Part of the European Space Agency's (ESA) Greenhouse Gases (GHG) Climate Change Initiative (CCI) project and the Climate Research Data Package Number 3 (CRDP#3), the WFMD XCO2 SCIAMACHY product comprises a level 2, column-averaged dry-air mole fraction (mixing ratio) for carbon dioxide (CO2). The product has been produced using data acquired from the SCanning Imaging Absorption spectroMeter for Atmospheric CHartographY (SCIAMACHY) on board the European Space Agency's environmental research satellite ENVISAT.

This product has been derived using the Weighting Function Modified DOAS (WFM-DOAS) algorithm, a least-squares method based on scaling pre-selected atmospheric vertical profiles. Note that this has been designated as an 'alternative' algorithm for the GHG CCI, and another XCO2 product has also been generated from the SCIAMACHY data using the baseline algorithm (the Bremen Optimal Estimation DOAS (BESD) algorithm). It is advised that users who aren't sure whether to use the baseline or alternative product use the product generated with the BESD baseline algorithm. For more information regarding the differences between baseline and alternative algorithms please see the GHG-CCI data products webpage provided in the documentation section.

The data product is stored per day in seperate NetCDF-files (NetCDF-4 classic model). The product files contain the key products, i.e. the retrieved column-averaged dry air mole fractions for XCO2, several other useful parameters and additional information relevant to using the data e.g. the averaging kernels. For further information on the product, including details of the WFMD algorithm, the SCIAMACHY instrument and issues associated with the data please see the associated product user guide (PUG) or the Algorithm Theoretical Basis Documents in the documentation section.

The GHG-CCI team encourage all users of their products to register with them to receive information on any updates or issues regarding the data products and to receive notification of new product releases. To register, please use the following link: http://www.iup.uni-bremen.de/sciamachy/NIR_NADIR_WFM_DOAS/CRDP_REG/