GRASP-SAS (FR)
The ECAMS (EarthCARE ATLID and MSI Instruments Synergy for Advanced Retrieval of Aerosol Vertical Profiles) project focuses on enhancing aerosol vertical profiling through the integration of active and passive satellite measurements. By combining data from EarthCARE’s ATLID (Atmospheric LIDar) and MSI (Multi-Spectral Imager) with PACE mission’s polarimeters (SPEXone and HARP-2), ECAMS aims to develop a robust retrieval framework to improve global aerosol characterization. The motivation for combining passive and active instruments lies in their complementary capabilities: passive sensors provide sensitivity to atmospheric aerosol amounts and, to a certain extent, particle size, shape, and morphology, while active sensors offer detailed vertical profiles, enabling a more accurate and comprehensive understanding of the global distribution of aerosol properties.
A key goal of ECAMS is to implement a flexible retrieval approach that adapts to various satellite configurations, paving the way for future missions. The project focuses on optimizing aerosol and measurement models and validating its methods using data from EarthCARE, PACE, and ground-based observations. It emphasizes the precise estimation of aerosol optical depth and vertical profiles, adhering to established climate standards and ensuring adaptability for diverse remote sensing applications.
ECAMS aims to introduce innovative synergetic retrieval methods using the GRASP (Generalized Retrieval of Atmosphere and Surface Properties) open-source software, integrating multi-instrument data for comprehensive aerosol analysis. The developed synergetic concept will be designed to be easily ported and adapted for processing various types of satellite observations with different spatial, vertical, and spectral resolutions, as well as different spectral ranges. It will serve as a community platform for advancing the remote sensing of atmospheric vertical structure and surface, providing a virtual laboratory for various remote sensing developments and applications.
This project also supports ongoing synergy developments in the ESA AIRSENSE project and complements studies on aerosol-cloud interactions in collaboration with the EC CleanCloud and CERTAINTY projects.
