Ozone Profile Retrieval Algorithm (OPERA) version R2 has generated a long-term, global record of atmospheric ozone profile data from backscattered ultraviolet spectra measured since 1996 by ESA's ERS-2 Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment (GOME). The GOME/OPERA data record contains tropospheric ozone information that has been characterised by an ensemble of complementary diagnostic techniques. In addition to classical ground-based validations based on comparisons of the retrieved ozone data with correlative ozonesonde measurements, the tropospheric information content has been explored via an extensive analysis of the averaging kernels associated with the retrieval and an assessment of the vertical smoothing error. Results highlight geographical, seasonal and longer-term variations of the tropospheric information contributed by the GOME measurement and of its agreement with ozonesonde network observations. The impact of these findings on the geophysical usability of GOME OPERA R2 tropospheric ozone data is discussed for applications in the fields of tropospheric chemistry, air pollution monitoring and atmospheric dynamics.