The Atmospheric Tomography Mission (ATom) was a NASA field investigation focused on studying the impact of anthropogenic air pollution on greenhouse gases and chemically reactive gases in the atmosphere. ATom consisted of four deployments over the western Arctic, South Pacific, Atlantic Ocean, Greenland, and central North America from 2016 to 2018. NASA's DC-8 aircraft was used to collect in situ measurements of trace gases and aerosols. ATom was one of NASA's Earth Venture Suborbital-2 (EVS-2) projects.
2016-07-29 — 2018-05-21
Western Arctic, South Pacific, Atlantic Ocean, Greenland, Central North America
The NOAA Dual-Beam UV-Absorption Ozone Photometer (NOAA-O3) is an in situ optical balloon-borne and airborne instrument that measures ozone concentrations in the troposphere and lower stratosphere. It operates at a wavelength of 254 nm, enabling it to calculate ozone number density due to the precise ozone absorption cross section at that wavelength. It has a sampling rate of 2 Hz and a horizontal resolution of 100 to 200 meters during typical research flights.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Air Quality > Tropospheric Ozone
Radiosondes are a balloon-borne instrument package used to collect profile measurements of pressure, temperature, humidity, and winds. These sensors are connected to a radio transmitter that sends the measurements to a ground receiver typically operating in the 400-406 MHz range. They typically provide measurements at 1-6 seconds, depending on the type and manufacturer of the radiosonde. Radiosondes are used for weather forecasting, ground truth satellite data, atmospheric research, and input for weather prediction models.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Profiles
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature > Upper Air Temperature
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Winds
Ozonesondes are in situ balloon-borne instruments used to measure ozone concentration profiles. An ozonesonde consists of an electrochemical ozone sensor connected with a meteorological radiosonde to collect ozone, temperature, pressure, and humidity measurements as it ascends through the atmosphere. It provides ozone profile measurements at a resolution of 100 to 150 m. Ozonesondes have a typical measurement rate of 0.1 Hz and can collect profiles up to around 35 km.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Pressure
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Profiles
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature > Upper Air Temperature > Vertical Profiles
The NOAA Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometer (NOAA-CIMS) is an in situ airborne spectrometer developed by NOAA. It was designed to provide high-precision measurements of reactive nitrogen and halogen species such as nitric acid, nitric oxide, and bromine chloride in the upper atmosphere. It can also provide measurements of ozone and water vapor concentrations. NOAA-CIMS has a detection limit of 30 pptv and a temporal resolution of 1 second.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators > Water Vapor
The Laser Aerosol Spectrometer (LAS) is an in situ airborne spectrometer manufactured by TSI, Inc. LAS measures particle size by analyzing how particles scatter light. It operates at a 633 nm wavelength and detects particles ranging from 0.09 to 7.5 μm. LAS can deliver complete particle size distributions at a rate of 10 Hz. It is commonly used as part of aerosol instrument suites, such as NASA’s Langley Aerosol Research Group Experiment (LARGE) and NOAA’s Aerosol Microphysical Properties (AMP).
The HR-AMS is an upgraded version of Aerodyne’s AMS instrument. HR-AMS has a high spatial resolution and a time-of-flight measurement technique. HR-AMS is a mass spectrometer that measures aerosols in the troposphere.
The Georgia Institute of Technology Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometer (GT-CIMS) is an in situ airborne spectrometer. It employs a lower-pressure flow tube reactor to detect reactive nitrogen species such as nitric acid and peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) in the lower atmosphere. GT-CIMS typically has a temporal resolution of 1 second and a detection limit of 10 pptv.
The Quantum Cascade Laser System (QCLS) is an airborne and ground-based in situ spectrometer system developed by Harvard University and Aerodyne Research. QCLS includes two instruments: the Harvard QCL DUAL instrument and the Harvard QCL CO2 instrument. The QCL DUAL uses two thermoelectrically cooled QCL light sources to measure carbon monoxide (CO) at 4.59 microns, as well as methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) at 7.87 microns. The QCL CO2 instrument employs a single QCL light source to measure carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations at 4.32 microns. QCLS operates at a measurement frequency of 1 Hz.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Air Quality > Carbon Monoxide
The Trace Organic Gas Analyzer (TOGA) is an in situ airborne analyzer that measures volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the atmosphere. It combines fast gas chromatography and mass spectrometry to provide atmospheric mixing ratios of VOCs. It can detect a wide range of VOCs with high precision (<3%) and accuracy (20% or better), with a time resolution of 40 seconds for a 2-minute cycle.
