David P. Edwards

Bio: David P. Edwards is an academic researcher from National Center for Atmospheric Research. The author has contributed to research in topics: MOPITT & Troposphere. The author has an hindex of 54, co-authored 177 publications receiving 11706 citations.

The hitran molecular spectroscopic database and hawks (hitran atmospheric workstation): 1996 edition

Abstract: Since its first publication in 1973, the HITRAN molecular spectroscopic database has been recognized as the international standard for providing the necessary fundamental spectroscopic parameters for diverse atmospheric and laboratory transmission and radiance calculations. There have been periodic editions of HITRAN over the past decades as the database has been expanded and improved with respect to the molecular species and spectral range covered, the number of parameters included, and the accuracy of this information. The 1996 edition not only includes the customary line-by-line transition parameters familiar to HITRAN users, but also cross-section data, aerosol indices of refraction, software to filter and manipulate the data, and documentation. This paper describes the data and features that have been added or replaced since the previous edition of HITRAN. We also cite instances of critical data that are forthcoming.

The HITRAN molecular spectroscopic database and HAWKS (HITRAN atmospheric workstation)

Abstract: Nineteen ninety-eight marks the 25th anniversary of the release of the first HITRAN database. HITRAN is recognized as the international standard of the fundamental spectroscopic parameters for diverse atmospheric and laboratory transmission and radiance calculations. There have been periodic editions of HITRAN over the past decades as the database has been expanded and improved with respect to the molecular species and spectral range covered, the number of parameters included, and the accuracy of this information. The 1996 edition not only includes the customary line-by-line transition parameters familiar to HITRAN users, but also cross-section data, aerosol indices of refraction, software to filter and manipulate the data, and documentation. This paper describes the data and features that have been added or replaced since the previous edition of HITRAN. We also cite instances of critical data that is forthcoming. A new release is planned for 1998.

Operational carbon monoxide retrieval algorithm and selected results for the MOPITT instrument

Abstract: [1] Measurements of Pollution in the Troposphere (MOPITT) is a new remote sensing instrument aboard the Earth Observing System (EOS) “Terra” satellite which exploits gas correlation radiometry principles to quantify tropospheric concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO) and methane (CH4). The MOPITT CO retrieval algorithm employs a nonlinear optimal estimation method to iteratively solve for the CO profile which is statistically most consistent with both the satellite-measured radiances and a priori information. The algorithm's theoretical basis is described in terms of the observed radiances and their weighting functions, the a priori information, and the retrieval averaging kernels. Examples of actual CO retrievals over scenes with contrasting pollution conditions are demonstrated, and interpreted in the context of the retrieval averaging kernels and a priori.

Hyperspectral Earth Observation from IASI: Five Years of Accomplishments

Abstract: Four years after launch, IASI has delivered significant advances in remote sensing capability for numerical weather prediction and atmospheric composition monitoring and promises an excellent dataset for climate studies. The Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) forms the main infrared sounding component of EUMETSAT's Metop-A satellite (Klaes et al., 2007), which was launched in October 2006. This article presents the results of the first four years of the operational IASI mission. The performance of the instrument is shown to be exceptional in terms of calibration and stability the quality of the data has allowed the rapid use of the observations in operational numerical weather prediction (NWP) and the development of new products for atmospheric chemistry and climate studies, some of which were unexpected before launch. The assimilation of IASI observations in NWP models provides significant forecast impact; in most cases the impact has been shown to be at least as large as for any previous instrument. In atmospheric chemistry, global distributions of gases such as ozone and carbon monoxide can be produced in near-real time, and short-lived species such as ammonia or methanol can be mapped, allowing identification of new sources. The data have also shown the ability to track the location and chemistry of gaseous plumes and particles associated with volcanic eruptions and fires, providing valuable data for air quality monitoring and aircraft safety. IASI also contributes to the establishment of robust long term data records of several essential climate variables. The suite of products being developed from IASI continues to expand as the data are investigated, and further impacts are expected from increased use of the data in NWP and climate studies in the coming years. The instrument has set a high standard for future operational hyperspectral infrared sounders, and demonstrated that such instruments have a vital role in the global observing system.

