Statistical analysis of water vapour and ozone in the UT/LS observed during SPURT and MOZAIC

Abstract

A statistical analysis for the comparability of water (H2O) and ozone (O3) data sets sampled during the SPURT aircraft campaigns and the MOZAIC passenger aircraft flights is presented. The Kolmogoroff-Smirnoff test reveals that the distribution functions from SPURT and MOZAIC trace gases differ from each other with a confidence of 95%. A variance analysis shows a different variability character in both trace gas data sets. While the SPURT H2O data only contain atmospheric processes variable on a diurnal or synoptical timescale, MOZAIC H2O data also reveal processes, which vary on inter-seasonal and seasonal timescales. The SPURT H2O data set does not represent the full MOZAIC H2O variance in the UT/LS for climatological investigations, whereas the variance of O3 is much better represented. SPURT H2O data are better suited in the stratosphere, where the MOZAIC RH sensor looses its sensitivity.