The Chesapeake Lighthouse and Aircraft Measurements for Satellites (CLAMS) was a NASA field campaign aimed at improving satellite retrievals of aerosol properties. CLAMS conducted a single deployment during the boreal summer of 2001 along the middle Atlantic eastern seaboard of the United States. The campaign utilized six aircraft to gather in situ and remote sensing measurements of aerosol properties, radiation, and meteorological parameters. CLAMS was part of the Global Aerosol Climatology Project and was funded through NASA's Radiation Sciences Program.
The Far Infrared Sensor for Cirrus (FIRSC) is a remote passive airborne infrared spectrometer that uses Fourier transform spectroscopy (FTS) to measure the infrared radiance of cirrus clouds. FIRSC operates across two channels with a wavenumber range of 10-35 per centimeter and 80-135 per centimeter. It has a field of view of 0.03 radians, a footprint of less than one kilometer, and a scan time of 4 seconds.
The NPOESS Aircraft Sounder Testbed - Microwave (NAST-M) is an airborne microwave radiometer operated by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). It measures brightness temperature, which can be used to retrieve water vapor profiles in the atmosphere. It consists of two radiometers: one operating across eight channels between 50-57 GHz and the other across nine at 118 GHz. In 2003, NAST-M was upgraded with two additional radiometers at 183 and 425 GHz to enhance water vapor retrievals and detect small hydrometeors. NAST-M has a spatial resolution of 2.6 km and a cross-track swath width of 100 km at a flight altitude of 20 km. Its typical integration time is 100 ms.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators > Water Vapor
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Profiles
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Microwave > Brightness Temperature
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature
The NPOESS Aircraft Sounder Testbed - Interferometer (NAST-I) is an airborne infrared interferometer operated and maintained by NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC). It uses Fourier transform spectroscopy to measure brightness temperature and radiance. NAST-I operates within the spectral range of 3.7-16.1 µm and has a spectral resolution of 0.25 cm-1. It features a spatial resolution of 2.6 km and a cross-track swath width of 46 km at a flight altitude of 20 km. A complete scan cycle for NAST-I takes approximately 12.2 seconds.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature > Atmospheric Temperature Indices
The Research Scanning Polarimeter (RSP) is an airborne, passive polarimeter developed by SpecTIR Corporation. It measures total radiance and linear polarization across nine spectral bands in the visible and infrared wavelengths (410-2250 nm). These measurements can be used to determine aerosol and cloud properties. RSP has a time resolution of 0.8 seconds, a field of view of 14 mrad, and a horizontal resolution of approximately 100 meters at an altitude of 5 km.
Generic-Radiometers refer to non-specific radiometers on a platform. These are typically passive microwave radiometers that measure brightness temperature. Radiometers can be used to retrieve temperature and water vapor profiles, soil moisture content, ocean salinity, precipitation and cloud properties, and vegetation.
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Microwave > Brightness Temperature
The MODIS Airborne Simulator (MAS) is an airborne multispectral spectrometer designed to simulate the satellite instrument Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS). MAS operates over 50 spectral channels in the 0.55 to 14.2 μm range, providing high-resolution images of clouds and surface features. It has a horizontal spatial resolution of 50 meters and a swath width of about 36 kilometers at an altitude of 20 km at nadir. Its scan rate is 6.25 Hz, with each scan line containing 716 pixels.
The Airborne Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (AirMISR) is a passive remote sensor with a pushbroom design, developed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). AirMISR captures visible and infrared images similar to those from the MISR instrument on the Terra satellite. It gathers data using a single camera at nine viewing angles and operates in four spectral bands: 443 nm, 555 nm, 670 nm, and 865 nm. AirMISR has approximately an 11 km swath width and an instantaneous field of view of 7 m x 6 m at nadir. It is usually flown on the NASA ER-2 aircraft due to its high operating altitude of 20 km.
