Retrieval of composition and size distribution of stratospheric aerosols with the SAGE II satellite experiment

The SAGE II satellite system was launched on October 5, 1984. It has seven radiometric channels and is beginning to provide water vapor, NO2, and O3 concentration profiles and aerosol extinction profiles at a minimum of three wavelengths. A simple, fast and operational method of retrieving characteristics of stratospheric aerosols from the water vapor and three-wavelength aerosol extinction profiles is proposed. Some examples are given to show the practicality of the scheme. Possible sources of error for the retrieved values and the limitation of the proposed method are discussed. This method may also prove applicable to the study of aerosol characteristics in other multispectral extinction measurements.