Instrument

UHSAS
Ultra-High Sensitivity Aerosol Spectrometer

The Ultra-High Sensitivity Aerosol Spectrometer (UHSAS), developed by Droplet Measurement Technologies, is an in situ spectrometer that can be deployed on airborne and ground-based platforms to measure aerosol size distribution and concentration. It determines particle size by detecting peak light signals from aerosol particles illuminated by a 1054 nm laser. It samples particles in the 60–1000 nm size range and operates at a sampling frequency of 10 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

Spectrometer/Radiometer

Measurement/Variables

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols

Earth Science > Atmosphere > Aerosols > Aerosol Particle Properties

Vertical Measurement Regions

Troposphere

Temporal Resolution

10 Hz

Spatial Resolution

Point

Measurement Frequency

284 THz

Calibration Details

https://doi.org/10.2172/1251410

Online Information

Lead Investigator
David Rogers
Technical Contact
David Rogers
Instrument Maker
Droplet Measurement Technologies
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

DC-8

Douglas DC-8

45 Campaigns · 182 Instruments

SEAC4RS

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

2013

North America including portions of Canada, Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico

view all deployment dates

· 20 Data Products

GRIP

Genesis and Rapid Intensification Processes

2010

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

view all deployment dates

· 24 Data Products

DC3

Deep Convective Clouds & Chemistry

2012

Northeastern Colorado, West Texas to Central Oklahoma, Northern Alabama

view all deployment dates

· 19 Data Products

ARCTAS

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

2008

Alaska, Western Canada, California

view all deployment dates

· 27 Data Products

NAMMA

NASA African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analyses

2006

Cape Verde Islands, Atlantic Ocean

view all deployment dates

· 22 Data Products

FIREX-AQ

Fire Influence on Regional to Global Environments and Air Quality

2019

Northwestern and Southeastern US

view all deployment dates

· 27 Data Products

AEROMMA

Atmospheric Emissions and Reactions Observed from Megacities to Marine Areas

2023

Urban regions across the western and eastern United States

view all deployment dates

· 0 Data Products

SARP

Student Airborne Research Program

2009—2026

Southern California, Virginia

Ongoing

view all deployment dates

Deployment Dates

Start Date	End Date
2025-06-15	2025-08-02
2025-06-22	2025-08-09
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

· 25 Data Products

ASIA-AQ

Airborne and Satellite Investigation of Asian Air Quality

2024

East and Southeast Asia, Philippines, South Korea, Thailand

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· 8 Data Products

Citation

Cessna Citation II

10 Campaigns · 25 Instruments

MC3E

Mid-latitude Continental Convective Clouds Experiment

2011

Central Oklahoma, Southern Plains

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· 34 Data Products

P-3

P-3 Orion

30 Campaigns · 153 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

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· 77 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

SARP

Student Airborne Research Program

2009—2026

Southern California, Virginia

Ongoing

view all deployment dates

Deployment Dates

Start Date	End Date
2025-06-15	2025-08-02
2025-06-22	2025-08-09
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

· 25 Data Products

ARCSIX

Arctic Radiation-Cloud-Aerosol-Surface Interaction EXperiment

2024

Greenland, Arctic Ocean

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· 13 Data Products

SaSa

Student Airborne Science Activation Program

2022

Mid-Atlantic, Wallops Flight Facility

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· 0 Data Products

CalNex

California Research at the Nexus of Air Quality and Climate Change

2010

California

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· 0 Data Products

G-V

Gulfstream-V

8 Campaigns · 38 Instruments

ACCLIP

Asian Summer Monsoon Chemical & Climate Impact Project

2022

West Pacific, South Korea

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· 8 Data Products

DC3

Deep Convective Clouds & Chemistry

2012

Northeastern Colorado, West Texas to Central Oklahoma, Northern Alabama

view all deployment dates

· 19 Data Products

C-130

C-130 Hercules

17 Campaigns · 96 Instruments

NAAMES

North Atlantic Aerosols and Marine Ecosystems Study

2015—2018

Northwestern Atlantic Ocean

view all deployment dates

· 13 Data Products

Twin Otter

DeHavilland DHC-6-300 Twin Otter

23 Campaigns · 85 Instruments

FIREX-AQ

Fire Influence on Regional to Global Environments and Air Quality

2019

Northwestern and Southeastern US

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· 27 Data Products

PACE-PAX

Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem Postlaunch Airborne eXperiment

