Instrument

MACDON-NA
Measurements of Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Over Northwestern North America

The Measurements of Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Over Northwestern North America (MACDON-NA) is an in situ airborne gas analyzer. It is a modified LI-COR model 6252 infrared gas analyzer that measures atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). The CO2 measurement is based on the difference in infrared radiation absorption between two gas sampling cells. MACDON-NA operates at a wavelength of 4.26 μm and a constant pressure of 250 torr. It has a typical response time of 0.1 seconds.

Image of the FAST OZ, PDS, and MACDON-NA inlet

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

Meter/Analyzer

Measurement/Variables

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

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Chemistry

Vertical Measurement Regions

Troposphere

Temporal Resolution

0.1 s

Spatial Resolution

Point

Measurement Frequency

70 THz

Calibration Details

Currently unavailable

Online Information

https://airbornescience.nasa.gov/instrument/Measurements_of_Atmospheric_Carbon_Dioxide_Over_Northwestern_North_America

Lead Investigator
Stephanie Vay, Melody Avery
Technical Contact
Stephanie Vay
Instrument Maker
LI-COR
Funding Source
Currently unavailable
Overview Publications
Currently unavailable
Repositories
- Atmospheric Science Data Center (ASDC)
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory DAAC (ORNL)