EUMETSAT and the AC SAF leading entity (FMI), signed an agreement for Continuous Development and Operations Phase (CDOP) 3. This phase started 1 March 2018 and will last for the next five years. 

The Satellite Application Facility on Atmospheric Composition (AC SAF) is a consortium of 11 EUMETSAT member states and other scientific institutes. Its aim is to complement the production of standard meteorological products derived from satellite data. The AC SAF will be responsible for the processing of data on ozone, other trace gases, aerosols and ultraviolet data obtained from satellite instrumentation.

The AC SAF will use observations of the atmosphere performed by the future EUMETSAT METOP satellites to derive information about the ozone content of the atmosphere useful for meteorological applications and climate/ozone layer monitoring.

Within CDOP 1/2, products were exclusively derived from the GOME-2 instrument. Within the next phase, also products from the IASI instrument will be generated.

At RMI, we are responsible for the validation of the GOME-2 and IASI ozone profile products, which are generated by teams at respectively KNMI and ULB/LATMOS. For this validation work, the satellite retrieved ozone profiles are compared with other ozone observations obtained with ozonesondes, in Uccle and around the world.

Also other trace gases like NO2, formaldehyde are validated at our institute, using a chemical transport model.

You will find more information on the AC SAF web pages. Information about SAF's in general and about the METOP satellite are available on the EUMETSAT home pages.