Instrument

TDLAS
Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectrometer

A Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectrometer (TDLAS) is an in situ optical spectrometer used on aircraft or on the ground. TDLAS detects wavelength-dependent absorption of light to measure the concentrations of various trace gases. It can also determine the temperature, pressure, velocity, and mass flux of the gas species when applicable. TDLAS typically has a time resolution of 1 second.

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 > Atmospheric Chemistry > Trace Gases/trace Species

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Chemistry

Vertical Measurement Regions

Troposphere

Temporal Resolution

1 s

Spatial Resolution

Point

Measurement Frequency

N/A

Calibration Details

https://doi.org/10.1029/2002JD002872

Online Information

Lead Investigator
Currently unavailable
Technical Contact
Currently unavailable
Instrument Maker
NCAR
Funding Source
NSF
Overview Publications
Currently unavailable
Repositories
- Global Hydrology Resource Center DAAC (GHRC)
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory DAAC (ORNL)

Instrument Operation

Platform

Campaigns, where the platform was used with this instrument

DC-8

Douglas DC-8

45 Campaigns · 182 Instruments

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

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

NAMMA

NASA African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analyses

2006

Cape Verde Islands, Atlantic Ocean

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· 22 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

· 25 Data Products

PEM

Pacific Exploratory Mission

1991—1999

Pacific Ocean

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· 51 Data Products

MILAGRO

Megacity Initiative: Local and Global Research Observations

2006

Mexico City Metropolitan Area

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· 0 Data Products

Electra

Lockheed L-188C Electra

6 Campaigns · 36 Instruments

CITE

Global Tropospheric Experiment - Chemical Instrument Test and Evaluation

1983—1989

Wallops Island, Hawaii, Central Pacific, California, Eastern Pacific Ocean, North Atlantic

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· 6 Data Products

Citation

Cessna Citation II

10 Campaigns · 25 Instruments

RADEX

Radar Definition Experiment

2014—2015

Southeastern United States, North Carolina (NC); Olympic Peninsula, Washington (WA) State

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· 22 Data Products

CRYSTAL-FACE

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

2002

Southern Florida

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· 0 Data Products

IPHEx

Integrated Precipitation and Hydrology Experiment

2014

Southern Appalachians, including portions of North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia

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· 47 Data Products

Field Site

Stationary

76 Campaigns · 175 Instruments

BOREAS

Boreal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study

1994—1996

Boreal forests of central Canada

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· 303 Data Products

PAC2001

Pacific 2001 Air Quality Study

2001

Lower Fraser Valley, British Columbia, Canada

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· 8 Data Products

MILAGRO

Megacity Initiative: Local and Global Research Observations

2006

Mexico City Metropolitan Area

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· 0 Data Products

P-3

P-3 Orion

30 Campaigns · 153 Instruments

PEM

Pacific Exploratory Mission

1991—1999

Pacific Ocean

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· 51 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

· 25 Data Products

G-1

Gulfstream-159

4 Campaigns · 45 Instruments

CalWater

2015

California, Sierra Nevada Range

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· 0 Data Products

C-130

C-130 Hercules

17 Campaigns · 96 Instruments

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

MILAGRO

Megacity Initiative: Local and Global Research Observations

2006

Mexico City Metropolitan Area

view all deployment dates

· 0 Data Products

WB-57

NASA WB-57

17 Campaigns · 84 Instruments

ACCENT

Atmospheric Chemistry of Combustion Emissions Near the Tropopause

1999—2000

Southern United States

view all deployment dates

· 0 Data Products

Data Products

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

Campaigns

Platforms

Formats

NAMMA CVI CLOUD CONDENSED WATER CONTENT V1http://dx.doi.org/10.5067/NAMMA/CVI/DATA201

CampaignsNASA African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analyses

PlatformsDouglas DC-8

TRACE-P DC-8 In-Situ Trace Gas Data10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/TRACE-P/TraceGas_AircraftInSitu_DC8_Data_1

CampaignsTransport and Atmospheric Chemistry near the Equator

PlatformsDouglas DC-8

FormatsGTE

INTEXB_C130_AIRCRAFT10.5067/ASDCDAAC/INTEXB/0011

CampaignsIntercontinental Chemical Transport Experiment - North America

PlatformsC-130 Hercules

BOREAS TF-01 SSA-OA Weekly Tower CH4 and N2O Flux10.3334/ORNLDAAC/514

CampaignsBoreal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study

PlatformsField Site

INTEXB_DC8_AIRCRAFT10.5067/ASDCDAAC/INTEXB/0008

CampaignsIntercontinental Chemical Transport Experiment - North America

PlatformsDouglas DC-8

INTEXA_DC8_AIRCRAFT10.5067/ASDCDAAC/INTEXA/0008

CampaignsIntercontinental Chemical Transport Experiment - North America

PlatformsDouglas DC-8

BOREAS TF-11 SSA-FEN Tower Flux and Meteorological Data10.3334/ORNLDAAC/373

CampaignsBoreal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study

PlatformsField Site

TDLASTunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectrometer

Overview

Instrument Details

Instrument Operation

Data Products

TDLAS
Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectrometer