Chemical Clues
The standard TES products consist of vertical volume mixing ratio (VMR) profiles for tropospheric ozone, water vapor, deuterated water, carbon monoxide, and methane, in addition to temperature and the associated error estimates, at a range of altitudes derived from each pressure level.
The range of concentrations for background and polluted areas is given in the table below.
Species |
Range of concentration for background |
Range of concentration for polluted regions |
| Ozone (O3) |
from ≤30 to ~60 parts per billion (ppb) |
from ≥60 to >100 ppb |
| Carbon Monoxide (CO) |
from ≤20 to ~125 ppb |
from 125 to >300 ppb |
| Methane (CH4) |
1.5 to ~1.7 parts per million (ppm) |
~1.7 to 2 ppm |
Species |
Range of concentration |
| Water Vapor (H2O) |
from one to 10,000 ppm |
| Deuterated Water Vapor (HDO) |
change in δD (per million) ranges from -50 at sea level, to -800 in the upper troposphere. δD is a measure of the ratio of [HDO]/[H2O]
|
| Atmospheric Temperature (TATM) |
from ~240 to ~290 K |
Next: Ozone
Back: What is TES?
After the sun warms the Earth, the planet radiates that energy back into space in a range of infrared wavelengths. But before reaching space, the energy passes through the atmosphere, where various gases absorb and re-radiate portions of it — in effect stamping the energy with their own spectral signatures. From its vantage point in orbit, TES measures radiation coming out of the top of Earth’s atmosphere in a range that includes the signature wavelengths of ozone, carbon monoxide, water vapor, and methane. Those data enables scientists to deduce valuable information about global warming and climate change, Earth’s water cycle, and air pollution on a local, regional, and global scale.