The Picarro gas concentration analyzer is an in situ airborne or ground-based sensor manufactured by Picarro, Inc. It uses Wavelength-Scanned Cavity Ring Spectroscopy (WS-CRDS) to measure trace gases such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, methane, and water vapor. For carbon dioxide measurements, the laser within Picarro operates at 1603 nm wavelength, while 1651 nm wavelength is used for methane and water vapor measurements. Picarro has a typical sampling time of 2.5 seconds. Depending on the model, Picarro can also provide measurements of carbon isotopes for gas concentrations.
The Programmable Flask Package (PFP) is an airborne whole-air sampler. It includes twelve glass flasks for collecting air samples. These samples are then analyzed to monitor chemical species such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrocarbons, and chlorofluorocarbons. Each flask is sampled for about 2 minutes and pressurized to 40 PSI. PFP can also be utilized for surface-based whole-air sampling.
The Cloud Aerosol and Precipitation Spectrometer (CAPS) is an in situ airborne spectrometer manufactured by Droplet Measurement Technologies. It combines the Cloud Imaging Probe (CIP), the Cloud and Aerosol Spectrometer (CAS), and the Hotwire Liquid Water Content (LWC) Sensor into a single instrument. CAPS measures the size distribution of aerosol, cloud, and liquid droplets for particles between 50-1600 μm in size, with a time resolution of 1 Hz. It can also capture images of cloud particles and provide measurements of temperature, pressure, and LWC.
The Soluble Acidic Gases and Aerosols (SAGA) is an in-situ airborne sampler owned and operated by the University of New Hampshire. It uses a mist chamber and ion chromatography to collect and analyze specific aerosol species. It can provide samples of nitric acid, chloride, sulfates, nitrates, sodium, potassium, ammonium, and calcium. SAGA has a typical sampling interval of 5 to 15 minutes and a detection limit of 1 to 25 pptv, depending on the sampled species.
The Particle Analysis by Laser Mass Spectrometry (PALMS) is a laser ionization mass spectrometer operated by NOAA. PALMS provides in situ measurements of aerosol particles and their chemical composition by using a UV laser pulse (193 nm) to generate ions. These ions are then analyzed with a time-of-flight mass spectrometer to produce the mass spectrum of each particle, which can be used to classify individual aerosol particles. PALMS has an aerosol size range of 0.2 to 3 microns and typically collects data at about 1 to 10 Hz. It can be used for either airborne or laboratory aerosol measurements.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Chemical Composition
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols
The Single Particle Soot Photometer (SP2) is an in situ laser-induced photometer developed by Droplet Measurement Technologies. SP2 measures the black carbon (BC) mass in individual aerosol particles, along with their optical and physical properties that contain BC. The device detects aerosol particles with diameters of 200-400 nm and can analyze up to 25,000 particles per second. It operates at a sampling rate of 1 Hz and uses a wavelength of 1.06 μm. It can be used on airborne or ground-based platforms and paired with a Humidified-Dual SP2 (HD-SP2).
The Airborne Tropospheric Hydrogen Oxides Sensor (ATHOS) is an in situ airborne sensor developed by Penn State University. ATHOS uses a laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) technique to measure hydroxide (OH) and hydroperoxyl (HO2) in the atmosphere. ATHOS operates near the 308 nm wavelength, has a pulse repetition frequency of 3 kHz, and has a typical time resolution of 20-30 seconds. It was designed to be installed on NASA’s DC-8 aircraft and can collect measurements of OH and HO2 in clear sky and light cloud conditions.
The Whole Air Sampler (WAS) is an airborne in-situ instrument that collects air samples for analyzing trace gases, such as nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHCs), halocarbons, alkyl nitrates, and various sulfur compounds found in the troposphere. Air samples collected by the WAS are then analyzed using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry to identify the gases present. The WAS collects samples every minute, allowing scientists to get a clear picture of the environment's chemical composition as research aircraft pass through.
