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 instrument that measures atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). The CO2 measurement is based on the difference in the absorption of infrared radiation passing through two gas sampling cells. MACDON-NA operates at the 4.26 μm wavelength and a constant pressure of 250 torr. It has a typical time response 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

https://www.licor.com/documents/n4mw1hypdwm2vusfqedr

Online Information

https://espo.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)