DC-8
Douglas DC-8

This data will be added in future versions

If instrument model information is not available, can use this instrument entry for temperature, pressues, wind speed, wind direction, humidity

The Conical Scanning Millimeter-wave Imaging Radiometer (CoSMIR) is an airborne imaging radiometer that was developed to validate the Special Sensor Microwave Imager/Sounder (SSMIS) instrument. CoSMIR operates across 9 spectral channels in the 50-183 GHz range to measure microwave brightness temperature. At nadir, CoSMIR has a surface footprint resolution of 1.4 km x 1.4 km at an altitude of 20 km. It has the ability to perform both conical and cross-tracking scanning.

The Airborne Second Generation Precipitation Radar, also known as the APR-2, was built as a prototype for a future spaceborne precipitation radar. It operates at 2 frequencies (13 and 35 GHz) and its primary derived measurements are radar reflectivity and doppler velocity. It is also capable of measuring linear depolarization ratio (LDR).

This data will be added in future versions

The Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AIRSAR) was an all-weather imaging tool able to penetrate through clouds and collect data at night. The longer wavelengths could also penetrate into the forest canopy and in extremely dry areas, through thin sand cover and dry snow pack. AIRSAR was designed and built by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) which also manages the AIRSAR project. AIRSAR served as a NASA radar technology testbed for demonstrating new radar technology and acquiring data for the development of radar processing techniques and applications. As part of NASA’s Earth Science Enterprise, AIRSAR first flew in 1988, and flew its last mission in 2004.

The Aerosol Optical Properties (AOP) is a suite consisting of three instruments: a cavity ringdown (CRD) aerosol extinction spectrometer, a photoacoustic absorption spectrometer (PAS), and an ultra-high sensitivity aerosol size spectrometer (UHSAS). This suite measures aerosol absorption and extinction, and can also characterize black carbon optics. AOP was designed to provide quick and accurate measurements of aerosols with stability while aboard an aircraft.

The Particle Analysis by Laser Mass Spectrometry (PALMS) is a laser ionization mass spectrometer owned and operated by NOAA. PALMS provides in situ measurements of aerosol particles and their chemical composition by using a pulse from a UV laser (193 nm) to generate ions. These ions are then analyzed with a time-of-flight mass spectrometer to provide the mass spectrum of each particle which can be used to classify the individual aerosol particles. PALMS has an aerosol size range of 0.2 to 3 microns and has a typical data rate around 1 to 10 Hz. It can be utilized for either airborne or laboratory measurements of aerosols.

The Atmospheric Vertical Observations of CO2 in the Earth’s Troposphere (AVOCET) is an airborne in situ spectrometer developed by NASA’s Langley Research Center (LaRC). AVOCET uses a differential, non-dispersive infrared spectrometer to provide high resolution measurements of carbon dioxide (CO2). It operates at the 4.26 μm CO2 absorption band and has a measurement frequency of 5 Hz. AVOCET has been deployed in several field investigations since the early 1990s and has participated in over 450 science flights.

This data will be added in future versions

The Polarized Imaging Nephelometer is an in situ instrument designed and built at the Laboratory for Aerosols, Clouds and Optics (LACO) at the University of Maryland Baltimore County for the measurement of components of the aerosol phase matrix in high angular resolution between 2 to 178 deg scattering angles. The measured phase matrix provides extensive characterization of the scattering properties of the studied aerosols allowing for a very comprehensive set of aerosol scattering parameters. These measurements are essential for the validation of the new generation of aerosol remote sensors like the APS polarimeter in the Glory satellite, and for the construction of accurate models of real aerosol particles, specially the non-spherical ones.

The Differential aerosol sizing and hygroscopicity (DASH) probe is used to study aerosols in the atmosphere. It can take measurements of aerosol sub-saturated hygroscopic growth factors. It also can measure the real part of the aerosol refractive index.

The Single Particle Soot Photometer (SP2) is laser-induced photometer manufactured by Droplet Measurement Technologies. SP2 provides measurements of black carbon (BC) mass content of individual aerosol particles as well as the optical and physical properties of the particles containing BC. SP2 can be utilized on airborne or ground-based platforms and can be deployed with a paired Humidified-Dual SP2 (HD-SP2). It can detect aerosol particles with a diameter size of 200-400 nm and can measure 25,000 particles/second.

Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) - High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) implements both the DIAL and HSRL systems to measure both ozone and aerosol profiles simultaneously. The HSRL modification to the DIAL adds an additional 3-wavelength (355 nm, 532 nm, 1064 nm) narrowband laser and receiver to measure aerosol backscatter, extinction, and depolarization. The aerosol optical depth measurements along the flight track are also calculated due to the aerosol extinction profiles below and above the aircraft.

The HR-AMS is an upgraded version of Aerodyne’s AMS instrument. HR-AMS has a high spatial resolution and a time-of-flight measurement technique. HR-AMS is a mass spectrometer that measures aerosols in the troposphere.

