SCIAMACHY Solar Irradiance Observation in the Spectral Range from 240 to 2380 nm

Abstract

SCIAMACHY (SCanning Imaging Absorption Spectrometer for Atmospheric CHartographY) is part of the payload of ESA’s Environmental Satellite ENVISAT which was launched into a sun-synchronous polar orbit on 2002-03-01. It is the first spaceborne instrument covering a wavelength range from 240 to 2380nm thus including ultraviolet, visible and near infrared spectral regions. The main purpose of SCIAMACHY is to determine the amount and distribution of a large number of atmospheric trace constituents by measuring the Earthshine radiance. In addition several solar observations are performed with daily or orbital frequency that offer the possibility to monitor solar variations. The presented results will cover the following topics: • Comparison of the solar irradiance measured by SCIAMACHY with data from the instruments SOLSPEC/SOLSTICE/SUSIM and a solar spectrum derived by R. L. Kurucz distributed with MODTRAN 3.7. • Comparison of the SCIAMACHY solar Mg II index with GOME and NOAA data. • Correlation of the relative change of solar irradiance measured by SCIAMACHY with the sun spot index.