Instrument

Nephelometer
Nephelometer

Nephelometers are in situ airborne or ground-based optical sensors. They measure the total scattering and backscattering of aerosol particles in the atmosphere. Nephelometers operate across three wavelengths: 450 nm, 550 nm, and 700 nm, and have a typical time resolution of 1 Hz.

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

Optical/Photon

Measurement/Variables

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Forward Scatter

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Backscatter

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Extinction

Vertical Measurement Regions

Troposphere

Temporal Resolution

1 Hz

Spatial Resolution

Point

Measurement Frequency

666 THz, 545 THz, 428 THz

Calibration Details

https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0426(1996)013%3C0987:DAAOTI%3E2.0.CO;2

Online Information

Lead Investigator
Currently unavailable
Technical Contact
Gunnar Senum, Janek Uin
Instrument Maker
TSI Incorporated, Radiance Research
Funding Source
Currently unavailable
Overview Publications
Currently unavailable
Repository
- Atmospheric Science Data Center (ASDC)

Instrument Operation

Platform

Campaigns, where the platform was used with this instrument

Electra

Lockheed L-188C Electra

4 Campaigns · 34 Instruments

BOREAS

Boreal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study

1994—1996

Boreal forests of central Canada

view all deployment dates

· 303 Data Products

DC-8

Douglas DC-8

38 Campaigns · 174 Instruments

GRIP

Genesis and Rapid Intensification Processes

2010

Tropical Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, Eastern North Pacific, Caribbean Sea

view all deployment dates

· 24 Data Products

SARP

Student Airborne Research Program

2009—2030

Southern California, Virginia

Ongoing

view all deployment dates

Deployment Dates

Start Date	End Date
2009-07-12	2009-08-13
2010-06-20	2010-07-30
2011-06-19	2011-07-29
2012-06-17	2012-08-10
2013-06-09	2013-08-02
2014-06-15	2014-08-08
2015-06-14	2015-08-07
2016-06-12	2016-08-05
2017-06-18	2017-08-11
2018-06-18	2018-08-10
2019-06-16	2019-08-09
2021-12-03	2021-12-10
2022-06-12	2022-08-05
2023-06-11	2023-08-04
2023-06-18	2023-08-11
2024-06-16	2024-08-09
2024-06-23	2024-08-16

· 0 Data Products

NAMMA

NASA African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analyses

2006

Cape Verde Islands, Atlantic Ocean

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· 23 Data Products

ARCTAS

Arctic Research of the Composition of the Troposphere from Aircraft and Satellites

2008

Alaska, Western Canada, California

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· 27 Data Products

TRACE

Transport and Atmospheric Chemistry near the Equator

1992—2001

Brazil, Southern Africa, Tropical Atlantic, Central & Western Regions of the Pacific Ocean Basin

view all deployment dates

· 0 Data Products

FIREX-AQ

Fire Influence on Regional to Global Environments and Air Quality

2019

Northwestern and Southeastern US

view all deployment dates

· 26 Data Products

INTEX-NA

Intercontinental Chemical Transport Experiment - North America

2004—2006

North America, Gulf of Mexico, North Pacific Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean

view all deployment dates

· 21 Data Products

AEROMMA

Atmospheric Emissions and Reactions Observed from Megacities to Marine Areas

2023

Urban regions across the western and eastern United States

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· 0 Data Products

SUCCESS

SUbsonic aircraft: Contrail & Clouds Effects Special Study

1996

Central and Western United States

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· 1 Data Product

SOLVE

SAGE III Ozone Loss and Validation Experiment

1999—2003

Arctic, Kiruna, Sweden

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· 32 Data Products

P-3

P-3 Orion

19 Campaigns · 124 Instruments

ARCTAS

Arctic Research of the Composition of the Troposphere from Aircraft and Satellites

2008

Alaska, Western Canada, California

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· 27 Data Products

DISCOVER-AQ

Deriving Information on Surface Conditions from COlumn and VERtically Resolved Observations Relevant to Air Quality

2011—2014

Baltimore MD, San Joaquin Valley CA, Houston TX, Denver CO

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· 89 Data Products

ORACLES

Observations of Aerosols above Clouds and their Interactions

2016—2018

Southeastern Atlantic Ocean, Southern Africa

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· 8 Data Products

TRACE

Transport and Atmospheric Chemistry near the Equator

1992—2001

Brazil, Southern Africa, Tropical Atlantic, Central & Western Regions of the Pacific Ocean Basin

