Comparisons of MIPAS-Observed Temperature Profiles with Other Satellite Measurements

MIPAS on ENVISAT measures vertical profiles of atmospheric temperature, ozone, and other species with nearly global coverage and high accuracy/precision. The standard observation mode covers the altitude region between 6 and 68 km. The atmospheric state parameters retrieved from MIPAS measurements using the IMK data analysis processor are compared with a number of other satellite observations. Our comparisons in this paper will focus on temperatures measured by MIPAS, HALOE, SABER, and UKMO Stratospheric Assimilated Data. Both individual profiles and zonal means measured by MIPAS and other instruments at different seasons and geolocations show reasonable agreement, though some differences exist due to characteristics of the individual instruments and observation scenarios. The MIPAS measurements during the stratospheric major sudden warming during the southern hemisphere winter of 2002 are also presented to show the features of this unusual event. The analysis indicates the reliability of MIPAS-IMK data products and their capability for providing valuable scientific information.