Using a network of temperature lidars to identify temperature biases in the upper stratosphere in ECMWF reanalyses

Abstract. To advance our understanding of the stratosphere, high-quality observational datasets stratosphere are needed. It is commonplace that reanalysis used to conduct stratospheric studies. However, accuracy these reanalyses at heights hard infer due a lack in situ measurements. Satellite measurements provide one source temperature information. As some satellite information already assimilated into reanalyses, direct comparison temperatures not truly independent. Stratospheric lidars use Rayleigh scattering measure density middle and upper atmosphere, allowing profiles be derived for altitudes from 30 km (where Mie aerosols becomes negligible) 80–90 signal-to-noise ratio begins drop rapidly). The Network Detection Atmospheric Composition Change (NDACC) contains several different latitudes have measured atmospheric since 1970s, resulting long-running upper-stratospheric dataset. These useful validating as they reanalyses. Here, data Northern Hemisphere between 1990–2017 were compared with European Centre Medium-Range Weather Forecasts ERA-Interim ERA5 give confidence any bias found, NASA's EOS Microwave Limb Sounder also points over lidar sites. In cold ?3 ?4 K 10 1 hPa was found when both measurement systems. Comparisons small magnitude which varies warm height hPa, indicating good thermal representation atmosphere up hPa. A further undertaken looking by year see effects assimilation Advanced Sounding Unit-A (AMSU-A) Constellation Observing System Meteorology, Ionosphere, Climate GPS Radio Occultation (COSMIC GPSRO) on within aforementioned ERA analyses. sensitive introduction COSMIC GPSRO 2007 reduction above addition this, AMSU-A caused variations 1–10 1997–2008.