The Ozone Water-Land Environmental Transition Study (OWLETS) was a project aimed at assessing air quality in and around the Chesapeake Bay area during the summers of 2017 and 2018. OWLETS had two deployments. The first deployment was led by NASA in 2017 and involved airborne measurements taken by NASA’s C-23 Sherpa aircraft, along with measurements taken by several mobile platforms and field sites. The second deployment, often referred to as OWLETS-2, was led by the Maryland Department of the Environment in 2018 and utilized the University of Maryland’s Cessna aircraft for airborne measurements along with mobile and field site instrumentation. Both deployments focused on creating vertical profiles of ozone and other trace gases during various air quality events to improve forecasting similar events in the future.
The GC-MS instrument is a combination of two instruments: a gas chromatograph and a mass spectrometer. It is used on airborne platforms to study atmospheric chemistry, specifically non-methane halocarbons and volatile organic compounds.
If instrument name or model is not available but documents show that specific chemical compounds or constituents or their properties were observed, can use instrument entry. Examples include: CO, CO2, NO, NO2, N2O, HNO3, HNO4, OH, H2SO4, CH3CN, O3, H2O, halocarbons, VOCs, nitrates, aerosols (including CCN), aerosol optical properties, etc...
Earth Science > >
The Licor Quantum Sensor is a ground-based, in situ radiation sensor manufactured by LI-COR Biosciences. It provides accurate measurements of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) under vegetation or in artificial light sources. The sensor measures radiation within the same light spectrum (400 - 700 nm) as the one used by plants for photosynthesis. The Licor Quantum Sensor is typically used for ground-based measurements, but it can be equipped on aircraft as well. It can be utilized for long-term deployments and is durable in high temperature and humidity conditions.
Earth Science > Biosphere > Vegetation > Photosynthetically Active Radiation
GEOstationary Coastal and Air Pollution Events (GEO-CAPE) Airborne Simulator (GCAS) is an airborne push-broom instrument consisting of two spectrometers. It was developed by the Radiometric Calibration and Flight Development Laboratory at Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) as a simulator for the GEO-CAPE mission. The first spectrometer in GCAS operates in the ultraviolet to visible (300-490 nm) range for air quality observations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3), formaldehyde (HCHO), and other trace gases. The second spectrometer operates in the visible to near-infrared (480-900 nm) to provide measurements of ocean color. GCAS has a typical spatial resolution of 250m across track and 500m along track at an altitude of 9 km and has a frame rate of 12 Hz.
Earth Science > Oceans > Ocean Optics > Ocean Color
The High Altitude Lidar Observatory (HALO) is an active remote, airborne lidar developed by NASA Langley Research Center. HALO operates across 4 wavelengths (1645, 1064, 935, 532 nm) and uses a combination of Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) and High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) methods to measure lidar backscatter and depolarization ratio. It provides vertical profiles of aerosol and cloud optical properties, atmospheric water vapor, and methane at a data rate of 2 Hz. HALO has a nominal spatial resolution of 12 km horizontally and 315 m vertically at an altitude of 10 km.
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Lidar > Lidar Depolarization Ratio
The Geostationary Trace gas and Aerosol Sensor Optimization (GeoTASO) is an airborne pushbroom spectrometer developed by Ball Aerospace through support by NASA’s Earth Science Technology Office. GeoTASO measures nadir backscattered solar radiation in the ultraviolet (290-400 nm) and visible (415-695 nm) wavelengths. These measurements can be used to determine aerosols and trace gases in the atmosphere such as ozone, formaldehyde, and nitrogen dioxide. GeoTASO has a spatial resolution of about 250 m x 250 m and has an integration time of 0.25 s.
The Personal Ozone Monitor (POM) is an in situ handheld ozone monitor manufactured by 2B Technologies. POM uses ultraviolet (UV) absorption at 254 nm to provide measurements of ozone concentration. POM can measure ozone concentrations from up to 10 ppm at a resolution of 0.1 ppb. It has a sampling frequency of 0.1 Hz and 0.5 Hz in fast mode. It is typically used for ground-based applications, but POM has been deployed on uncrewed aerial systems (UAS).
