The NASA Airborne Microwave Observatory of Subcanopy and Subsurface (AirMOSS) campaign focused on observations of root zone soil moisture (RZSM) and net ecosystem exchange (NEE) of carbon dioxide over a variety of North American biomes across several seasons. AirMOSS completed 34 deployments from 2012-2015, over parts of Canada, the US, and Costa Rica. Airborne observations included P-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) measurements as well as carbon and other gas concentrations. AirMOSS supports NASA’s carbon cycle and ecosystems, climate, and Earth surface missions.
The AirMOSS radar is an adaption of JPL’s UAVSAR L-band radar. The AirMOSS radar is a P-band version of UAVSAR designed by JPL. The AirMOSS radar makes observations of root-zone soil moisture up to 1.2m below the land surface. It flies on the G-III aircraft.
The Best Air Turbulence Probe, also known as the BAT probe, was invented in the late 1980’s by NOAA in an effort to better measure wind turbulence. The bat-shaped probe is equipped with a number of pressure sensors and a temperature sensor. Perturbations measured by those probes are then translated into wind flow measurements. Although the bat probe has been used on a number of different aircraft, it is most commonly used on the Airborne Laboratory Atmospheric Research (ALAR), which is owned and operated by Purdue University.
A rain gauge is an in-situ gauge used to measure liquid precipitation amounts. There are many different types of rain gauges that each collect and record data differently. Because of their size and relative ease of set-up, rain gauges can be deployed in various locations to help scientists determine how much rain has fallen over a given area during a set period of time.
The Best Air Turbulence Probe, also known as the BAT probe, was invented in the late 1980’s by NOAA in an effort to better measure wind turbulence. The bat-shaped probe is equipped with a number of pressure sensors and a temperature sensor. Perturbations measured by those probes are then translated into wind flow measurements. Although the bat probe has been used on a number of different aircraft, it is most commonly used on the Airborne Laboratory Atmospheric Research (ALAR), which is owned and operated by Purdue University.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature
A Picarro is a gas concentration analyzer. There are multiple models of this instrument. These analyzers can measure carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and methane. In some models, the sensitivity is high enough to measure these gases in parts per billion. These instruments are based on the Wavelength-Scanned Cavity Ring Down Spectroscopy.
