The Synergistic TEMPO Air Quality Science (STAQS) was a NASA field investigation aimed at enhancing understanding of air quality science for societal benefit by combining TEMPO satellite observations with airborne and ground-based air quality measurements. STAQS gathered data over urban areas such as Los Angeles, New York City, and Chicago during the boreal summer of 2023. NASA G-V and G-III aircraft were equipped with remote sensing sensors like GEOstationary Coastal and Air Pollution Events (GEO-CAPE) Airborne Simulator (GCAS), Airborne Visible InfraRed Imaging Spectrometer - Next Generation (AVIRIS-NG), and High Altitude Lidar Observatory (HALO) to measure aerosols and greenhouse gases. These measurements were complemented by ground-based observations from TOLNet and Pandora. STAQS was funded through the NASA Tropospheric Composition Program.
2023-06-24 — 2023-08-28
Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, United States, North America
STAQS collaborated with NOAA's Atmospheric Emissions and Reactions Observed from Megacities to Marine Areas (AEROMMA) and Coastal Urban Plume Dynamics Study (CUPiDS) investigations as well as NSF's Greater New York Oxidant Trace gas Halogen and Aerosol Airborne Mission (GOTHAAM).
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
Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (DOAS) is a passive spectrometer technique used to measure trace gas concentrations. It detects trace gases by measuring specific, narrow-band absorptions in the ultraviolet and visible light spectrum. DOAS is typically used to detect ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), formaldehyde (CH2O), and sulfur dioxide (SO2). It is suitable for both airborne and ground-based applications.
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.
The Halo Doppler Lidar is a ground-based Doppler wind lidar developed by Halo Photonics. It measures lidar backscatter at 1.5 microns to retrieve boundary layer wind profiles. It can also be used to determine aerosol loading and turbulence. It has a maximum range of 10 km and a vertical resolution of 18 to 60 m, depending on profiling needs. Halo Doppler Lidar has a pulse rate of 10 kHz and a sampling rate of 1 Hz.
The Langley Mobile Ozone Lidar (LMOL) is a mobile, ground-based lidar developed at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC). It is a differential absorption lidar used to measure ozone, aerosols, and clouds. It operates at 287 nm and 292 nm for ozone retrievals and at 527 nm for aerosol detection. It has a pulse width of 70 ns and a range resolution of 7.5 m. LMOL is part of the Tropospheric Ozone Lidar Network (TOLNet), which is operated by NASA.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Air Quality > Tropospheric Ozone
The Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) is an airborne lidar system developed at NASA’s Langley Research Center (LaRC). It uses four lasers to detect lidar backscatter and provide profile measurements of ozone and aerosols in the atmosphere. DIAL operates in the ultraviolet (289-300 nm) for ozone detection and in the visible (572-600 nm) and infrared (1064 nm) for aerosols. It has a horizontal spatial resolution of approximately 15 km and a measurement accuracy of 5 ppbv.
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Lidar > Lidar Depolarization Ratio
The NASA Goddard Tropospheric Ozone Lidar (TROPOZ) is a mobile, ground-based lidar that is part of the Tropospheric Ozone Lidar Network (TOLNet). It employs the differential absorption lidar (DIAL) technique to measure ozone at wavelengths of 289 nm and 299 nm. TROPOZ has a range resolution of 15 meters, a repetition rate of 50 Hz, and can produce ozone profiles from 0.35 to 16 km above ground level.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Air Quality > Tropospheric Ozone
The Tunable Optical Profiler for Aerosol and oZone (TOPAZ) is a lidar system designed by the NOAA Chemical Sciences Laboratory. It was originally designed for airborne operations, but it has been reconfigured for deployment in a trailer for ground-based operations. It uses differential absorption lidar (DIAL) technique to measure ozone concentrations and aerosol backscatter profiles up to 6 to 8 km above ground level (AGL). It operates in the 285 to 310 nm wavelength range and has an ozone profile vertical resolution of 5 m near the surface and 1000 m at 8 km AGL. TOPAZ is part of the NASA Tropospheric Ozone Lidar Network (TOLNet).
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.
The Airborne Visible InfraRed Imaging Spectrometer—Next Generation (AVIRIS-NG) is an airborne imaging spectrometer developed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). It collects visible and infrared imagery, mainly 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. It has a measurement frequency of 100 Hz. It was designed to replace the AVIRIS Classic (AVIRIS-C).
The High Altitude Lidar Observatory (HALO) is an airborne lidar system developed by NASA's Langley Research Center. HALO operates on four wavelengths (1645, 1064, 935, 532 nm) and combines Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) with High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) techniques 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
GEOstationary Coastal and Air Pollution Events (GEO-CAPE) Airborne Simulator (GCAS) is an airborne push-broom instrument with 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) range 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, with a frame rate of 12 Hz.
The High Spectral Resolution Lidar 2 (HSRL-2) is an airborne lidar developed by NASA's Langley Research Center. HSRL-2 measures aerosol backscatter at 355, 532, and 1064 nm wavelengths and aerosol extinction at 355 and 532 nm wavelengths. It has a horizontal resolution of 1-2 km and a vertical resolution of 15 m, with measurements taken approximately every 0.5 seconds. It replaced the original High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL).
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Lidar > Lidar Depolarization Ratio
GEOstationary Coastal and Air Pollution Events (GEO-CAPE) Airborne Simulator (GCAS) is an airborne push-broom instrument with 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) range 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, with a frame rate of 12 Hz.
The Inexpensive Network Sensor Technology for Exploring Pollution (INSTEP) is an in situ, ground-based network of low-cost gas sensors. These sensors were based on a design from the Hannigan Lab at the University of Colorado Boulder. INSTEP monitors various trace gases such as methane, carbon dioxide, ozone, and nitrogen dioxide. Measurements are typically provided every 1 minute. INSTEP sensors were initially deployed across the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles Basin.
The Pandora Spectrometer System is a ground-based UV-VIS spectrometer designed to measure column amounts of trace gases in the atmosphere. It employs total optical absorption spectroscopy for retrievals of ozone, nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde, and other trace gases. Pandora operates within the 280-525 nm spectral range at a resolution of 0.6 nm. It can perform both direct sun and all-sky radiance measurements, with an overall measurement time of 80 seconds. Pandora is part of a network of identical instruments called the Pandonia Global Network.
The Tropospheric Ozone Lidar Network (TOLNet) is an interagency initiative involving NASA, NOAA, and USEPA that began in 2012. TOLNet provides highly time-resolved measurements of tropospheric ozone profiles to support air quality research and satellite validation. It includes several lidar systems across North America: JPL Table Mountain Facility (TMF) tropospheric ozone lidar, NOAA Tunable Optical Profiler for Aerosol and oZone (TOPAZ) lidar, University of Alabama in Huntsville Rocket City Ozone Quality Evaluation in the Troposphere (RO3QET), Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Autonomous Mobile Ozone LIDAR Instrument for Tropospheric Experiments (AMOLITE), City College of New York Tropospheric Ozone Lidar System (NYTOLS), GSFC TROPospheric OZone (TROPOZ) DIAL, Langley Mobile Ozone Lidar (LMOL), and Hampton University Lidar Laboratory. The mobile systems within TOLNet can be deployed in the field to provide collocated measurements of ozone alongside balloon and airborne sensors.
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
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.
