The Costa Rica Aura Validation Experiment (CR-AVE) focused on studying the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere, as well as providing validation for the Aura satellite. CR-AVE had one deployment that took place during January and February 2006 over Costa Rica. Instrument payloads on both aircraft and balloons were used to take measurements of trace gases, such as ozone and carbon monoxide. CR-AVE was part of the Aura Validation Experiment (AVE) and was funded through NASA's Atmospheric Composition and Radiation Sciences programs.
The Multi-sample Aerosol Collection System (MACS) is an in situ airborne aerosol sampling system. It consists of a two-stage impact collector, which allows for the collection of aerosol particles on electron microscope grids for further analysis. MACS can collect particles as small as 0.02 μm for altitudes up to 60,000 feet. MACS can collect around 24 samples per flight.
The Microwave Temperature Profiler (MTP) is an airborne microwave radiometer developed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and later modified by NCAR. It measures thermal emissions from oxygen molecules in the atmosphere to prove temperature profiles above, below, and at flight level. It operates between 55 to 59 GHz and provides profiles every 17 seconds with 4 km horizontal spacing. MTP has a vertical resolution of 150 m near the aircraft.
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Microwave > Brightness Temperature
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The Cloud Particle Imager (CPI) is an airborne imager manufactured by SPEC Inc. CPI collects high-resolution (2.3 μm pixel size) images of cloud particles that pass through its sample volume. It uses a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera that operates at 810 nm to record images and can take up to 74 frames per second with a refresh rate of 40 Hz. The imagery from CPI can be used to derive microphysical properties such as particle size and habit.
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 NOAA Pressure and Temperature (NOAA PT) is an in situ airborne probe that measures atmospheric pressure and temperature. It comprises a digital pressure temperature transducer and slow and fast responding temperature probes. NOAA PT provides measurements of both static and ram pressure and upper air temperature every second. It has an accuracy of 0.5 degrees for temperature and 0.5 mbars for pressure.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Pressure
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature > Upper Air Temperature
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 one instrument. CAPS measures the size distribution of aerosol, cloud, and liquid droplets for particles between the sizes of 50-1600 μm at a time resolution of 1 Hz. It can also record images of cloud particles and provide measurements of temperature, pressure, and LWC.
The Conical Scanning Submillimeter-wave Imaging Radiometer (CoSSIR) is a passive remote imaging radiometer. It has been flown on multiple aircraft since its development, including NASA’s ER-2 aircraft. CoSSIR was designed to take measurements of ice clouds and brightness temperatures. Its measurements can also be used to estimate water vapor profiles and snowfall rates. CoSSIR has a surface footprint of 1.4 km at nadir. It completes a scan cycle every 4.6 seconds. CoSSIR has 12 channels and operates in the 183-874 GHz range.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Profiles
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Microwave > Brightness Temperature
The Particle Analysis by Laser Mass Spectrometry (PALMS) is a laser ionization mass spectrometer owned and operated by NOAA. PALMS provides in situ measurements of aerosol particles and their chemical composition by using a pulse from a UV laser (193 nm) to generate ions. These ions are then analyzed with a time-of-flight mass spectrometer to provide the mass spectrum of each particle which can be used to classify the individual aerosol particles. PALMS has an aerosol size range of 0.2 to 3 microns and has a typical data rate of around 1 to 10 Hz. It can be utilized for either airborne or laboratory measurements of aerosols.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Chemical Composition
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols
The Single Particle Soot Photometer (SP2) is a laser-induced photometer manufactured by Droplet Measurement Technologies. SP2 provides measurements of the black carbon (BC) mass content of individual aerosol particles as well as the optical and physical properties of the particles containing BC. SP2 can be utilized on airborne or ground-based platforms and can be deployed with a paired Humidified-Dual SP2 (HD-SP2). It can detect aerosol particles with a diameter size of 200-400 nm and can measure 25,000 particles/second.
Argus is a two-channel, tunable diode laser instrument that was developed at NASA Ames Research Center. Argus collects in situ measurements of carbon monoxide (CO), nitrous oxide (N2O), and methane (CH4) in the atmosphere by using second harmonic spectroscopy. Argus operates in the mid-infrared range (3.3 and 4.7 micrometers) and has an accuracy of about 3% for data rates of 0.1 to 0.5 Hz. Argus is ideal for small payload platforms such as balloons and uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAV) due to its lightweight and compact design.
The High-Sensitivity Fast-Response CO2 Analyzer (Harvard CO2) is an in situ airborne spectrometer operated by Harvard University. It measures carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations using a modified nondispersive infrared CO2 analyzer. CO2 mixing ratios are determined by measuring absorption at 4.26 μm. Harvard CO2 has a measurement sampling rate of 0.5 Hz and a precision of 0.05 ppm. Harvard is typically deployed on high-altitude aircraft like the ER-2, but it has been used for balloon-borne measurements.
The Whole Air Sampler (WAS) is an airborne in-situ instrument that collects samples of air for analysis of trace gases, such as nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHCs), Halocarbons, Alkyl Nitrates, and various sulfur compounds that are present in the troposphere. Air samples collected via the WAS then undergo gas chromatography and mass spectrometry to determine which gasses are present in the sample. The WAS collects samples every minute, which enables scientists to get a clear picture of the chemical composition of the environment 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 has 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 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 the 254 nm wavelength allowing it to calculate the ozone number density due to the accurate ozone absorption cross section at that wavelength. It has a sampling rate of 2 Hz and a horizontal resolution of 100 to 200 meters at typical research flight speeds.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Air Quality > Tropospheric Ozone
The Aircraft Laser Infrared Absorption Spectrometer (ALIAS) is a high-resolution spectrometer developed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to fly aboard the NASA ER-2. ALIAS takes real-time measurements of various nitrogen, carbon, and hydrogen compounds, including NO2, CH4, and HCl. Its ability to be flown at high altitudes paired with its fast sample rate makes the ALIAS an ideal instrument to study atmospheric chemistry processes within polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs).
