VALIDATION STUDIES USING MULTIWAVELENGTH CRYOGENIC LIMB ARRAY ETALON SPECTROMETER (CLAES) OBSERVATIONS OF STRATOSPHERIC AEROSOL

Validation studies of multiwavelength Cryogenic Limb Array Etalon Spec trometer (CLAES) observations of stratospheric aerosol are discussed. An error analysis of the CLAES aerosol extinction data is presented. A erosol extinction precision values are estimated at latitudes and time s at which consecutive Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) orbi ts overlap. Comparisons of CLAES aerosol data with theoretical Mie cal culations, based upon in situ particle size measurements at Laramie, W yoming, are presented. CLAES aerosol data are also compared to scaled aerosol extinction measured by the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Exper iment (SAGE II) and Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy (ATMOS) ex periments. Observed and calculated extinction spectra, from CLAES, Imp roved Stratospheric and Mesospheric Sounder (ISAMS), and Halogen Occul tation Experiment (HALOE) data, are compared. CLAES extinction data ha ve precisions between 10 and 25%, instrumental biases near 30%, and ac curacies between 33 and 43%.