R/V 5503
NOAA R/V 5503

Ceilometers are ground-based remote-sensing instruments that measure cloud ceilings and vertical visibility. They use a laser or another light source to detect backscatter from clouds, precipitation, and aerosols. Ceilometers provide precise, detailed measurements in all weather conditions and are cost-effective to operate. They are commonly used in boundary-layer and cloud research.

The Pandora Spectrometer System is a ground-based UV-VIS spectrometer that measures column amounts of atmospheric trace gases. It uses total optical absorption spectroscopy to retrieve ozone, nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde, and other trace gases. Pandora operates in the 280-525 nm spectral range at a resolution of 0.6 nm. It can perform both direct-sun and all-sky radiance measurements, with an overall measurement time of 80 seconds. Pandora is part of the Pandonia Global Network, a network of identical instruments.

The 2B Technologies Ozone (O3) Monitor is an in situ dual-beam ozone monitor suitable for airborne and ground-based platforms. It measures O3 concentration using dual-beam ultraviolet (UV) absorption at 254 nm. The device has a detection range of 0 to 20 ppm, a resolution of 0.1 ppb, and provides measurements every 2 seconds. Its operating temperature range is 0 to 50 degrees Celsius, and its altitude range is approximately 0 to 13.5 km.