The PAN and Trace Hydrohalocarbon ExpeRiment (PANTHER) is an in situ airborne analyzer. It uses electron capture detection and gas chromatography techniques to measure various trace gases such as methane, peroxyacyl nitrate (PAN), and carbon monoxide. PANTHER has a sampling frequency of 60 to 120 seconds and an accuracy of around 2% for most species, except for PAN (10%). The development of PANTHER was funded through NASA’s Instrument Incubator Program and NOAA’s Climate and Global Change Program.
The NCAR Airborne Oxygen Instrument (AO2) is an in situ airborne instrument that measures oxygen (O2) concentrations in the atmosphere. It determines these concentrations using the vacuum-ultraviolet absorption technique. AO2 can also measure carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations. During typical flight speeds of 300 knots, AO2 offers a horizontal resolution of 750 meters and a vertical resolution of 40 meters for 5-second measurements. Its usual sampling rate is 2.5 seconds.
The Nucleation-mode Aerosol Size Spectrometer (NMASS) is an airborne, in situ spectrometer used to measure particle size distribution and cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). NMASS includes five parallel condensation nucleus counters (CNCs) that sample particles within the 3 to 60 nm diameter range. It can be mounted on various types of aircraft and is ideal for sampling cirrus clouds in the upper atmosphere. NMASS delivers rapid measurements with a temporal resolution of 10 Hz.
The Diode Laser Hygrometer (DLH) is an in situ airborne hygrometer developed by NASA’s Langley Research Center (LaRC). It uses tunable diode laser absorption to detect water vapor in the atmosphere. DLH operates in the near-infrared range at about 1.4 μm and has a measurement frequency of 100 Hz. It can deliver precise measurements of water vapor even when flying through clouds.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators > Water Vapor
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators > Humidity > Relative Humidity
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators > Humidity
The In Situ Airborne Formaldehyde (ISAF) is an airborne optical sensor developed by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). ISAF uses laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) to measure formaldehyde throughout the troposphere and lower stratosphere. It operates at a wavelength of 353 nm and has a sampling frequency of 1 Hz. ISAF can detect formaldehyde concentrations from 10 pptv to hundreds of ppbv with an accuracy of 10%.
NOx/NOxy is an in situ chemiluminescence instrument that measures nitrogen oxides and ozone in the atmosphere. It offers a spatial resolution better than 100 meters at typical DC-8 research flight speeds. NOx/NOxy can be used on ground-based, airborne, and shipborne platforms, enabling it to support various atmospheric chemistry and air quality studies.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Air Quality > Nitrogen Oxides
The Meteorological Measurement System (MMS) is an in situ airborne instrument used to measure atmospheric state parameters. MMS provides high-resolution, accurate measurements of atmospheric pressure, temperature, and wind direction and speed immediately around the plane. Additional parameters that can be derived include potential temperature, true airspeed, turbulence dissipation rate, and Reynolds number. Measurements of all parameters are typically collected at a rate of 20 Hz.
The Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) Chromatograph for Atmospheric Trace Species (UCATS) is an in situ airborne instrument suite that measures trace gases in the atmosphere. It includes three separate instruments: a three-channel gas chromatograph (GC), a dual-beam ozone photometer (OZ), and a tunable diode laser (TDL) spectrometer. The GC measures nitrous oxide (N2O) and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) every 70 seconds and detects hydrogen (H2), methane (CH4), and carbon monoxide (CO) every 140 seconds. The OZ sensor operates at 254 nm and provides ozone measurements every 10 seconds. The TDL spectrometer operates at 1370 nm and offers water vapor measurements every 1 second. UCATS was designed for operation on UAS, but it has also been deployed on piloted aircraft.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Air Quality > Carbon Monoxide
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Air Quality > Tropospheric Ozone
The Aerosol Microphysical Properties (AMP) is an in situ airborne instrument suite operated by NOAA. It includes instruments such as the Nucleation-Mode Aerosol Size Spectrometer (NMASS), Ultra-High Sensitivity Aerosol Spectrometer (UHSAS), Laser Aerosol Spectrometer (LAS), and Coarse-Mode Aerosol Size Spectrometer (CMASS). AMP provides measurements of aerosol particle size distribution, as well as particle number, size, and volume concentration. It can measure aerosols within a size range of 3 to 40,000 nm and offers measurements at 1 Hz resolution.