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· 0 Data Products

CAMP2Ex

Clouds, Aerosol, and Monsoon Processes-Philippines Experiment

2019

Philippines

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· 12 Data Products

PEM

Pacific Exploratory Mission

1991—1999

Pacific Ocean

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· 0 Data Products

C-130

C-130 Hercules

15 Campaigns · 85 Instruments

TARFOX

Tropospheric Aerosol Radiative Forcing Observational Experiment

1996

Western Atlantic Ocean, US Eastern Seaboard

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· 5 Data Products

INTEX-NA

Intercontinental Chemical Transport Experiment - North America

2004—2006

North America, Gulf of Mexico, North Pacific Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean

view all deployment dates

· 21 Data Products

Vehicle

Campaign Vehicles

18 Campaigns · 56 Instruments

DISCOVER-AQ

Deriving Information on Surface Conditions from COlumn and VERtically Resolved Observations Relevant to Air Quality

2011—2014

Baltimore MD, San Joaquin Valley CA, Houston TX, Denver CO

view all deployment dates

· 89 Data Products

FIREX-AQ

Fire Influence on Regional to Global Environments and Air Quality

2019

Northwestern and Southeastern US

view all deployment dates

· 26 Data Products

C-131A

Convair C-131 Samaritan

4 Campaigns · 22 Instruments

TARFOX

Tropospheric Aerosol Radiative Forcing Observational Experiment

1996

Western Atlantic Ocean, US Eastern Seaboard

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· 5 Data Products

SCAR

Smoke/Sulfates, Clouds, and Radiation

1993—1995

Mid-Atlantic, Pacific Northwest, Central Brazil

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· 6 Data Products

Cessna 402B

UMD Cessna 402B

5 Campaigns · 11 Instruments

LISTOS

Long Island Sound Tropospheric Ozone Study

2017—2019

New York City metropolitan and Long Island Sound area, Northeastern U.S.

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· 17 Data Products

KORUS-AQ

Korean United States - Air Quality

2016

South Korean peninsula, including surrounding seas

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· 12 Data Products

OWLETS

Ozone Water-Land Environmental Transition Study

2017—2018

Chesapeake Bay

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· 12 Data Products

Aero Commander

Rockwell Aero Commander

4 Campaigns · 9 Instruments

SAFARI 2000

Southern African Regional Science Initiative

1999—2001

Southern Africa

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· 117 Data Products

CV-580

Convair-580

7 Campaigns · 38 Instruments

SAFARI 2000

Southern African Regional Science Initiative

1999—2001

Southern Africa

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· 117 Data Products

CLAMS

Chesapeake Lighthouse and Aircraft Measurements for Satellites

2001

Chesapeake Bay, Atlantic Ocean

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· 5 Data Products

FIRE

First International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) Regional Experiment

1986—1998

Central and Midwest United States, California Coast, Northwest Africa, Alaska

view all deployment dates

· 131 Data Products

Field Site

Campaign Field Sites

Stationary

60 Campaigns · 165 Instruments

KORUS-AQ

Korean United States - Air Quality

2016

South Korean peninsula, including surrounding seas

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· 12 Data Products

PEM

Pacific Exploratory Mission

1991—1999

Pacific Ocean

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· 0 Data Products

INTEX-NA

Intercontinental Chemical Transport Experiment - North America

2004—2006

North America, Gulf of Mexico, North Pacific Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean

view all deployment dates

· 21 Data Products

PAC2001

Pacific 2001 Air Quality Study

2001

Lower Fraser Valley, British Columbia, Canada

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· 8 Data Products

Atlantis

R/V Atlantis

1 Campaign · 13 Instruments

NAAMES

North Atlantic Aerosols and Marine Ecosystems Study

2015—2018

Northwestern Atlantic Ocean

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· 13 Data Products

Falcon

Dassault Falcon 20-E5

6 Campaigns · 43 Instruments

ACTIVATE

Aerosol Cloud meTerology Interactions oVer the western ATlantic Experiment

2020—2022

Western North Atlantic Ocean

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· 12 Data Products

photo of the research vessel Ronald H Brown

R/V RHB

R/V Ronald H. Brown

2 Campaigns · 41 Instruments

CalWater

2015

California, Sierra Nevada Range

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· 0 Data Products

G-1

Gulfstream-159

1 Campaign · 26 Instruments

CalWater

2015

California, Sierra Nevada Range

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· 0 Data Products

B-200

Beechcraft B-200 King Air

30 Campaigns · 73 Instruments

FIRE

First International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) Regional Experiment

