A NEW INVERSION FOR STRATOSPHERIC AEROSOL AND GAS EXPERIMENT-II DATA

`qWe describe a new inversion algorithm for retrieving ozone densities and aerosol extinctions from Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) II measurements. The primary differences between the new algor ithm and the current operational SAGE II inversion are the order of th e species and altitude inversions, and the methods used to calculate a erosol extinction and remove saturated signals. Ozone densities retrie ved at altitudes from 15 to 30 km using the new algorithm are compared to those from the operational SAGE II inversion, as well as to ozone densities from coincident balloon ozonesonde measurements at four diff erent locations in the northern hemisphere between 1984 and 1991 for l ow to medium stratospheric aerosol loading conditions. The results of the comparison show that the ozone densities resulting from the operat ional and new algorithms agree to within 1% above 22 km. Below 22 km, the new results are lower than the operational results by up to 30%, d epending on altitude and location. At all four stations the new result s agree better with the sondes, decreasing the SAGE II/sonde differenc es by a factor of 2 or more.