The Georgia Institute of Technology Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometer (GT-CIMS) is an in situ airborne spectrometer. It uses a lower pressure flow tube reactor to measure reactive nitrogen species such as nitric acid and peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) in the lower atmosphere. GT-CIMS has a typical temporal resolution of 1 second and has a detection limit of 10 pptv.

The Thermal-Dissociation Laser Induced Fluorescence (TD-LIF) is an in situ airborne sensor developed at UC Berkeley. It uses a combination of the TD and LIF techniques to measure nitrogen dioxide (NO2), peroxynitrates, nitric acid (HNO3), and other stable organic nitrates in the atmosphere. TD-LIF operates at the 585 nm wavelength and has a typical measurement frequency of 1 Hz.

The Whole Air Sampler (WAS) is an airborne in-situ instrument that collects samples of air for analysis of trace gasses, such as nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHCs), Halocarbons, Alkyl Nitrates, and various sulfur compounds that are present in the troposphere. Air samples collected via the WAS then undergo gas chromatography and mass spectrometry to determine which gasses are present in the sample. The WAS collects samples every minute, which enables scientists to get a clear picture of the chemical composition of the environment as research aircraft pass through.

The PTR-MS is a mass spectrometer designed by the University of Innsbruck in Austria. It detects volatile organic compounds quickly and is highly sensitive so it can detect compounds in the pptv range. It has flown in many campaigns studying atmospheric chemistry in the troposphere.

The Solar Spectral Flux Radiometer (SSFR) is an airborne radiometer developed by the Ames Atmospheric Radiation Group. It provides remotely-sensed measurements of solar spectral irradiance in the troposphere. SSFR operates across the 300-2150 nm wavelength range and has a spectral resolution of 8-12 nm. It has a typical data collection rate of 1 Hz and has a radiometric accuracy of 3%.

The Soluble Acidic Gases and Aerosols (SAGA) is an in situ airborne sampler owned and operated by the University of New Hampshire. It uses a mist chamber and ion chromatography to collect and analyze select aerosol species. It can provide samples of nitric acid, chloride, sulfates, nitrates, chloride, sodium, potassium, ammonium, and calcium. SAGA has a typical sampling frequency of 5 to 15 minutes and has a detection limit of 1 to 25 pptv depending on the sampled species.

Broadband Radiometers (BBR) are modified versions of the Kipp & Zonen CM-22 pyranometers and CG-4 pyrgeometers. They have been modified to be more suitable for airborne platforms through different instrument housing and signal amplification. BBR measures solar irradiance in the 0.2-3.6 μm wavelength range and infrared (IR) irradiance in the 4.5-42 μm range. These measurements can be used to derive net irradiance, radiative forcing, absorption, and albedo. It has a typical sampling rate of 1 Hz and a hemispheric field-of-view.

The CalTech Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometer (CIT-CIMS) is an in situ airborne single mass spectrometer. CIT-CIMS utilizes CF3O-ion chemistry and compact time-of-flight and triple quadrupole spectrometers to measure specific atmospheric trace gases such as nitric acid, hydrogen peroxide, and sulfur dioxide. It was designed with rapid scan capabilities, allowing it to operate at a high temporal resolution (10 Hz) and detect a wide mass range. CIT-CIMS is typically used for airborne observations, but it can be used for ground-based observations as well.

The High Volume Particle Sampler, also known as the High Volume Precipitation Spectrometer (HVPS), measures particle size distributions and obtains particle images in the size range of about 0.1 cm to 6 cm. It is an open-path instrument located on the outside of the aircraft, typically below the wing. A laser sheet throws a shadowgraph image of the hydrometeor (cloud droplets or ice crystals) in the sample volume on a photodiode array. As the hydrometeor moves through the sample volume, this optical array records the moving shape and a two-dimensional picture can be recorded. At an air speed of 100 m/s, the sample volume is 310 l/s. The recorded images can be analyzed for size distributions, number concentrations, and further cloud properties detailed below. Hydrometeors in the range of 0.3−19.2 mm can be fully recorded at a 150 μm resolution; larger particles can only be sized along the direction of flight. In order to keep the pixel resolution along the flight path constant, the system clock frequency is adjusted according to the detected True Air Speed (TAS) by the data system itself. The maximum clock frequency for the HVPS is 240 kHz. The HVPS data recorded during this project has 400 m m resolution along the flight path.

The Cloud Particle Imager (CPI) is an airborne imager manufactured by SPEC Inc. CPI collects high resolution (2.3 μm pixel size) images of cloud particles that pass through its sample volume. It uses a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera that operates at 810 nm to record images and can take up to 74 frames per second with a refresh rate of 40 Hz. The imagery from CPI can be used to derive microphysical properties such as particle size and habit.

The Spectrometers for Sky-Scanning, Sun-Tracking Atmospheric Research (4-STAR) is an airborne sun-sky spectrometer that measures direct solar irradiance and sky radiance. These measurements can be used to retrieve column-integrated information on aerosols, clouds, and trace gases such as aerosol optical depth, extinction, and single scattering albedo. 4-STAR operates in the 350-1650 nm wavelength range and has a typical horizontal resolution of about 100 m.