The HITRAN 2008 molecular spectroscopic database

Abstract: This paper describes the contents of the 2016 edition of the HITRAN molecular spectroscopic compilation. The new edition replaces the previous HITRAN edition of 2012 and its updates during the intervening years. The HITRAN molecular absorption compilation is composed of five major components: the traditional line-by-line spectroscopic parameters required for high-resolution radiative-transfer codes, infrared absorption cross-sections for molecules not yet amenable to representation in a line-by-line form, collision-induced absorption data, aerosol indices of refraction, and general tables such as partition sums that apply globally to the data. The new HITRAN is greatly extended in terms of accuracy, spectral coverage, additional absorption phenomena, added line-shape formalisms, and validity. Moreover, molecules, isotopologues, and perturbing gases have been added that address the issues of atmospheres beyond the Earth. Of considerable note, experimental IR cross-sections for almost 300 additional molecules important in different areas of atmospheric science have been added to the database. The compilation can be accessed through www.hitran.org. Most of the HITRAN data have now been cast into an underlying relational database structure that offers many advantages over the long-standing sequential text-based structure. The new structure empowers the user in many ways. It enables the incorporation of an extended set of fundamental parameters per transition, sophisticated line-shape formalisms, easy user-defined output formats, and very convenient searching, filtering, and plotting of data. A powerful application programming interface making use of structured query language (SQL) features for higher-level applications of HITRAN is also provided.

Bounding the role of black carbon in the climate system: A scientific assessment

Abstract: Black carbon aerosol plays a unique and important role in Earth's climate system. Black carbon is a type of carbonaceous material with a unique combination of physical properties. This assessment provides an evaluation of black-carbon climate forcing that is comprehensive in its inclusion of all known and relevant processes and that is quantitative in providing best estimates and uncertainties of the main forcing terms: direct solar absorption; influence on liquid, mixed phase, and ice clouds; and deposition on snow and ice. These effects are calculated with climate models, but when possible, they are evaluated with both microphysical measurements and field observations. Predominant sources are combustion related, namely, fossil fuels for transportation, solid fuels for industrial and residential uses, and open burning of biomass. Total global emissions of black carbon using bottom-up inventory methods are 7500 Gg yr−1 in the year 2000 with an uncertainty range of 2000 to 29000. However, global atmospheric absorption attributable to black carbon is too low in many models and should be increased by a factor of almost 3. After this scaling, the best estimate for the industrial-era (1750 to 2005) direct radiative forcing of atmospheric black carbon is +0.71 W m−2 with 90% uncertainty bounds of (+0.08, +1.27) W m−2. Total direct forcing by all black carbon sources, without subtracting the preindustrial background, is estimated as +0.88 (+0.17, +1.48) W m−2. Direct radiative forcing alone does not capture important rapid adjustment mechanisms. A framework is described and used for quantifying climate forcings, including rapid adjustments. The best estimate of industrial-era climate forcing of black carbon through all forcing mechanisms, including clouds and cryosphere forcing, is +1.1 W m−2 with 90% uncertainty bounds of +0.17 to +2.1 W m−2. Thus, there is a very high probability that black carbon emissions, independent of co-emitted species, have a positive forcing and warm the climate. We estimate that black carbon, with a total climate forcing of +1.1 W m−2, is the second most important human emission in terms of its climate forcing in the present-day atmosphere; only carbon dioxide is estimated to have a greater forcing. Sources that emit black carbon also emit other short-lived species that may either cool or warm climate. Climate forcings from co-emitted species are estimated and used in the framework described herein. When the principal effects of short-lived co-emissions, including cooling agents such as sulfur dioxide, are included in net forcing, energy-related sources (fossil fuel and biofuel) have an industrial-era climate forcing of +0.22 (−0.50 to +1.08) W m−2 during the first year after emission. For a few of these sources, such as diesel engines and possibly residential biofuels, warming is strong enough that eliminating all short-lived emissions from these sources would reduce net climate forcing (i.e., produce cooling). When open burning emissions, which emit high levels of organic matter, are included in the total, the best estimate of net industrial-era climate forcing by all short-lived species from black-carbon-rich sources becomes slightly negative (−0.06 W m−2 with 90% uncertainty bounds of −1.45 to +1.29 W m−2). The uncertainties in net climate forcing from black-carbon-rich sources are substantial, largely due to lack of knowledge about cloud interactions with both black carbon and co-emitted organic carbon. In prioritizing potential black-carbon mitigation actions, non-science factors, such as technical feasibility, costs, policy design, and implementation feasibility play important roles. The major sources of black carbon are presently in different stages with regard to the feasibility for near-term mitigation. This assessment, by evaluating the large number and complexity of the associated physical and radiative processes in black-carbon climate forcing, sets a baseline from which to improve future climate forcing estimates.

Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis.

Abstract: Cause, conseguenze e strategie di mitigazione Proponiamo il primo di una serie di articoli in cui affronteremo l’attuale problema dei mutamenti climatici. Presentiamo il documento redatto, votato e pubblicato dall’Ipcc - Comitato intergovernativo sui cambiamenti climatici - che illustra la sintesi delle ricerche svolte su questo tema rilevante.