The Airborne Compact Atmospheric Mapper (ACAM) is a remote-sensing airborne spectrometer designed at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). It utilizes two thermally stabilized spectrometers to collect measurements of nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, ozone, formaldehyde, and aerosols in the ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared spectral range (310-900 nm). ACAM typically operates at a spatial resolution of 30 m and a temporal resolution of 10 Hz. Measurements from ACAM can be used for calibration and validation of observations from the Aura satellite.
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 consists of 5 parallel condensation nucleus counters (CNCs) that are used to sample particles within the 3 to 60 nm diameter range. It can be equipped on multiple types of aircraft and is ideal for sampling cirrus clouds in the upper atmosphere. NMASS provides fast time response measurements at a temporal resolution of 10 Hz.
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 Focused Cavity Aerosol Spectrometer (FCAS) is an in situ airborne optical particle counter designed by Particle Measuring Systems, Inc. FCAS measures the light scattered by the individual aerosol particles to determine the particle size distribution. It can detect aerosol particles in the size range of 0.06 to 2 μm and can operate at altitudes up to 20 km. Typically, FCAS provides measurements at a sampling rate of 10 seconds.
Harvard Water Vapor (HWV) is an in situ airborne hygrometer developed at Harvard University that measures water vapor mixing ratios in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere. HWV consists of two instruments with distinctly different methods for detecting water vapor: the Lyman-α photo-fragment fluorescence instrument (LyA) and a tunable diode laser direct absorption instrument (HHH -Harvard Herriott Hygrometer). By combining both instruments, HWV can identify and limit systematic errors while in flight. It provides measurements of water vapor mixing ratio from 1 to 1000 ppmv at a frequency of 1 Hz and with an accuracy of 5%.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators > Water Vapor
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Profiles > Water Vapor Mixing Ratio Profiles
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor
The JPL Laser Hygrometer (JLH) is an in situ airborne hygrometer developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). It uses a tunable diode laser that operates at 1.37 μm to measure atmospheric water vapor in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere. JLH has a minimum spatial resolution of 25 m and a detection range of 1 to 500 ppmv. It has a typical sampling rate of 1 Hz and can provide measurements at a precision of 0.05 ppmv.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators > Water Vapor
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor
The NOAA Frost Point Hygrometer (FPH) is a balloon-borne sensor that collects profile measurements of atmospheric water vapor. It uses the chilled-mirror principle to measure the frost or dew point temperature up to 28 km in the atmosphere. FPH takes measurements at a vertical resolution of 5-10 m and a temporal resolution of 1-2 seconds.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Profiles
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators > Dew Point Temperature
The Cloud Physics Lidar (CPL) is an airborne lidar system designed specifically to provide multi-wavelength measurements of cirrus clouds, sub-visual cirrus clouds, and aerosols. It measures lidar backscatter across three wavelengths: 355 nm, 532 nm, and 1064 nm. These measurements can be used to derive cloud optical depth, particle size distribution, extinction profiles, aerosol layers, and other properties. CPL has a vertical resolution of 30 m and a typical horizontal resolution of 200 m.
The Cloud Spectrometer and Impactor (CSI) is an in situ airborne probe that measures total condensed water (TCW) content in clouds. It consists of a combination of a counterflow virtual impactor (CVI) and a lightweight cloud droplet probe. It can measure cloud particles in the size range of 2 to 50 μm and has a typical sampling frequency of 1 second.
The Cloud Radar System (CRS) is an airborne W-band polarimetric Doppler radar. CRS provides radar observations of clouds and precipitation from the surface up to the lower stratosphere. It has an operating frequency of 94 GHz and has a 150m range resolution. CRS has a typical vertical resolution of 100m and a gate spacing of 37.5m.
The 2D-Stereo Particle Probe (2D-S) is an in situ airborne optical imaging probe developed by SPEC Inc. The 2D-S uses two diode laser beams to produce stereo cloud particle images through linear array shadowing. Through the imagery, cloud particle size distribution, particle number concentration, and ice/liquid water content can be determined. It has a resolution of 10 µm and can measure hydrometeors in the 25-1280 µm range.
The Meteorological Measurement System (MMS) is an in situ airborne instrument used for measuring atmospheric state parameters. MMS provides high-resolution and accurate measurements of atmospheric pressure, temperature, and wind direction/speed immediately around the plane. Additional parameters can be derived such as potential temperature, true airspeed, turbulence dissipation rate, and Reynolds number. Measurements of all parameters are typically collected at a rate of 20 Hz.
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 the emitted thermal radiation between 3.3 and 18 microns at high spectral resolution. These measurements can be used to 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 has a sampling frequency of 0.5 s and an absolute radiance accuracy of 0.2 K.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Profiles
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature
The Cryogenic Frost Point Hygrometer (CFH) is a balloon-borne hygrometer developed by the University of Colorado. CFH uses the chilled-mirror principle to measure water vapor from the Earth's surface to the mid-stratosphere. It is more sensitive to water vapor compared to standard radiosondes, allowing it to measure dew point temperatures with an accuracy of 0.2 K. CFH collects measurements about every 2 seconds during the balloon’s flight and has a vertical resolution of about 50m in the troposphere to 100m in the stratosphere.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators > Water Vapor
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Profiles > Water Vapor Concentration Profiles
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Profiles
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators > Dew Point Temperature
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor
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
