Retrieving H2O/HDO above clouds using TROPOMI SWIR measurements

The current scientific H₂O/HDO data product from short-wave infrared reflectance measurements by the Tropospheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) is retrieved using a profile-scaling approach with a forward model which ignores scattering. Since water is too dark in the short-wave infrared, the coverage is limited to clear-sky scenes over land. Clouds are relatively bright in this spectral region, thus retrievals over low clouds will greatly enlarge the coverage. To do so, retrievals using a forward model which accounts for scattering and fitting effective cloud parameters additionally to the trace gases are examined. Inferred effective cloud parameters are compared with measurements by the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) to optimise the cloud model. Furthermore, the impact on the validation of the retrieved H₂O/HDO columns with collocated measurements by the Total Carbon Column Observing Network (TCCON) is discussed.