2024

Southern and Central California

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· 14 Data Products

MILAGRO

Megacity Initiative: Local and Global Research Observations

2006

Mexico City Metropolitan Area

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· 0 Data Products

Vehicle

21 Campaigns · 68 Instruments

FIREX-AQ

Fire Influence on Regional to Global Environments and Air Quality

2019

Northwestern and Southeastern US

view all deployment dates

· 27 Data Products

G-1

Gulfstream-159

4 Campaigns · 45 Instruments

CalWater

2015

California, Sierra Nevada Range

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· 0 Data Products

CARES

Carbonaceous Aerosol and Radiative Effects Study

2010

Central Valley, California

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· 0 Data Products

ER-2

NASA Earth Resources-2 Aircraft

63 Campaigns · 109 Instruments

AASE

Airborne Arctic Stratospheric Expedition

1988—1992

Arctic

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· 0 Data Products

Falcon

Dassault Falcon 20-E5

6 Campaigns · 44 Instruments

DC3

Deep Convective Clouds & Chemistry

2012

Northeastern Colorado, West Texas to Central Oklahoma, Northern Alabama

view all deployment dates

· 19 Data Products

Image of a FLUXNET tower in Harvard Forests, Maine

Permanent Land Site

Stationary

63 Campaigns · 100 Instruments

PACE-PAX

Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem Postlaunch Airborne eXperiment

2024

Southern and Central California

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· 14 Data Products

Global Hawk

5 Campaigns · 30 Instruments

GloPac

Global Hawk Pacific

2010

Northern Pacific Ocean, Arctic Ocean

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· 0 Data Products

Field Site

Stationary

76 Campaigns · 175 Instruments

CalNex

California Research at the Nexus of Air Quality and Climate Change

2010

California

view all deployment dates

· 0 Data Products

WB-57

NASA WB-57

17 Campaigns · 84 Instruments

ACCLIP

Asian Summer Monsoon Chemical & Climate Impact Project

2022

West Pacific, South Korea

view all deployment dates

· 8 Data Products

B-200

Beechcraft B-200 King Air

39 Campaigns · 84 Instruments

DEVOTE

Development and Evaluation of satellite ValidatiOn Tools by Experimenters

2011

Eastern and Southeastern United States

view all deployment dates

· 5 Data Products

Data Products

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

Campaigns

Platforms

Formats

DC3 In-Situ NSF/NCAR GV-HIAPER Aerosol Data10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/DC3_Aerosol_AircraftInSitu_NSF-GV-HIAPER_Data_1

CampaignsDeep Convective Clouds & Chemistry

PlatformsGulfstream-V

DC3 In-Situ NSF/NCAR GV-HIAPER Cloud Data10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/DC3_Cloud_AircraftInSitu_NSF-GV-HIAPER_Data_1

CampaignsDeep Convective Clouds & Chemistry

PlatformsGulfstream-V

DC3 In-Situ NSF/NCAR GV-HIAPER Meteorological and Navigational Datahttps://doi.org/10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/DC3_MetNav_AircraftInSitu_NSF-GV-HIAPER_Data_1

CampaignsDeep Convective Clouds & Chemistry

PlatformsGulfstream-V

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

CampaignsNASA African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analyses

PlatformsDouglas DC-8

DC3 In-Situ DC-8 Aircraft Aerosol Datahttps://doi.org/10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/DC3_Aerosol_AircraftInSitu_DC8_Data_1

CampaignsDeep Convective Clouds & Chemistry

PlatformsDouglas DC-8

GPM GROUND VALIDATION UND CITATION CLOUD MICROPHYSICS MC3E V1http://dx.doi.org/10.5067/GPMGV/MC3E/MULTIPLE/DATA201

CampaignsMid-latitude Continental Convective Clouds Experiment

PlatformsCessna Citation II

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

FIREX-AQ NOAA-CHEM Twin Otter In Situ Aerosol Data10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/FIREXAQ_Aerosol_AircraftInSitu_N48_Data_1