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Air Quality > Tropospheric Ozone
The NASA Micro-Pulse Lidar Network (MPLNET) is a global ground-based network of Micro-Pulse Lidar (MPL) systems that has been active since 1999. MPLNET provides continuous measurements of aerosol and cloud vertical structure as well as boundary layer height from the surface up to 30 km. The MPL systems operate at a wavelength range of 523-532 nm and have a vertically-resolved spatial resolution of 30 to 75 m depending on the station. Many of the MPLNET sites are co-located with sites in the NASA Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) to help reduce errors in retrievals.
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Lidar > Lidar Depolarization Ratio
The AErosol RObotic NETwork (AERONET) is a federated network of ground-based remote sensing aerosol sensors established by NASA and the PHOtométrie pour le Traitement Opérationnel de Normalisation Satellitaire (PHOTONS) in 1993. Each AERONET site consists of a CIMEL Electronique sunphotometer that provides measurements of sun irradiance and sky radiances. These measurements can be used to retrieve aerosol properties such as aerosol optical depth and extinction. The sunphotometers operate across nine wavelengths (340, 380, 440, 500, 675, 870, 937, 1020, and 1640 nm) and provide aerosol measurements approximately every 15 min. AERONET sites are located across the world, making it possible to map around 90% of the Earth’s surface.
The Personal Ozone Monitor (POM) is an in situ handheld ozone monitor manufactured by 2B Technologies. POM uses ultraviolet (UV) absorption at 254 nm to provide measurements of ozone concentration. POM can measure ozone concentrations from up to 10 ppm at a resolution of 0.1 ppb. It has a sampling frequency of 0.1 Hz and 0.5 Hz in fast mode. It is typically used for ground-based applications, but POM has been deployed on uncrewed aerial systems (UAS).
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Air Quality > Tropospheric Ozone
Ceilometers are ground-based, remote-sensing sensors that provide measurements of cloud ceilings and vertical visibility. They use either a laser beam or another light source to detect backscatter of clouds, precipitation, and aerosols. Ceilometers can provide detailed and accurate measurements in all types of weather conditions and have low operating costs. Ceilometers are typically used in boundary layer and cloud research applications.
The Pandora Spectrometer System is a ground-based UV-VIS spectrometer used to measure column amounts of trace gases in the atmosphere. It uses total optical absorption spectroscopy for retrievals of ozone, nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde, and other trace gases. Pandora operates in the 280-525 nm spectral region at a resolution of 0.6 nm. It can make both direct sun and all-sky radiance measurements and has an overall measurement time of 80 seconds. Pandora is a part of a network of identical instruments known as the Pandonia Global Network.
If instrument name or model is not available but documents show that specific chemical compounds or constituents or their properties were observed, can use instrument entry. Examples include: CO, CO2, NO, NO2, N2O, HNO3, HNO4, OH, H2SO4, CH3CN, O3, H2O, halocarbons, VOCs, nitrates, aerosols (including CCN), aerosol optical properties, etc...
The Langley Mobile Ozone Lidar (LMOL) is an active remote sensor that utilizes a laser to measure atmospheric ozone and aerosols. LMOL is housed in a trailer so that it is easily transferred to different locations. The laser has a 287 nm and a 292 nm wavelength for ozone retrievals and a 527 nm wavelength for other aerosol retrievals. In addition, it has a 70 ns pulse width and a 7.5 m range resolution. LMOL is part of the Tropospheric Ozone Lidar Network (TOLNet), which is operated by NASA.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Air Quality > Tropospheric Ozone
Ceilometers are ground-based, remote-sensing sensors that provide measurements of cloud ceilings and vertical visibility. They use either a laser beam or another light source to detect backscatter of clouds, precipitation, and aerosols. Ceilometers can provide detailed and accurate measurements in all types of weather conditions and have low operating costs. Ceilometers are typically used in boundary layer and cloud research applications.