The Charged-couple device (CCD) Actinic Flux Spectroradiometer (CAFS) is an in situ airborne spectroradiometer developed by the Atmospheric Radiation Investigations and Measurements (ARIM) laboratory at NCAR. CAFS measures spectrally resolved ultraviolet and visible actinic flux between 280-650 nm. These measurements can be used to derive the photolysis frequencies for several chemical compounds such as ozone, nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde, and nitrate. CAFS has a temporal resolution of 1 Hz and a wavelength resolution of about 1.8 nm at 297 nm.
The CalTech Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometer (CIT-CIMS) is an in situ airborne single-mass spectrometer. CIT-CIMS uses CF3O-ion chemistry and compact time-of-flight and triple quadrupole spectrometers to measure specific atmospheric trace gases such as nitric acid, hydrogen peroxide, and sulfur dioxide. It was designed with rapid scan capabilities, enabling it to operate at a high temporal resolution (10 Hz) and detect a wide range of masses. CIT-CIMS is typically used for airborne observations but can also be employed for ground-based measurements.
The NOAA Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometer (NOAA-CIMS) is an in situ airborne spectrometer developed by NOAA. It was designed to provide high-precision measurements of reactive nitrogen and halogen species such as nitric acid, nitric oxide, and bromine chloride in the upper atmosphere. It can also provide measurements of ozone and water vapor concentrations. NOAA-CIMS has a detection limit of 30 pptv and a temporal resolution of 1 second.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators > Water Vapor
The Laser Aerosol Spectrometer (LAS) is an in situ airborne spectrometer manufactured by TSI, Inc. LAS measures particle size by analyzing how particles scatter light. It operates at a 633 nm wavelength and detects particles ranging from 0.09 to 7.5 μm. LAS can deliver complete particle size distributions at a rate of 10 Hz. It is commonly used as part of aerosol instrument suites, such as NASA’s Langley Aerosol Research Group Experiment (LARGE) and NOAA’s Aerosol Microphysical Properties (AMP).
The HR-AMS is an upgraded version of Aerodyne’s AMS instrument. HR-AMS has a high spatial resolution and a time-of-flight measurement technique. HR-AMS is a mass spectrometer that measures aerosols in the troposphere.
The Georgia Institute of Technology Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometer (GT-CIMS) is an in situ airborne spectrometer. It employs a lower-pressure flow tube reactor to detect reactive nitrogen species such as nitric acid and peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) in the lower atmosphere. GT-CIMS typically has a temporal resolution of 1 second and a detection limit of 10 pptv.
The Quantum Cascade Laser System (QCLS) is an airborne and ground-based in situ spectrometer system developed by Harvard University and Aerodyne Research. QCLS includes two instruments: the Harvard QCL DUAL instrument and the Harvard QCL CO2 instrument. The QCL DUAL uses two thermoelectrically cooled QCL light sources to measure carbon monoxide (CO) at 4.59 microns, as well as methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) at 7.87 microns. The QCL CO2 instrument employs a single QCL light source to measure carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations at 4.32 microns. QCLS operates at a measurement frequency of 1 Hz.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Air Quality > Carbon Monoxide
The Trace Organic Gas Analyzer (TOGA) is an in situ airborne analyzer that measures volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the atmosphere. It combines fast gas chromatography and mass spectrometry to provide atmospheric mixing ratios of VOCs. It can detect a wide range of VOCs with high precision (<3%) and accuracy (20% or better), with a time resolution of 40 seconds for a 2-minute cycle.
The Picarro gas concentration analyzer is an in situ airborne or ground-based sensor manufactured by Picarro, Inc. It uses Wavelength-Scanned Cavity Ring Spectroscopy (WS-CRDS) to measure trace gases such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, methane, and water vapor. For carbon dioxide measurements, the laser within Picarro operates at 1603 nm wavelength, while 1651 nm wavelength is used for methane and water vapor measurements. Picarro has a typical sampling time of 2.5 seconds. Depending on the model, Picarro can also provide measurements of carbon isotopes for gas concentrations.
The Programmable Flask Package (PFP) is an airborne whole-air sampler. It includes twelve glass flasks for collecting air samples. These samples are then analyzed to monitor chemical species such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrocarbons, and chlorofluorocarbons. Each flask is sampled for about 2 minutes and pressurized to 40 PSI. PFP can also be utilized for surface-based whole-air sampling.
