This work was carried out in response to the EUMETSAT ITT on “Scientific Service for Fiducial Reference Measurements for Copernicus Aerosol Product Cal/Val Activities”. It involved an extensive analysis of current operational retrievals, research studies, and ground-based networks providing aerosol remote sensing observations suitable for aerosol cal/val, mainly based on photometer and lidar measurements. This analysis demonstrated a comprehensive understanding of the Service’s objectives and purposes.
The approach addressed the five core activities required by the Service, covering both the operational needs of cal/val activities and the research efforts focused on improving retrieval algorithms, uncertainty assessments, and quality control. Particular attention was paid to avoiding duplication of existing infrastructures by building upon established resources such as the databases of operational networks (AERONET, ACTRIS, SKYNET) and the DIVA platform developed within an ESA-funded project.
This enabled a focus on the development and testing of new algorithms, as well as on producing dedicated products tailored to specific cal/val exercises, including data from opportunistic campaigns. The Service established a dedicated fiducial reference measurement database for aerosol cal/val, supported by an operational processing scheme utilizing GRASP and other advanced aerosol characterization algorithms.
The project ran between 2023 and April 2025.