The main goal of the ESA-DUP project GOFAP was to create a "Fast Delivery Service" to provide ozone columns, ozone profiles and assimilated global ozone maps from GOME data on a near-real time bases, i.e. within 3 hours after the measurement (the nominal delivery of total ozone columns from GOME is between two weeks and two months after acquisition). The results of this fast delivery can be used for improving numerical weather prediction models, radiation and UV forecasts and ozone measurement experiments.

The GOFAP service meets the growing demand for ozone products for purposes like:

• assimilation in numerical weather prediction models
• radiation forecasts
• atmospheric research

Since 1998, NRT ozone columns are available through the KNMI website and since the beginning of 2000 they are accompanied by NRT stratospheric ozone profiles. Numerical weather prediction is expected to benefit from assimilation of stratospheric ozone profiles, if they are retrieved within 3 to 6 hours after observation. This requires a fast retrieval algorithm and a near-real time availability of the spectra.

During the GOFAP project, it has been demonstrated that operational near-real time ozone profile retrieval for the use in weather forecast models is feasible. The NRT ozone products of GOFAP are retrieved from specific segments of the full GOME spectrum.