TROPOMI on Sentinel-5 Precursor: first year in operation (AMT/ACP inter-journal SI)

Abstract

The Sentinel-5 Precursor mission is a single-payload satellite in a low-Earth orbit successfully launched on 13 October 2017. The mission provides daily global information at an unprecedented spatial resolution (~3.5x7km2) on trace gases and aerosols, important for air quality, climate forcing, and the ozone layer. The single payload of the mission is the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI), which is a nadir-viewing push-broom spectrometer measuring in the ultraviolet, visible, near infrared, and shortwave infrared. The selected wavelength range allows for the observation of key atmospheric constituents, including O3, NO2, CO, SO2, CH4, CH2O, aerosols, and clouds. The mission flies in loose formation with Suomi NPP to obtain detailed information on clouds and for further scientific exploitation of combined data products. In this combined ACP/AMT special issue the first results will be presented, including validation of operational products.