The European Space Agency is organising the fifth workshop on Atmospheric Composition Validation and Calibration activities, providing science and Cal/Val experts with the opportunity to present their latest results of their ongoing research and application developments including evolution aspects of the validation methods for future satellite missions. The Conference will be held at ESRIN in Frascati, Italy, 18-20 October 2016. During the workshop the status of the recently reprocessed data sets from atmospheric instruments on ERS-2, Envisat and the data sets of Metop and ESA Third Party Missions shall be presented. Evolution aspects of the workshop will focus on ground based validation networks and their development in view of the Sentinel and Earth Explorer (EarthCARE and ADM-Aeolus) operations as well as Fiducial Reference Measurements. Furthermore, the workshop shall provide the opportunity to address evolution aspects of the Sentinel 3/ Sentinel-5 Precursor products for atmospheric applications.

The Workshop has the objectives to:

• Present Cal/Val results of ENVISAT, ERS, Sentinels and TPM Atmospheric Composition products, compared to independent measurements from on-ground, air-borne, and satellite instruments
• Presentation of Fiducial Reference Measurements systems
• Formulate recommendations for future algorithm improvements
• Provide a forum for Cal/Val experts of future atmospheric composition missions
• Identify key Cal/Val issues and recommendation for the evolution of validation strategies
• Encourage close collaboration between individual Cal/Val and research groups at international level
• Explore evolution aspects for the validation of Sentinel-3/Sentinel-5p Aerosol and Cloud products 

Topics

• Calibration of measured radiances
• Methods and instruments for validation
• Validation Networks and Campaigns
• Fiducial Reference Measurements
• Standards, formats and data bases
• Air Quality
• GHG
• Water Vapour
• Stratospheric and mesospheric composition
• Clouds
• Aerosols
• Thermodynamic and Dynamic state of the atmosphere