The second stage of the reprocessing will begin shortly after the completion of 6.0a. The algorithm will consist of improved spectroscopic data, more robust processing in the upper stratosphere and lower mesosphere, and improved estimates of measurement uncertainty. A significant change will also occur in 6.0b when water vapor is determined for the entire SAGE II record. Water vapor is currently only available for January 1986 through June 1990 and version 5.9. The new version will feature improved spectroscopy, aerosol clearing, and error estimates.
Water vapor has the potential to be most significantly improved product in the new version.
Version 6.0b is expected to be completed by early 1999. A major overhaul of SAGE II processing code has reached an important milestone with the release to the SAGE II science team of Version 6.0a. This version consists of a new, more robust transmission algorithm and use of the version 5.96 species-separation algorithm. The new transmission algorithm makes significant improvements to altitude registration that result in reduced measurement error and corrects systematic deficiencies in the lower stratosphere noted in previous versions. The second stage of the reprocessing has begun.