Atmospheric Measurement Techniques Discussions www.atmos-meas-tech-discuss.net 1867-8610 3 4 2010 10.5194/amtd-3-3987-2010 http://www.atmos-meas-tech-discuss.net/3/3987/2010/ http://www.atmos-meas-tech-discuss.net/3/3987/2010/amtd-3-3987-2010.html http://www.atmos-meas-tech-discuss.net/3/3987/2010/amtd-3-3987-2010.pdf 3987 4007 2010-08-31 Remote sensing of water vapour profiles in the framework of the Total Carbon Column Observing Network (TCCON) M. Schneider matthias.schneider@kit.edu E. Sepúlveda O. García F. Hase T. Blumenstock Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), IMK-ASF, Karlsruhe, Germany University of La Laguna, La Laguna, Spain Agencia Estatal de Meteorología (AEMET), CIAI, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain now at: Agencia Estatal de Meteorología (AEMET), CIAI, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain We show that the near infrared solar absorption spectra recorded in the framework of the Total Carbon Column Observing Network (TCCON) can be used to derive the vertical distribution of tropospheric water vapour. Using spectral H₂O signatures in the 4500–4700 cm⁻¹ region one can well distinguish lower from middle/upper tropospheric water vapour concentrations. The vertical resolution is about 3 and 6 km, for the lower and middle/upper troposphere, respectively. We document the quality of the remotely-sensed profiles by comparisons with coincident in-situ Vaisala RS92 radiosonde measurements. The agreement of both techniques is very satisfactory. 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