The impact of MOPITT data on tropospheric chemistry

The Measurements Of Pollution In The Troposphere (MOPITT) instrument has provided over 10 years of data on the column amount of carbon monoxide (CO) in the troposphere, with some information on its vertical distribution. These first ever long-term measurements have shown the spatial and temporal variations of CO, clearly displaying the long range transport of CO (which is representative of other gases and aerosols). They have also allowed determination of source locations and strengths, and the separation of annually repeating features from those due to episodic events like boreal fires and fires associated with El Niño. Work now in progress is incorporating measurements of reflected sunlight to provide more information on CO at the surface.