Global distributions of C<sub>2</sub>H<sub>6</sub>, C<sub>2</sub>H<sub>2</sub>, HCN, and PAN retrieved from MIPAS reduced spectral resolution measurements

Abstract. Vertical profiles of mixing ratios of C2H6, C2H2, HCN, and PAN were retrieved from MIPAS reduced spectral resolution nominal mode limb emission measurements. The retrieval strategy followed that of the analysis of MIPAS high resolution measurements, with occasional adjustments to cope with the reduced spectral resolution under which MIPAS is operated since 2005. Largest mixing ratios are found in the troposphere, and reach 1.2 ppbv for C2H6, 1 ppbv for HCN, 600 pptv for PAN, and 450 pptv for C2H2. The estimated precision in case of significantly enhanced mixing ratios (including measurement noise and propagation of uncertain parameters randomly varying in the time domain) and altitude resolution are typically 10 %, 3–4.5 km for C2H6, 15 %, 4–6 km for HCN, 6 %, 2.5–3.5 km for PAN, and 7 %, 2.5–4 km for C2H2.