
• Volcanic SO 2 fluxes derived from satellite data: a survey using OMI, GOME-2, IASI and MODIS

  2012cites this paper
• A unified approach to aerosol remote sensing and type specification in the infrared

  2012cites this paper
• Emission Ratios for Ammonia and Formic Acid and Observations of Peroxy Acetyl Nitrate (PAN) and Ethylene in Biomass Burning Smoke as Seen by the Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES)

  2011influential citation
• Intercontinental transport of anthropogenic sulfur dioxide and other pollutants: An infrared remote sensing case study

  2011cites this paper
• Monitoring and forecast of atmospheric composition with IASI/MetOp

  2011cites this paper
• Assimilation of IASI satellite CO fields into a global chemistry transport model for validation against aircraft measurements

  2011cites this paper
• Validation of three different scientific ozone products retrieved from IASI spectra using ozonesondes

  2011cites this paper
• High resolution assimilation of IASI ozone data with a global CTM

  2011cites this paper
• Mesure du SO2 et des cendres volcaniques avec IASI

  2011cites this paper
• Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer

  2010cites this paper
• Characterization of AOD anomalies in September and October 2022 over Skukuza in South Africa

  year unknowninfluential citation
• Opinion: Beyond Global Means: Novel Space-Based Approaches to Indirectly Constrain the Concentrations, Trends, and Variations of Tropospheric Hydroxyl Radical (OH)

  year unknowncites this paper
• Hydrological drivers of hydrogen cyanide wildfire emissions from Indonesian peat fires during the 2015, 2019, and 2023 El Niño events

  year unknowncites this paper