Deep learning bias correction of GEMS tropospheric NO2: A comparative validation of NO2 from GEMS and TROPOMI using Pandora observations

Despite advancements in satellite instruments, such as those in geostationary orbit, biases continue to affect the accuracy of satellite data. This research pioneers the use of a deep convolutional neural network to correct bias in tropospheric column density of NO2 (TCDNO2) from the Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer (GEMS) during 2021–2023. Initially, we validate GEMS TCDNO2 against Pandora observations and compare its accuracy with measurements from the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI). GEMS displays acceptable accuracy in TCDNO2 measurements, with a correlation coefficient (R) of 0.68, an index of agreement (IOA) of 0.79, and a mean absolute bias (MAB) of 5.73321 × 1015 molecules/cm2, though it is not highly accurate. The evaluation showcases moderate to high accuracy of GEMS TCDNO2 across all Pandora stations, with R values spanning from 0.46 to 0.80. Comparing TCDNO2 from GEMS and TROPOMI at TROPOMI overpass time shows satisfactory performance of GEMS TCDNO2 measurements, achieving R, IOA, and MAB values of 0.71, 0.78, and 6.82182 × 1015 molecules/cm2, respectively. However, these figures are overshadowed by TROPOMI's superior accuracy, which reports R, IOA, and MAB values of 0.81, 0.89, and 3.26769 × 1015 molecules/cm2, respectively. While GEMS overestimates TCDNO2 by 52 % at TROPOMI overpass time, TROPOMI underestimates it by 9 %. The deep learning bias corrected GEMS TCDNO2 (GEMS-DL) demonstrates a marked enhancement in the accuracy of original GEMS TCDNO2 measurements. The GEMS-DL product improves R from 0.68 to 0.88, IOA from 0.79 to 0.93, MAB from 5.73321 × 1015 to 2.67659 × 1015 molecules/cm2, and reduces MAB percentage (MABP) from 64 % to 30 %. This represents a significant reduction in bias, exceeding 50 %. Although the original GEMS product overestimates TCDNO2 by 28 %, the GEMS-DL product remarkably minimizes this error, underestimating TCDNO2 by a mere 1 %. Spatial cross-validation across Pandora stations shows a significant reduction in MABP, from a range of 45 %-105.6 % in original GEMS data to 24 %-59 % in GEMS-DL.