The Cloud Aerosol and Precipitation Spectrometer (CAPS) is an in situ airborne spectrometer manufactured by Droplet Measurement Technologies. It combines the Cloud Imaging Probe (CIP), the Cloud and Aerosol Spectrometer (CAS), and the Hotwire Liquid Water Content (LWC) Sensor into a single instrument. CAPS measures the size distribution of aerosol, cloud, and liquid droplets for particles between 50-1600 μm in size, with a time resolution of 1 Hz. It can also capture images of cloud particles and provide measurements of temperature, pressure, and LWC.
The Soluble Acidic Gases and Aerosols (SAGA) is an in-situ airborne sampler owned and operated by the University of New Hampshire. It uses a mist chamber and ion chromatography to collect and analyze specific aerosol species. It can provide samples of nitric acid, chloride, sulfates, nitrates, sodium, potassium, ammonium, and calcium. SAGA has a typical sampling interval of 5 to 15 minutes and a detection limit of 1 to 25 pptv, depending on the sampled species.
The Particle Analysis by Laser Mass Spectrometry (PALMS) is a laser ionization mass spectrometer operated by NOAA. PALMS provides in situ measurements of aerosol particles and their chemical composition by using a UV laser pulse (193 nm) to generate ions. These ions are then analyzed with a time-of-flight mass spectrometer to produce the mass spectrum of each particle, which can be used to classify individual aerosol particles. PALMS has an aerosol size range of 0.2 to 3 microns and typically collects data at about 1 to 10 Hz. It can be used for either airborne or laboratory aerosol measurements.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Chemical Composition
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols
The Single Particle Soot Photometer (SP2) is an in situ laser-induced photometer developed by Droplet Measurement Technologies. SP2 measures the black carbon (BC) mass in individual aerosol particles, along with their optical and physical properties that contain BC. The device detects aerosol particles with diameters of 200-400 nm and can analyze up to 25,000 particles per second. It operates at a sampling rate of 1 Hz and uses a wavelength of 1.06 μm. It can be used on airborne or ground-based platforms and paired with a Humidified-Dual SP2 (HD-SP2).
The Airborne Tropospheric Hydrogen Oxides Sensor (ATHOS) is an in situ airborne sensor developed by Penn State University. ATHOS uses a laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) technique to measure hydroxide (OH) and hydroperoxyl (HO2) in the atmosphere. ATHOS operates near the 308 nm wavelength, has a pulse repetition frequency of 3 kHz, and has a typical time resolution of 20-30 seconds. It was designed to be installed on NASA’s DC-8 aircraft and can collect measurements of OH and HO2 in clear sky and light cloud conditions.
The Whole Air Sampler (WAS) is an airborne in-situ instrument that collects air samples for analyzing trace gases, such as nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHCs), halocarbons, alkyl nitrates, and various sulfur compounds found in the troposphere. Air samples collected by the WAS are then analyzed using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry to identify the gases present. The WAS collects samples every minute, allowing scientists to get a clear picture of the environment's chemical composition as research aircraft pass through.
The PAN and Trace Hydrohalocarbon ExpeRiment (PANTHER) is an in situ airborne analyzer. It uses electron capture detection and gas chromatography techniques to measure various trace gases such as methane, peroxyacyl nitrate (PAN), and carbon monoxide. PANTHER has a sampling frequency of 60 to 120 seconds and an accuracy of around 2% for most species, except for PAN (10%). The development of PANTHER was funded through NASA’s Instrument Incubator Program and NOAA’s Climate and Global Change Program.
The Spectrometers for Optical Aerosol Properties (SOAP) is an in situ airborne spectrometer operated by NOAA. It measures aerosol extinction and absorption at 532 nm. It uses cavity ringdown spectroscopy to measure extinction and photoacoustic spectroscopy to measure absorption. SOAP has a temporal resolution of 1 second.
The NCAR Airborne Oxygen Instrument (AO2) is an in situ airborne instrument that measures oxygen (O2) concentrations in the atmosphere. It determines these concentrations using the vacuum-ultraviolet absorption technique. AO2 can also measure carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations. During typical flight speeds of 300 knots, AO2 offers a horizontal resolution of 750 meters and a vertical resolution of 40 meters for 5-second measurements. Its usual sampling rate is 2.5 seconds.