1986—1998

Central and Midwest United States, California Coast, Northwest Africa, Alaska

view all deployment dates

· 131 Data Products

ARAT

Avion de Recherche Atmospherique Fokker F27

2 Campaigns · 7 Instruments

FIRE

First International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) Regional Experiment

1986—1998

Central and Midwest United States, California Coast, Northwest Africa, Alaska

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· 131 Data Products

ASTEX

Atlantic Stratocumulus Transition Experiment

1992

Azores and Madeira islands

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· 0 Data Products

Image of the ALAR platform during AirMOSS

Beechcraft Duchess

Beechcraft Model 76 Duchess

3 Campaigns · 8 Instruments

INTEX-NA

Intercontinental Chemical Transport Experiment - North America

2004—2006

North America, Gulf of Mexico, North Pacific Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean

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· 21 Data Products

Onnuri

R/V Onnuri

2 Campaigns · 11 Instruments

KORUS-OC

Korea-United States Ocean Color Study

2016

South Korea, Yellow Sea, East Sea

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· 0 Data Products

Bandeirante

Embraer EMB 110 Bandeirante

2 Campaigns · 6 Instruments

SCAR

Smoke/Sulfates, Clouds, and Radiation

1993—1995

Mid-Atlantic, Pacific Northwest, Central Brazil

view all deployment dates

· 6 Data Products

Permanent Water Site

Campaign Permanent Water Sites

Stationary

5 Campaigns · 14 Instruments

CLAMS

Chesapeake Lighthouse and Aircraft Measurements for Satellites

2001

Chesapeake Bay, Atlantic Ocean

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· 5 Data Products

Twin Otter

DeHavilland DHC-6-300 Twin Otter

18 Campaigns · 70 Instruments

PACE-PAX

Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem Postlaunch Airborne eXperiment

2024

Southern and Central California

view all deployment dates

· 0 Data Products

Data Products

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

Campaigns

Platforms

Formats

First ISCCP Regional Experiment (FIRE) Arctic Cloud Experiment (ACE) CV580 Aircraft G-Meter Data10.5067/ASDC_DAAC/FIRE/0009

CampaignsFirst International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) Regional Experiment

PlatformsConvair-580

FormatsASCII

First ISCCP Regional Experiment (FIRE) Arctic Cloud Experiment (ACE) University of Washington CV580 Aircraft10.5067/ASDC_DAAC/FIRE/0010

CampaignsFirst International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) Regional Experiment

PlatformsConvair-580

FormatsOther (HDF)

INTEXA_DC8_AIRCRAFT

CampaignsIntercontinental Chemical Transport Experiment - North America

PlatformsDouglas DC-8

Tropospheric Aerosol Radiative Forcing Observational eXperiment - University of Washington instrumented C-131A aircraft Data Set10.5067/ASDC_DAAC/TARFOX/0002

CampaignsTropospheric Aerosol Radiative Forcing Observational Experiment

PlatformsConvair C-131 Samaritan

NAMMA LANGLEY AEROSOL RESEARCH GROUP EXPERIMENT (LARGE) V1http://dx.doi.org/10.5067/NAMMA/MULTIPLE/DATA202

CampaignsNASA African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analyses

PlatformsDouglas DC-8

LISTOS University of Maryland Cessna Aircraft In-Situ Data10.5067/Suborbital/LISTOS/AircraftInSitu_UMDAircraft_Data_1

CampaignsLong Island Sound Tropospheric Ozone Study

PlatformsUMD Cessna 402B

DISCOVER-AQ P-3B Aircraft in-situ Aerosol Measurements Texas10.5067/ASDC_DAAC/DISCOVER-AQ/0005

CampaignsDeriving Information on Surface Conditions from COlumn and VERtically Resolved Observations Relevant to Air Quality

PlatformsP-3 Orion

DISCOVER-AQ Ground-based in-situ Aerosol Measurements10.5067/ASDC_DAAC/DISCOVER-AQ/0010

