First-time comparison between NO 2 vertical columns from Geostationary Environmental Monitoring Spectrometer (GEMS) and Pandora measurements

Abstract. The Geostationary Environmental Monitoring Spectrometer (GEMS) is a UV–visible spectrometer onboard the GEO-KOMPSAT-2B satellite launched into geostationary orbit in February 2020. To evaluate GEMS NO2 column data, comparison was carried out using NO2 vertical column density (VCD) measured using direct-sunlight observations by the Pandora spectrometer system at four sites in Seosan, South Korea, during November 2020 to January 2021. Correlation coefficients between GEMS and Pandora NO2 data at four sites ranged from 0.35 to 0.48, with root mean square errors (RMSEs) from 4.7 × 1015 molec. cm-2 to 5.5 × 1015 molec. cm-2 for cloud fraction (CF) < 0.7. Higher correlation coefficients of 0.62–0.78 with lower RMSEs from 3.3 × 1015 molec. cm-2 to 4.3 × 1015 molec. cm-2 were found with CF < 0.3, indicating the higher sensitivity of GEMS to atmospheric NO2 in less-cloudy conditions. Ov…