Atmosphere
Monitoring Service
T
he Copernicus Atmosphere Mon- to support decision makers. The main areas What does the Atmosphere
itoring Service is part of the the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service Monitoring Service do?
Copernicus Programme, which focuses on are:
Typical products provided by the service are:
is an EU Programme managed
by the European Commission (EC) and
implemented in partnership with the Member States, the European Space Agency
(ESA), the European Organisation for the
Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites
(EUMETSAT), the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF),
EU Agencies and Mercator Océan. The
Programme is aimed at developing a set
of European information services based
on satellite Earth Observation and in-situ
(non-space) data.
Air quality and atmospheric composition;
Maps and data for regional air quality
Ozone layer and ultra-violet radiation;
forecasts;
Emissions and surface fluxes;
Retrospective assessments of air quality;
Solar radiation;
Identification of pollutants and their source;
Climate forcing.
Pollen concentration levels in the
atmosphere;
In November 2014, the European Commission
Resources for evaluating possible
signed a Delegation Agreement with ECMWF
emission control measures;
for the implementation of the service. The ser-
Inputs to local air quality forecasts, health
vice became fully operational from July 2015.
information and warnings.
What is the Copernicus
Atmosphere Monitoring Service?
The Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service
provides the capacity to continuously monitor
the composition of the Earth’s atmosphere
at global and regional scales. This service
capacity encompasses the description of the
current situation (analysis), the prediction of
the situation a few days ahead (forecast),
and the provision of consistent retrospective
data records for recent years (re-analysis).
The service generates geophysical products
which require further technical processing
and various forms of high level information
Implemented by:
Space
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Model: ENSEMBLE Height level: Surface Parameter: Ozone [ µg/m3 ]
500
70
240
Some examples:
The recording and analysis of solar radiation
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Air Quality
provides information to public and private
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60
The Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Ser-
organisations in fields such as health, agri-
vice provides continuous observation of the
culture and solar energy;
composition of the Earth’s atmosphere and
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140
The service compiles emission data and
helps predict air quality. Atmospheric compo50
sition helps understanding phenomena such
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as desert
dust
long-range
transport
Mean column
CO2
dryplumes,
molar fraction
[ ppm
]
also estimates net fluxes of CO2 and CH120
4
at the Earth’s surface. This helps improve
100
understanding of key factors affecting the
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of atmospheric pollutants including pollen as
Earth’s climate (climate forcings);
well as ash plumes from volcanic
eruptions.
40
80
60
This information can be relevant for different
Freely available high quality data opens new
domains such as public health or even safety
possibilities in monitoring the composition
of air traffic. Each day, the Copernicus Atmo-
20
of the atmosphere and enables the creation
sphere Monitoring Service provides
analyses
30
-20
40
-10
0
0
of new business
ideas supporting
public
30
40
10
20
and forecasts detailing constituents in the
and private stakeholders in a wide area of
Earth’s atmosphere at various heights above
applications linked to atmospheric science.
sea level for the following 96 hours.
The Copernicus data policy
and global scale, which helps optimise the use
promotes the access, use
and sharing of Copernicus
information and data on a full,
free and open basis.
of solar energy and supports the prevention
There is no restriction on use or reproduction
of skin cancer.
and redistribution, with or without adapta-
Solar Radiation
The service also monitors levels of UV radiation
and provides 4-day forecasts on a European
tion, for commercial or non-commercial pur-
What is the added value of
the Copernicus Atmosphere
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120°W
100°W
80°W
60°W
Monitoring
Service?
160°W
poses. This data policy applies to the data and
information generated within the Copernicus
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20°E
40°E
60°E
The service delivers information on the air
we breathe;
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100°E
120°E
140°E
160°E
programme,
i.e., Sentinel
mission data and
Copernicus service information.
Images © ECMWF, CAMS
More information
Users can find out more about the products delivered by the Copernicus
Atmosphere Monitoring Service at: atmosphere.copernicus.eu
Status as of September 2016