The Scanning High-resolution Interferometer Sounder (S-HIS) is an airborne cross-track scanning interferometer developed by the Space Science and Engineering Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. It measures emitted thermal radiation between 3.3 and 18 microns with high spectral resolution. These measurements help derive atmospheric profiles of temperature and water vapor in clear-sky conditions. S-HIS has a spatial resolution of 2 km and a swath width of 40 km at an altitude of 20 km at nadir. It operates at a sampling frequency of 0.5 seconds and has an absolute radiance accuracy of 0.2 K.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Profiles
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor
The Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer - Classic (AVIRIS-C) is a passive imaging spectrometer developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). It collects visible and infrared images across 224 spectral channels in the 380 to 2510 nm range. It has a horizontal resolution of 20 m and a swath width of 12 km at an altitude of 20 km. It operates at a scan rate of 12 Hz. AVIRIS-C has been replaced by AVIRIS-Next Generation (AVIRIS-NG), but it still remains in use.
The Gas and Aerosol Measurement Sensor/Langley Airborne A-Band Spectrometer (GAMS/LAABS) is an airborne spectrometer system designed at Langley Research Center (LaRC). It is a combination of the GAMS and LAABS instruments and provides line-of-sight (LOS) transmission spectra measurements of aerosols, water vapor, and oxygen compounds. These measurements are used to determine aerosol optical depth. GAMS operates across 1024 spectral channels in the 430 to 1030 spectral range and acquires data at a rate of 180 Hz. LAABS operates across over 800 channels in the 759 to 771 nm spectral range at a resolution of about 0.035 nm and has an integration time of 1.5 seconds.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor
The Condensation Nuclei Counter (CNC) is an in situ optical sensor produced by Droplet Measurement Technologies. It detects cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) by supersaturating the sampled air, allowing CCN particles to become detectable. The particles are then measured with an optical particle counter (OPC). CNC can detect particles from 0.75 to 10 μm in diameter and operates at a sampling rate of 1 Hz. It is suitable for both airborne and ground-based operations.
Generic-Chemistry Related Sensors (Gen-Chemistry) refers to non-specific instruments on a platform used for atmospheric chemistry measurements. These are typically in situ analyzers that measure various chemical compounds such as trace gases, halocarbons, volatile organic compounds, nitrates, aerosols, and other chemical species. Measurements can include mixing ratio, composition, particle size, optical properties, and particle size distribution.
Nephelometers are in situ optical sensors that can be airborne or ground-based. They measure the total scattering and backscattering of aerosol particles in the atmosphere. Nephelometers operate at three wavelengths: 450 nm, 550 nm, and 700 nm, with a typical time resolution of 1 Hz.
The Cloud Absorption Radiometer (CAR) is an airborne multichannel scanning radiometer developed by the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). CAR provides measurements of scattered radiance and bidirectional surface reflectance across 14 spectral bands in the visible and near-infrared wavelengths (0.34-2.30 µm). It also captures imagery of cloud and surface features on Earth. CAR has a scan rate of 1.67 Hz (100 rpm) and a spatial resolution of 4 meters at nadir, at an altitude of 200 meters above ground.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Clouds > Cloud Radiative Transfer
The Airborne Tracking Sun Photometer (ATSP) is an airborne device that measures direct solar beam transmission. The ATSP captures solar beam transmission through multiple channels with wavelengths spanning from 354 to 2139 nm. These measurements can be used to determine aerosol optical depth and other aerosol characteristics. Several versions of this instrument exist, including one developed by the NASA Ames Research Center.
The Forward Scattering Spectrometer Probe (FSSP) is an in situ airborne optical particle counter initially developed by Particle Measuring Systems, Inc. It determines particle size distribution by measuring the light intensity scattered by individual particles within the cloud. FSSP can detect particles ranging from 0.5 to 47 μm in diameter. It functions at a wavelength of 633 nm and typically samples at a rate of 1 Hz.
Generic-Atmospheric State (Gen-AtmsState) refers to non-specific instruments on a platform used for measurements of atmospheric state parameters. These are typically in situ sensors that measure temperature, pressure, humidity, and wind speed/direction. Types of atmospheric state instruments include thermometers, hygrometers, barometers, and anemometers.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Pressure
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators > Humidity
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature > Surface Temperature > Air Temperature
The Particle Soot Absorption Photometer (PSAP) is an in situ airborne photometer manufactured by Radiance Research. It applies Beer's Law to measure the change in light transmission of aerosol particles. These measurements help determine aerosol absorption and extinction. PSAP operates across three wavelengths (467, 530, and 660 nm) and has a 1-second time resolution. It is usually deployed on aircraft, but it can also be used on ships and vehicles.
