The Stratospheric-Tropospheric Exchange Project (STEP) was a field investigation that studied the transfer of trace gases and aerosols from the troposphere to the stratosphere and observed the dryness of the stratosphere. STEP consisted of 4 science and 2 intercalibration deployments from Moffett Field, California, and Darwin, Australia during the winter and spring of 1984-1987. NASA ER-2 aircraft collected measurements of trace gases and aerosols in the upper atmosphere. STEP was funded by NASA's Upper Atmosphere Research Program and NOAA.
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 Lyman-alpha Hygrometer measures the absorption by water vapor of vacuum-ultraviolet light at the Lyman-alpha wavelength of atomic hydrogen (121.6 nm). Air from outside the aircraft is brought to the absorption cell by a forward facing open-ended cone inlet (SCAI inlet) and exhausted through a scarf tube. The instrument ionizes the water molecules themselves as they pass through. Using a high intensity direct current discharge lamp, light at 121.6nm (called Lyman-alpha light) photodissociates water molecules producing excited OH radicals. Fluorescence is produced as the OH radical emits photons at 309nm. Making use of a phototube sensitive to this wavelength and a counter, the amount of OH can be calculated. The ambient air in the sample diminishes this signal by an amount proportional to the mixing ratio, so knowing the ambient pressure and temperature yields the mixing ratio from which the total water is determined. The instrument is periodically calibrated in flight by injecting a known amount of water vapor directly into the sample.
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 > Vapor Pressure
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
NOx/NOxy is an in situ chemiluminescence instrument. It provides measurements of nitrogen oxides and ozone in the atmosphere at a spatial resolution better than 100m for typical DC-8 research flight speeds. NOx/NOxy can be utilized on ground-based, airborne, and shipborne platforms allowing it to be used in various types of atmospheric chemistry and air quality studies.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Air Quality > Nitrogen Oxides
This data will be added in future versions
Earth Science > >
The Condensation Nuclei Counter (CNC) is optical method for
counting atmospheric aerosol particles.
Earth Science > >
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 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
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 Lyman-alpha Hygrometer measures the absorption by water vapor of vacuum-ultraviolet light at the Lyman-alpha wavelength of atomic hydrogen (121.6 nm). Air from outside the aircraft is brought to the absorption cell by a forward facing open-ended cone inlet (SCAI inlet) and exhausted through a scarf tube. The instrument ionizes the water molecules themselves as they pass through. Using a high intensity direct current discharge lamp, light at 121.6nm (called Lyman-alpha light) photodissociates water molecules producing excited OH radicals. Fluorescence is produced as the OH radical emits photons at 309nm. Making use of a phototube sensitive to this wavelength and a counter, the amount of OH can be calculated. The ambient air in the sample diminishes this signal by an amount proportional to the mixing ratio, so knowing the ambient pressure and temperature yields the mixing ratio from which the total water is determined. The instrument is periodically calibrated in flight by injecting a known amount of water vapor directly into the sample.
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 > Vapor Pressure
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 Radiation Measurement System (RAMS) is an airborne passive radiometer that measures broadband solar irradiance. RAMS consists of two radiometers: the Total Solar Broadband Radiometer (TSBR) and the Fractional Solar Broadband Radiometer (FSBR). The TSBR operates in the 0.224 to 3.91 μm range while the FSBR operates between 0.68 to 3.3 μm. It has a response time of about 60 msec and can provide measurements about every 5 m for aircraft speeds around 75 m/s. RAMS is typically used for airborne operations, but it can be used to collect ground-based measurements as well.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Radiation > Solar Irradiance
NOx/NOxy is an in situ chemiluminescence instrument. It provides measurements of nitrogen oxides and ozone in the atmosphere at a spatial resolution better than 100m for typical DC-8 research flight speeds. NOx/NOxy can be utilized on ground-based, airborne, and shipborne platforms allowing it to be used in various types of atmospheric chemistry and air quality studies.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Air Quality > Nitrogen Oxides
The Airborne Tunable Laser Absorption Spectrometer (ATLAS) is an in situ airborne spectrometer developed by NASA. ATLAS utilizes second-harmonic absorption spectrometry to measure trace gases in the lower stratosphere such as nitrous oxide, methane, carbon monoxide, and ozone. The laser within ATLAS is tuned to the infrared absorption band of the target gas and is frequency modulated at 2 kHz with the second-harmonic detection occurring at 4 kHz. ATLAS provides measurements at a time resolution of 1 s and has a spatial resolution of about 200 m when deployed on the ER-2 aircraft.
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