CampaignsDeriving Information on Surface Conditions from COlumn and VERtically Resolved Observations Relevant to Air Quality

PlatformsCampaign Field Sites

DISCOVER-AQ P-3B Aircraft in-situ Aerosol Measurements10.5067/ASDC_DAAC/DISCOVER-AQ/0006

CampaignsDeriving Information on Surface Conditions from COlumn and VERtically Resolved Observations Relevant to Air Quality

PlatformsP-3 Orion

SAFARI 2000 JRA Aerocommander Trace Gas, Aerosol, and CCN Data, Dry Season 200010.3334/ORNLDAAC/713

CampaignsSouthern African Regional Science Initiative

PlatformsRockwell Aero Commander

OWLETS-2 University of Maryland Cessna Aircraft Data10.5067/Suborbital/OWLETS-2/UMDAircraft_Data_1

CampaignsOzone Water-Land Environmental Transition Study

PlatformsUMD Cessna 402B

SAFARI 2000 JRB Aerocommander Trace Gas and Aerosol Data, Dry Season 200010.3334/ORNLDAAC/714

CampaignsSouthern African Regional Science Initiative

PlatformsRockwell Aero Commander

SAFARI 2000 CV-580 Aerosol and Cloud Data, Dry Season 2000 (CARG)10.3334/ORNLDAAC/710

CampaignsSouthern African Regional Science Initiative

PlatformsConvair-580

INTEXB_C130_AIRCRAFT

CampaignsIntercontinental Chemical Transport Experiment - North America

PlatformsC-130 Hercules

FIRE_AX_SOF_ARAT_FLT

CampaignsFirst International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) Regional Experiment

PlatformsAvion de Recherche Atmospherique Fokker F27

NAAMES R/V Atlantis Aerosol In Situ Data, Version 110.5067/ASDC/NAAMES_Aerosol_ShipInSitu_Data_1

CampaignsNorth Atlantic Aerosols and Marine Ecosystems Study

PlatformsR/V Atlantis

FormatsICARTT

ORACLES Aerosol Aircraft InSitu Data10.5067/ASDC_DAAC/ORACLES_Aerosol_AircraftInSitu_Data_1

CampaignsObservations of Aerosols above Clouds and their Interactions

PlatformsP-3 Orion

FormatsICARTT, NetCDF

ACTIVATE Falcon In Situ Aerosol Data10.5067/ASDC/ACTIVATE_Aerosol_AircraftInSitu_Falcon_Data_1

CampaignsAerosol Cloud meTerology Interactions oVer the western ATlantic Experiment

PlatformsDassault Falcon 20-E5

FormatsICARTT

FIREX-AQ MACH2 Surface Mobile In-Situ Measurements10.5067/ASDC/FIREXAQ_SurfaceMobile_MACH2_InSitu_Data_1

CampaignsFire Influence on Regional to Global Environments and Air Quality

PlatformsCampaign Vehicles

FormatsICARTT

FIREX-AQ DC-8 In-Situ Aerosol Data10.5067/ASDC/FIREXAQ_Aerosol_AircraftInSitu_DC8_Data_1

CampaignsFire Influence on Regional to Global Environments and Air Quality

PlatformsDouglas DC-8

FormatsICARTT

KORUS-AQ DC-8 Aircraft In Situ Aerosol Data10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/KORUSAQ_Aerosol_AircraftInSitu_DC8_Data_1

CampaignsKorean United States - Air Quality

PlatformsDouglas DC-8

KORUS-AQ Miscellaneous Data10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/KORUSAQ_Miscellaneous_Data_1

CampaignsKorean United States - Air Quality

PlatformsUMD Cessna 402B

CLAMS-Chesapeake Lighthouse and Aircraft Measurements for Satellites Un. Washington Convair-580 aircraft measurements10.5067/ASDC_DAAC/CLAMS/0005

CampaignsChesapeake Lighthouse and Aircraft Measurements for Satellites

PlatformsConvair-580

GRIP LANGLEY AEROSOL RESEARCH GROUP EXPERIMENT (LARGE) V1http://dx.doi.org/10.5067/GRIP/LARGE/DATA201

CampaignsGenesis and Rapid Intensification Processes

PlatformsDouglas DC-8

SEAC4RS DC-8 Aircraft In-Situ Aerosol Data10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/SEAC4RS_Aerosol_AircraftInSitu_DC8_Data_1