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
Generic-Atmospheric State (Gen-AtmsState) refers to non-specific instruments on a platform used for measurements of atmospheric state parameters. These are typically in situ sensors that measure temperature, pressure, humidity, and wind speed/direction. Types of atmospheric state instruments include thermometers, hygrometers, barometers, and anemometers.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Pressure
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators > Humidity
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature > Surface Temperature > Air Temperature
Generic-Chemistry Related Sensors (Gen-Chemistry) refers to non-specific instruments on a platform used for atmospheric chemistry measurements. These are typically in situ analyzers that measure various chemical compounds such as trace gases, halocarbons, volatile organic compounds, nitrates, aerosols, and other chemical species. Measurements can include mixing ratio, composition, particle size, optical properties, and particle size distribution.
Nephelometers are in situ optical sensors that can be airborne or ground-based. They measure the total scattering and backscattering of aerosol particles in the atmosphere. Nephelometers operate at three wavelengths: 450 nm, 550 nm, and 700 nm, with a typical time resolution of 1 Hz.
The Micropulse Lidar (MPL) is a ground-based lidar system used for cloud detection. It measures lidar backscatter at 532 nm to retrieve cloud properties such as cloud top and base height. It can also be used for the detection of aerosols. MPL has a vertical resolution of 15 m and a maximum range of 18 km. MPL can operate autonomously and typically provides 10-second averaged data.
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Lidar > Lidar Depolarization Ratio
Sunphotometers are passive optical sensors that measure the amount of sunlight. They are pointed directly at the sun to measure direct sunlight and not sunlight scatter from aerosols. These measurements can be used to determine the aerosol optical depth by following Beer’s Law. Sunphotometers have been deployed on aircraft, research vessels, and field sites for aerosol research and monitoring.
A pyrheliometer is a ground-based passive radiation sensor. It is used to measure direct beam solar irradiance. Pyrheliometers use a thermopile that converts heat from sunlight to an electrical signal to determine solar radiation. Pyrheliometers measure solar radiation in the 200-4000 nm wavelength range.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Radiation > Solar Irradiance
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Radiation > Solar Radiation
Condensation Particle Counters (CPCs) are in situ sensors that measure aerosol particle concentrations. CPCs determine aerosol levels by condensing fluid onto particles, causing them to grow to sizes detectable by optical scattering. Typically, CPCs can detect particles ranging from 7 nm to 3 μm, measure concentrations up to 100,000 particles per cubic centimeter, and provide readings every second. CPCs are manufactured by TSI Incorporated and can be used on airborne, shipborne, and ground-based platforms.
The Multifilter Rotating Shadowband Radiometer (MFRSR) is a ground-based passive radiometer used to measure the global and diffuse components of solar irradiance. It measures solar irradiance across six narrowband channels and one broadband channel. The nominal wavelengths of the narrowband channels are 415, 500, 615, 673, 870, and 940 nm. MFRSR has a typical sampling interval of 20 seconds and takes measurements at four different shadowband positions: nadir, first side-band, sun-blocked, and second side-band. MFRSR is deployed across several of the Department of Energy’s Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) User Facility sites.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Radiation > Solar Irradiance
A pyrgeometer is a ground-based or airborne passive radiation sensor. It measures downward and upward longwave radiation in the 4-50 μm spectral range. Pyrgeometers measure changes in resistance/voltage using a thermopile sensor to determine longwave radiation. These measurements can be used to calculate the infrared radiation flux. Pyrgeometers are typically used for climatological, meteorological, and agricultural applications.
A pyranometer is a ground-based or airborne radiation sensor that measures solar irradiance across a hemispherical field of view. It detects the amount of solar energy reaching the surface, capturing both direct and diffuse sunlight. Pyranometers operate within a spectral range of 280-3000 nm. They are most commonly used for solar monitoring, climate research, weather forecasting, agriculture, and energy management.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Radiation > Solar Irradiance
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Radiation > Solar Radiation