CampaignsFire Influence on Regional to Global Environments and Air Quality

PlatformsDeHavilland DHC-6-300 Twin Otter

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

PlatformsVehicle

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

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

NAAMES C-130 Aerosol In Situ , Version 110.5067/ASDC/NAAMES_Aerosol_AircraftInSitu_Data_1

CampaignsNorth Atlantic Aerosols and Marine Ecosystems Study

PlatformsC-130 Hercules

FormatsICARTT

ACCLIP WB-57 Aircraft In-Situ Aerosol Data10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/ACCLIP_Aerosol_AircraftInSitu_WB57_Data_1

CampaignsAsian Summer Monsoon Chemical & Climate Impact Project

PlatformsNASA WB-57

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

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

ASIA-AQ DC-8 In-Situ Aerosol Data10.5067/SUBORBITAL/ASIA-AQ/DATA001/DC8/Aerosol_AircraftInSitu_1

CampaignsAirborne and Satellite Investigation of Asian Air Quality

PlatformsDouglas DC-8

FormatsICARTT, JPEG

ARCSIX P-3B In-Situ Aerosol Data10.5067/SUBORBITAL/ARCSIX/DATA001/P3B/Aerosol_AircraftInSitu_1

CampaignsArctic Radiation-Cloud-Aerosol-Surface Interaction EXperiment

PlatformsP-3 Orion

FormatsICARTT

PACE-PAX CIRPAS Twin Otter In-Situ Aerosol Data10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/PACE-PAX/CIRPAS-TO/LARGE-Aerosol_AircraftInsitu_1

CampaignsPlankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem Postlaunch Airborne eXperiment

PlatformsDeHavilland DHC-6-300 Twin Otter

FormatsICARTT

PACE-PAX Marina Tower In-Situ Aerosol Data10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/PACE-PAX/Marina-Tower/LARGE-Aerosol_1

CampaignsPlankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem Postlaunch Airborne eXperiment

PlatformsPermanent Land Site

FormatsICARTT

SARP 2013 Data10.5067/SUBORBITAL/SARP/DATA001/2013

CampaignsStudent Airborne Research Program

PlatformsDouglas DC-8

FormatsICARTT

SARP 2014 Data10.5067/SUBORBITAL/SARP/DATA001/2014

CampaignsStudent Airborne Research Program

PlatformsDouglas DC-8

FormatsICARTT

SARP 2015 Data10.5067/SUBORBITAL/SARP/DATA001/2015

CampaignsStudent Airborne Research Program

PlatformsDouglas DC-8

FormatsICARTT

SARP 2024 Data10.5067/SUBORBITAL/SARP/DATA001/2024

CampaignsStudent Airborne Research Program

PlatformsBeechcraft B-200 King Air, P-3 Orion

FormatsICARTT, KML

ATom: Ultra-High Sensitivity Aerosol Spectrometer Calibration and Performance Data10.3334/ORNLDAAC/1619

CampaignsAtmospheric Tomography Mission

PlatformsDouglas DC-8

FormatsCSV

ASIA-AQ DC-8 In-Situ Cloud Data10.5067/SUBORBITAL/ASIA-AQ/DATA001/DC8/Cloud_AircraftInSitu_1

CampaignsAirborne and Satellite Investigation of Asian Air Quality

PlatformsDouglas DC-8

FormatsICARTT

DEVOTE B-200 Aircraft In-Situ Aerosol Data10.5067/ASDC/SUBORBITAL/DEVOTE_Aerosol_AircraftInSitu_B200_Data_1

CampaignsDevelopment and Evaluation of satellite ValidatiOn Tools by Experimenters

PlatformsBeechcraft B-200 King Air

UHSASUltra-High Sensitivity Aerosol Spectrometer

Overview

Instrument Details

Instrument Operation

Data Products

UHSAS
Ultra-High Sensitivity Aerosol Spectrometer