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

PlatformsDouglas DC-8

INTEXB_GROUND

CampaignsIntercontinental Chemical Transport Experiment - North America

PlatformsCampaign Vehicles, Campaign Field Sites

INTEXB_DC8_AIRCRAFT

CampaignsIntercontinental Chemical Transport Experiment - North America

PlatformsDouglas DC-8

NARSTO PAC2001 Sumas Eagle Ridge Gaseous, Particle, and Meteorological Data10.5067/ASDCDAAC/NARSTO/0009

CampaignsPacific 2001 Air Quality Study

PlatformsCampaign Field Sites

FormatsASCII

Sulfates, Clouds and Radiation Brazil (SCAR-B) University of Washington C131A Data10.5067/ASDC_DAAC/SCAR_B/0001

CampaignsSmoke/Sulfates, Clouds, and Radiation

PlatformsConvair C-131 Samaritan

FormatsBinary

SOLVE II DC-8 Aircraft In-situ Aerosol Data10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/SOLVE2_Aerosol_AircraftInSitu_DC8_Data_1

CampaignsSAGE III Ozone Loss and Validation Experiment

PlatformsDouglas DC-8

FormatsOther Ames

ACTIVATE Falcon Aircraft Merge Data Files10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/ACTIVATE_Merge_Data_1

CampaignsAerosol Cloud meTerology Interactions oVer the western ATlantic Experiment

PlatformsDassault Falcon 20-E5

FormatsICARTT

ARCTAS P-3B Aircraft Aerosol In-situ Data10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/ARCTAS_Aerosol_AircraftInSitu_P3B_Data_1

CampaignsArctic Research of the Composition of the Troposphere from Aircraft and Satellites

PlatformsP-3 Orion

FormatsICARTT

ARCTAS DC-8 Aircraft In-situ Aerosol Data10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/ARCTAS_Aerosol_AircraftInSitu_DC8_Data_1

CampaignsArctic Research of the Composition of the Troposphere from Aircraft and Satellites

PlatformsDouglas DC-8

FormatsICARTT

CAMP2Ex P-3 In-Situ Aerosol Data10.5067/Airborne/CAMP2Ex_Aerosol_AircraftInSitu_P3_Data_1

CampaignsClouds, Aerosol, and Monsoon Processes-Philippines Experiment

PlatformsP-3 Orion

FormatsICARTT

DISCOVER-AQ Maryland Deployment P-3B Aircraft In Situ Aerosol Data10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/DISCOVERAQ_Maryland_Aerosol_AircraftInSitu_P3B_Data_1

CampaignsDeriving Information on Surface Conditions from COlumn and VERtically Resolved Observations Relevant to Air Quality

PlatformsP-3 Orion

FormatsICARTT

DISCOVER-AQ California Deployment P-3B Aircraft In Situ Aerosol Data10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/DISCOVERAQ_California_Aerosol_AircraftInSitu_P3B_Data_1

CampaignsDeriving Information on Surface Conditions from COlumn and VERtically Resolved Observations Relevant to Air Quality

PlatformsP-3 Orion

FormatsICARTT

DISCOVER-AQ Texas Deployment P-3B Aircraft In Situ Aerosol Data10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/DISCOVERAQ_Texas_Aerosol_AircraftInSitu_P3B_Data_1

CampaignsDeriving Information on Surface Conditions from COlumn and VERtically Resolved Observations Relevant to Air Quality

PlatformsP-3 Orion

FormatsICARTT

DISCOVER-AQ Colorado Deployment P-3B Aircraft In Situ Aerosol Data10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/DISCOVERAQ_Colorado_Aerosol_AircraftInSitu_P3B_Data_1

CampaignsDeriving Information on Surface Conditions from COlumn and VERtically Resolved Observations Relevant to Air Quality

PlatformsP-3 Orion

FormatsICARTT

DISCOVER-AQ Colorado Deployment Mobile Platform Data10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/DISCOVERAQ_Colorado_Ground_Mobile_Data_1

CampaignsDeriving Information on Surface Conditions from COlumn and VERtically Resolved Observations Relevant to Air Quality

PlatformsCampaign Vehicles

FormatsICARTT

NephelometerNephelometer

Overview

Instrument Details

Instrument Operation

Data Products

Nephelometer
Nephelometer