The Particle Into Liquid Sampler (PILS) is an in situ aerosol sampler manufactured by Brechtel Manufacturing Inc. PILS can be utilized by both ground-based and airborne platforms to collect continuous measurements of ambient aerosol bulk composition. The particles sampled by PILS are mixed with saturated water vapor to produce droplets that are analyzed by either an ion chromatograph (IC) or a total organic carbon detector (TOC). PILS can measure aerosol particles with a size range of 70 nm to 2.5 μm and has a time resolution of 3 min for airborne measurements and 15 min for ground-based.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Chemical Composition
The NASA Goddard Tropospheric Ozone Lidar (TROPOZ) is a mobile, ground-based lidar that is part of the Tropospheric Ozone Lidar Network (TOLNet). It uses the differential absorption lidar (DIAL) technique to measure ozone at 289 nm and 299 nm. TROPOZ has a range resolution of 15 m, a repetition rate of 50 Hz, and can generate ozone profiles from 0.35 to 16 km above ground level.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Air Quality > Tropospheric Ozone
The Tropospheric Ozone Lidar Network (TOLNet) is an interagency initiative among NASA, NOAA, and USEPA starting in 2011. TOLNet provides highly time-resolved measurements of tropospheric ozone profiles that support air quality research and satellite validation. TOLNet consists of six different sensors across the United States: Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Table Mountain tropospheric Ozone DIfferential Absorption Lidar (JPL-TMO DIAL), NOAA’s Earth System Research Laboratory Tunable Optical Profiler for Aerosol and oZone (TOPAZ), University of Alabama in Huntsville’s Rocket-city Ozone Quality Evaluation in the Troposphere (RO3QET), Goddard Space Flight Center’s TROPospheric OZone-DIfferential Absorption Lidar (TROPOZ DIAL), Langley Research Center’s Langley Mobile Ozone Lidar (LMOL), and Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Autonomous Mobile Ozone LIDAR Instrument for Tropospheric Experiments (AMOLITE). The mobile systems within TOLNet can be deployed in the field to provide collocated measurements of ozone with balloon and airborne sensors.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Air Quality > Tropospheric Ozone
The Pandora Spectrometer System is a ground-based UV-VIS spectrometer used to measure column amounts of trace gases in the atmosphere. It uses total optical absorption spectroscopy for retrievals of ozone, nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde, and other trace gases. Pandora operates in the 280-525 nm spectral region at a resolution of 0.6 nm. It can make both direct sun and all-sky radiance measurements and has an overall measurement time of 80 seconds. Pandora is a part of a network of identical instruments known as the Pandonia Global Network.
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 and 1651 nm wavelength 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.
Aethalometer is an in situ aerosol instrument manufactured by Magee Scientific that can be deployed on either airborne or ground-based platforms. It samples aerosols through a filter tape and measures the attenuation of transmitted light to determine the concentration of black carbon particles. The Aethalometer operates across seven optical wavelengths (370, 470, 520, 590, 660, 880, and 950 nm) and can provide data at a rate of 1 Hz. It has a measurement range of 0-500 μg per cubic meter and a resolution of 0.1 μg per cubic meter.
The Particle Soot Absorption Photometer (PSAP) is an in situ airborne photometer manufactured by Radiance Research. It uses Beer's Law to measure the change in light transmission of aerosol particles. These measurements can be used to derive aerosol absorption and extinction. PSAP operates across three wavelengths (467, 530, and 660 nm) and has a temporal resolution of 1 second. It is typically deployed on aircraft, but it can be deployed on other platforms such as ships and vehicles.
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 and 1651 nm wavelength 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 Geostationary Trace gas and Aerosol Sensor Optimization (GeoTASO) is an airborne pushbroom spectrometer developed by Ball Aerospace through support by NASA’s Earth Science Technology Office. GeoTASO measures nadir backscattered solar radiation in the ultraviolet (290-400 nm) and visible (415-695 nm) wavelengths. These measurements can be used to determine aerosols and trace gases in the atmosphere such as ozone, formaldehyde, and nitrogen dioxide. GeoTASO has a spatial resolution of about 250 m x 250 m and has an integration time of 0.25 s.
Nephelometers are in situ airborne or ground-based optical sensors. They measure the total scattering and backscattering of aerosol particles in the atmosphere. Nephelometers operate across three wavelengths: 450 nm, 550 nm, and 700 nm, and have a typical time resolution of 1 Hz.
