Validation of remotely sensed profiles of atmospheric state variables: strategies and terminology

Abstract. This paper summarizes and classifies the various approaches to validation of remote measurements of atmospheric state variables, and tries to recommend a clear and unambiguous terminology. The following approaches have been identified: Intercomparison of individual profiles for accuracy validation; statistical comparison of matched pairs of measurements with respect to bias determination and precision validation; statistical intercomparison of randomly sampled measurements by two instruments, and comparison of a single measurement to an ensemble of measurements. Applicable statistics are shortly reviewed, and recipes for evaluation of the co-incidence error due to less than perfect co-incidences are presented. An approach is suggested to quantitatively validate profile measurements when full covariance matrices are unavailable.