The CO2 and Methane Experiment (COMEX) was a collaborative effort between NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA). It supported the CarbonSat and HyspIRI missions by providing both in situ and remote airborne and ground-based measurements of greenhouse gases. COMEX included two deployments in summer 2014 and a follow-up in summer 2015 across southern California. Hyperspectral airborne imagery was collected using the Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS), Methane Airborne MAPper (MAMAP), and Mako Airborne Thermal Infrared Imaging Spectrometer. Additional in situ airborne measurements of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane were also taken. Ground-based measurements were collected using the AutoMObile trace Gas Surveyor (AMOG).
The AutoMObile trace Gas (AMOG) Surveyor is an in situ mobile instrument suite developed by Bubbleology Research International (BRI). It consists of several gas, aerosol, and meteorological sensors mounted on a passenger vehicle. AMOG provides measurements of trace gases, aerosols, temperature, wind, pressure, humidity, and radiation at a rate of 5 Hz to 0.016 Hz, depending on the sensor. It has a spatial resolution of 0.04 m to 24 m, depending on the velocity of the vehicle.
Ceilometers are ground-based remote sensing sensors that measure cloud ceilings and vertical visibility. They utilize a laser or another light source to detect backscatter from clouds, precipitation, and aerosols. Ceilometers provide detailed and precise measurements under all weather conditions and are cost-effective to operate. They are commonly used in boundary layer and cloud research.
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.
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
The Los Gatos Research (LGR) Greenhouse Gas Analyzer (GGA) is a portable analyzer suitable for in situ measurements, either airborne or ground-based. It utilizes off-axis integrated cavity output spectroscopy (OA-ICOS) technology to simultaneously measure methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2), and water vapor (H2O). It can detect CH4 levels up to 100 ppm, CO2 up to 20,000 ppm, and H2O up to 30,000 ppm. The device offers a selectable measurement rate ranging from 0.01 to 1 Hz, with some models featuring a fast flow option capable of rates up to 10 Hz.
Thermo Scientific Gas Analyzers are in situ gas analyzers manufactured by ThermoFisher Scientific. They provide precise measurements of various trace gases such as ozone, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide. Thermo Scientific Gas Analyzers can be deployed on aircraft, research vessels, and ground-based platforms.
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 Airborne Visible InfraRed Imaging Spectrometer—Next Generation (AVIRIS-NG) is an airborne imaging spectrometer developed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). It captures visible and infrared imagery primarily used for terrestrial ecology research. It operates between 380 and 2510 nm at a spectral resolution of 5 nm. It has a horizontal resolution of 8 m and a swath width of 4 km at an altitude of 8 km. Its measurement frequency is 100 Hz. It was designed to replace the AVIRIS Classic (AVIRIS-C).
The Alpha Jet Atmospheric eXperiment (AJAX) is an in situ airborne instrument suite deployed on the Alpha Jet research aircraft. It includes an ozone (O3) monitor, a Picarro greenhouse gas analyzer, a COmpact Formaldehyde FluorescencE Experiment (COFFEE) instrument, and a Meteorological Measurement System (MMS). The O3 monitor, made by 2B Technologies, measures O3 at the 185 nm wavelength within a range of 0-250 ppm and typically samples at 0.5 Hz. The Picarro analyzer uses cavity-ring down spectrometry (CRDS) to measure carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and water vapor at 0.3 Hz, operating at 1603 nm for CO2 and 1651 nm for CH4 and water vapor. COFFEE detects formaldehyde (HCHO) at 355 nm with a sampling rate of 1 Hz. MMS records ambient temperature, pressure, and three-dimensional winds at 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 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 Integrated Cavity Output Spectrometer (ICOS) is an airborne in situ spectrometer developed by Harvard University. It is a mid-infrared (6.7 μm) spectrometer that measures the primary isotopologues of water vapor in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere. It has been integrated onto NASA’s WB-57 aircraft for field investigations of water vapor. It has an average data acquisition rate of 1 Hz and a measurement precision of 0.14 ppbv in 4-second averages for water vapor.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators > Water Vapor
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor
The Methane Airborne MAPper (MAMAP) is an airborne two-channel near-infrared (NIR) and short-wave infrared (SWIR) grating spectrometer system developed by the University of Bremen and the German Research Centre for Geosciences. It measures tropospheric methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2), and oxygen (O2) simultaneously. The system includes two spectrometers: the CH4/CO2-SWIR spectrometer and the O2-NIR spectrometer. The CH4/CO2-SWIR spectrometer detects CH4 and CO2 within the 1590-1690 nm spectral range at a resolution of 0.9 nm, while the O2-NIR spectrometer detects O2 within the 756-769 nm range at a resolution of 0.46 nm. MAMAP has a spatial resolution of 55 meters along the track and 60 meters across the track at a flight altitude of 3 km and a speed of 200 km/h.
The Mako Airborne Thermal Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (Mako) is an airborne infrared hyperspectral imaging spectrometer. It measures brightness temperature in the 7.5 to 13.5 µm spectral range across 128 channels. Mako employs a whiskbroom scanning method and has a ground resolution of 2 meters. Its spectral resolution is 44 nm, with a nominal frame rate of 3255 Hz.
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Infrared Wavelengths > Brightness Temperature