The Nucleation-mode Aerosol Size Spectrometer (NMASS) is an airborne, in situ spectrometer used to measure particle size distribution and cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). NMASS includes five parallel condensation nucleus counters (CNCs) that sample particles within the 3 to 60 nm diameter range. It can be mounted on various types of aircraft and is ideal for sampling cirrus clouds in the upper atmosphere. NMASS delivers rapid measurements with a temporal resolution of 10 Hz.
The Diode Laser Hygrometer (DLH) is an in situ airborne hygrometer developed by NASA’s Langley Research Center (LaRC). It uses tunable diode laser absorption to detect water vapor in the atmosphere. DLH operates in the near-infrared range at about 1.4 μm and has a measurement frequency of 100 Hz. It can deliver precise measurements of water vapor even when flying through clouds.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators > Water Vapor
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators > Humidity > Relative Humidity
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators > Humidity
The In Situ Airborne Formaldehyde (ISAF) is an airborne optical sensor developed by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). ISAF uses laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) to measure formaldehyde throughout the troposphere and lower stratosphere. It operates at a wavelength of 353 nm and has a sampling frequency of 1 Hz. ISAF can detect formaldehyde concentrations from 10 pptv to hundreds of ppbv with an accuracy of 10%.
NOx/NOxy is an in situ chemiluminescence instrument that measures nitrogen oxides and ozone in the atmosphere. It offers a spatial resolution better than 100 meters at typical DC-8 research flight speeds. NOx/NOxy can be used on ground-based, airborne, and shipborne platforms, enabling it to support various atmospheric chemistry and air quality studies.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Air Quality > Nitrogen Oxides
The Meteorological Measurement System (MMS) is an in situ airborne instrument used to measure atmospheric state parameters. MMS provides high-resolution, accurate measurements of atmospheric pressure, temperature, and wind direction and speed immediately around the plane. Additional parameters that can be derived include potential temperature, true airspeed, turbulence dissipation rate, and Reynolds number. Measurements of all parameters are typically collected at a rate of 20 Hz.
The Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) Chromatograph for Atmospheric Trace Species (UCATS) is an in situ airborne instrument suite that measures trace gases in the atmosphere. It includes three separate instruments: a three-channel gas chromatograph (GC), a dual-beam ozone photometer (OZ), and a tunable diode laser (TDL) spectrometer. The GC measures nitrous oxide (N2O) and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) every 70 seconds and detects hydrogen (H2), methane (CH4), and carbon monoxide (CO) every 140 seconds. The OZ sensor operates at 254 nm and provides ozone measurements every 10 seconds. The TDL spectrometer operates at 1370 nm and offers water vapor measurements every 1 second. UCATS was designed for operation on UAS, but it has also been deployed on piloted aircraft.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Air Quality > Carbon Monoxide
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Air Quality > Tropospheric Ozone
The Aerosol Microphysical Properties (AMP) is an in situ airborne instrument suite operated by NOAA. It includes instruments such as the Nucleation-Mode Aerosol Size Spectrometer (NMASS), Ultra-High Sensitivity Aerosol Spectrometer (UHSAS), Laser Aerosol Spectrometer (LAS), and Coarse-Mode Aerosol Size Spectrometer (CMASS). AMP provides measurements of aerosol particle size distribution, as well as particle number, size, and volume concentration. It can measure aerosols within a size range of 3 to 40,000 nm and offers measurements at 1 Hz resolution.
The Charged-couple device (CCD) Actinic Flux Spectroradiometer (CAFS) is an in situ airborne spectroradiometer developed by the Atmospheric Radiation Investigations and Measurements (ARIM) laboratory at NCAR. CAFS measures spectrally resolved ultraviolet and visible actinic flux between 280-650 nm. These measurements can be used to derive the photolysis frequencies for several chemical compounds such as ozone, nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde, and nitrate. CAFS has a temporal resolution of 1 Hz and a wavelength resolution of about 1.8 nm at 297 nm.
The CalTech Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometer (CIT-CIMS) is an in situ airborne single-mass spectrometer. CIT-CIMS uses CF3O-ion chemistry and compact time-of-flight and triple quadrupole spectrometers to measure specific atmospheric trace gases such as nitric acid, hydrogen peroxide, and sulfur dioxide. It was designed with rapid scan capabilities, enabling it to operate at a high temporal resolution (10 Hz) and detect a wide range of masses. CIT-CIMS is typically used for airborne observations but can also be employed for ground-based measurements.
