Global pictures of the ozone field from high altitudes from DE-I

Detailed synoptic views of the column ozone field can be obtained by the Spin-Scan Ozone Imager (SOI) (Keating et al., 1981) aboard the Dynamics Explorer I satellite. The eccentric polar orbit with an apogee altitude of 23,000 km allows high resolution global-scale images to be obtained within 12 minutes, and allows regions to be viewed for long periods of time. At perigee, a pixel size of nadir measurements of 3 km is possible, and measurements are determined using the backscattered ultraviolet technique. A wavelength measurement of 317.5 nm is used as there are limitations in filter locations and it allows comparison with Nimbus 7 SBUV/TOMS data. Consideration of the reflectivities of this data aids in checking the SOI data reduction algorithm. SOI data show short-term (less than one day) variations in the observed ozone field, and a negative correlation (greater than 0.9) between ozone and tropopause heights. It is expected, due to this correlation, that SOI data will aid in understanding the time evolution of dynamics near the tropopause.