Instrument

ALIAS
Airborne Laser Infrared Absorption Spectrometer

The Airborne Laser Infrared Absorption Spectrometer (ALIAS) is an in situ airborne spectrometer developed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. It can also be deployed on balloons. It uses mid-infrared (3.4–8 μm) absorption spectroscopy to measure atmospheric gases such as nitrous oxide (N2O), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), nitric acid (HNO3), hydrochloric acid (HCl), carbon monoxide (CO), and methane (CH4). ALIAS has a vertical resolution of 15 m and a time resolution of 3 seconds or less.

NASA's DC-8 flying laboratory passes Antarctica's tallest peak, Mount Vinson, on Oct. 22, 2012, during a flight over the continent to measure changes in the massive ice sheet and sea ice. Credit: NASA/Michael Studinger (Photography courtesy NASA Images)

Overview

Instrument Details

Measurement Type

Spectrometer/Radiometer

Measurement/Variables

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Chemistry > Carbon And Hydrocarbon Compounds > Methane

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators > Stable Isotopes

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Chemistry > Carbon And Hydrocarbon Compounds > Carbon Monoxide

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Chemistry > Nitrogen Compounds > Nitrous Oxide

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Chemistry > Nitrogen Compounds > Nitrogen Oxides

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Chemistry > Carbon And Hydrocarbon Compounds > Chlorinated Hydrocarbons

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Chemistry > Carbon And Hydrocarbon Compounds

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Chemistry > Nitrogen Compounds

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Chemistry

Vertical Measurement Regions

Troposphere

Temporal Resolution

< 3 s

Spatial Resolution

15 m

Measurement Frequency

38-88 THz

Calibration Details

https://doi.org/10.1364/AO.33.000454

Online Information

Lead Investigator
Lance Christensen, Chris R. Webster
Technical Contact
Lance Christensen
Instrument Maker
JPL
Funding Source
NASA
Overview Publications
Overview Publication
Repository
- Atmospheric Science Data Center (ASDC)

Instrument Operation

Platform

Campaigns, where the platform was used with this instrument

WB-57

NASA WB-57

16 Campaigns · 80 Instruments

CR-AVE

Costa Rica Aura Validation Experiment

2006

Costa Rica

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· 0 Data Products

AVE

Aura Validation Experiment

2004—2005

Houston, Texas, Southern United States, Gulf of Mexico

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· 0 Data Products

MACPEX

Mid-latitude Airborne Cirrus Properties Experiment

2011

Central United States

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· 7 Data Products

CRYSTAL-FACE

Cirrus Regional Study of Tropical Anvils and Cirrus Layers Florida Area Cirrus Experiment

2002

Southern Florida

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· 1 Data Product

ER-2

NASA Earth Resources-2 Aircraft

63 Campaigns · 107 Instruments

ASHOE

Airborne Southern Hemisphere Ozone Experiment

1994

Moffett Field, California, Christchurch, New Zealand, Hawaii, Fiji

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· 0 Data Products

POLARIS

Photochemistry of Ozone Loss in the Arctic Region In Summer

1997

Arctic, Mid-latitudes

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· 9 Data Products

SEAC4RS

Studies of Emissions and Atmospheric Composition, Clouds and Climate Coupling by Regional Surveys

2013

North America including portions of Canada, Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico

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· 20 Data Products

AASE

Airborne Arctic Stratospheric Expedition

1988—1992

Arctic

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· 2 Data Products

SPADE

Stratospheric Photochemistry, Aerosols and Dynamics Expedition

1992—1993

Western United States

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· 1 Data Product

STRAT

Stratospheric Tracers of Atmospheric Transport

1995—1996

Pacific Ocean, Moffett Field, California, Barbers Point Naval Air Station, Hawaii

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· 9 Data Products

SOLVE

SAGE III Ozone Loss and Validation Experiment

1999—2003

Arctic, Kiruna, Sweden

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· 32 Data Products

Balloon Launch Site

Campaign Balloons

81 Campaigns · 23 Instruments

POLARIS

Photochemistry of Ozone Loss in the Arctic Region In Summer

1997

Arctic, Mid-latitudes

view all deployment dates

· 9 Data Products

SOLVE

SAGE III Ozone Loss and Validation Experiment

1999—2003

Arctic, Kiruna, Sweden

view all deployment dates

· 32 Data Products

Data Products

Filter data products from this instrument by specific campaigns, platforms, or formats.

Campaigns

Platforms

Formats

Cirrus Regional Study of Tropical Anvils and Cirrus Layers - Florida Area Cirrus Experiment (CRYSTAL-FACE) Quick-Look Data

CampaignsCirrus Regional Study of Tropical Anvils and Cirrus Layers Florida Area Cirrus Experiment

PlatformsCessna Citation II, NASA WB-57, Campaign Field Sites, NASA Earth Resources-2 Aircraft

MACPEX WB-57 Aircraft In-situ Trace Gas Data10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/MACPEX_TraceGas_AircraftInSitu_WB57_Data_1

CampaignsMid-latitude Airborne Cirrus Properties Experiment

PlatformsNASA WB-57

MACPEX WB-57 Aircraft In-situ Cloud Data10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/MACPEX_Cloud_AircraftInSitu_WB57_Data_1

CampaignsMid-latitude Airborne Cirrus Properties Experiment

PlatformsNASA WB-57

MACPEX WB-57 Aircraft In-situ Water Data10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/MACPEX_Water_AircraftInSitu_WB57_Data_1

CampaignsMid-latitude Airborne Cirrus Properties Experiment

PlatformsNASA WB-57

SEAC4RS ER-2 Aircraft In-Situ Trace Gas Data10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/SEAC4RS_TraceGas_AircraftInSitu_ER2_Data_1

CampaignsStudies of Emissions and Atmospheric Composition, Clouds and Climate Coupling by Regional Surveys

PlatformsNASA Earth Resources-2 Aircraft

Stratospheric Photochemistry, Aerosols and Dynamics Expedition (SPADE) Data Set CD-ROM

CampaignsStratospheric Photochemistry, Aerosols and Dynamics Expedition

PlatformsCampaign Balloons, NASA Earth Resources-2 Aircraft

FormatsASCII

STRAT ER-2 Aircraft In-situ Trace Gas Data10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/STRAT_TraceGas_AircraftInSitu_ER2_Data_1

CampaignsStratospheric Tracers of Atmospheric Transport

PlatformsNASA Earth Resources-2 Aircraft

Formatser

SOLVE I Balloonsondes and Ozonesondes Data10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/SOLVE1_Sondes_Data_1

CampaignsSAGE III Ozone Loss and Validation Experiment

PlatformsCampaign Balloons

FormatsOther Ames

SOLVE I ER-2 Aircraft In-situ Trace Gas Data10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/SOLVE1_TraceGas_AircraftInSitu_ER2_Data_1

CampaignsSAGE III Ozone Loss and Validation Experiment

PlatformsNASA Earth Resources-2 Aircraft

FormatsOther Ames

POLARIS ER-2 Aircraft In-situ Trace Gas Data10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/POLARIS_TraceGas_AircraftInSitu_ER2_Data_1

CampaignsPhotochemistry of Ozone Loss in the Arctic Region In Summer

PlatformsNASA Earth Resources-2 Aircraft

Formatsdc

ALIASAirborne Laser Infrared Absorption Spectrometer

Overview

Instrument Details

Instrument Operation

Data Products

ALIAS
Airborne Laser Infrared Absorption Spectrometer