Measurement of vertical distribution of ozone from a polar orbiting satellite

Abstract

A satellite-borne radiometer has been used to determine the vertical distribution of ozone at high altitudes. The attenuation, due to the ozone, of solar ultraviolet radiation passing obliquely through the atmosphere was measured at times of sunrise and sunset(as seen by the orbit ing vehicle). The sensor employed a photomulti plier tube and filter combination plus a quartz light pipe that allowed a uniformly sensitive field of view of =10 deg in elevation and 350 deg in azimuth. A transition from full sunlight to signal extinction, or vice versa, occurred in a period of about 20 seconds, twice per orbit. The shape of this step has been analyzed with a 7090 computer program to deduce the vertical ozone distribution at altitudes above the maximum. The orbital parameters were such that sunset and sun rise occurred when the vehicle was near 33 de grees S and 13 degrees S latitudes, respectively. (Au