The Charged-couple device (CCD) Actinic Flux Spectroradiometer (CAFS) is an in situ airborne spectroradiometer developed by the Atmospheric Radiation Investigations and Measurements (ARIM) laboratory at NCAR. CAFS measures spectrally resolved ultraviolet and visible actinic flux between 280-650 nm. These measurements can be used to derive the photolysis frequencies for several chemical compounds such as ozone, nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde, and nitrate. CAFS has a temporal resolution of 1 Hz and a wavelength resolution of about 1.8 nm at 297 nm.

The Compact Atmospheric Multispecies Spectrometer (CAMS) is an in situ airborne spectrometer developed by the University of Colorado. CAMS uses mid-IR (3.53 μm) absorption spectroscopy to measure formaldehyde and ethane in the atmosphere. It utilizes difference-frequency generation (DFG) to produce the mid-IR light by mixing two near-IR (1562 and 1083 nm) laser sources. CAMS provides high precision measurements at a sampling frequency of 1 Hz.

The Diode Laser Hygrometer (DLH) is an in situ airborne hygrometer developed by NASA’s Langley Research Center (LaRC). It uses tunable diode laser absorption to measure water vapor in the atmosphere. DLH operates in the near-infrared region at around 1.4 μm and has a measurement frequency of 100 Hz. It has the capability to provide accurate measurements of water vapor even while flying through clouds.

The Differential Absorption Carbon monOxide Measurements (DACOM) is an airborne in situ spectrometer system. It uses the differential absorption technique and an infrared tunable diode laser (TDL) to collect measurements of nitrous oxide (N2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and methane (CH4) in the atmosphere. DACOM operates across the 4.7, 4.5, and 3.3 μm wavelengths to access the absorption lines for CO, N2O, and CH4. It has a measurement frequency of 5 Hz and has a precision of about 1 ppbv.

The In Situ Airborne Formaldehyde (ISAF) is an airborne optical sensor developed at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). ISAF uses laser induced fluorescence (LIF) to measure formaldehyde throughout the troposphere and lower stratosphere. It operates at the 353 nm wavelength and has a sampling frequency of 1 Hz. ISAF can measure formaldehyde concentrations ranging from 10 pptv to hundreds of ppbv at an accuracy of 10%.

The Langley Aerosol Research Group Experiment (LARGE) is an in situ airborne instrument suite that measures aerosol and cloud microphysical and optical properties such as size distribution, number concentration, and scattering and absorption coefficient. LARGE consists of multiple instruments including the Ultra-High Sensitivity Aerosol Spectrometer (UHSAS), Particle-Into-Liquid Sampler (PILS), Particle Soot Absorption Photometer (PSAP), Cloud and Aerosol Spectrometer (CAS), Cloud Imaging Probe (CIP), and additional cloud and aerosol sensors. The LARGE instruments operate across the 450-700 nm wavelength range, can detect particles in the size range between 0.003-20μm, and have a measurement frequency of 1 Hz. It is typically used for airborne measurements, but it also has capability to deployed on ground-based platforms such as vehicles.

The Airborne Second Generation Precipitation Radar, also known as the APR-2, was built as a prototype for a future spaceborne precipitation radar. It operates at 2 frequencies (13 and 35 GHz) and its primary derived measurements are radar reflectivity and doppler velocity. It is also capable of measuring linear depolarization ratio (LDR).

NOx/NOxy is an in situ chemiluminescence instrument. It provides measurements of nitrogen oxides and ozone in the atmosphere at a spatial resolution better than 100m for typical DC-8 research flight speeds. NOx/NOxy can be utilized on ground-based, airborne, and shipborne platforms allowing it to be used in various types of atmospheric chemistry and air quality studies.

The Meteorological Measurement System (MMS) is an in situ airborne instrument used for measuring atmospheric state parameters. MMS provides high resolution and accurate measurements of atmospheric pressure, temperature, and wind direction and speed immediately around the plane. Additional parameters can be derived such as potential temperature, true airspeed, turbulence dissipation rate, and Reynolds number. Measurements of all parameters are typically collected at a rate of 20 Hz.

The Fast Cloud Droplet Probe (FCDP) is an in-situ airborne cloud probe manufactured by SPEC Inc. FCDP measures the concentration and size of cloud droplets by detecting the amount of light scattered by the particles. It measures particles within the diameter size range of 1.5-50 microns and has a typical measurement frequency of 1 Hz.

The 2D-Stereo Particle Probe (2D-S) is an in situ airborne optical imaging probe developed by SPEC Inc. The 2D-S uses two diode laser beams to produce stereo cloud particle images through linear array shadowing. Through the imagery, cloud particle size distribution, particle number concentration, and ice/liquid water content can be determined. It has a resolution of 10 µm and can measure hydrometeors in the 25-1280 µm range.

The Cloud Aerosol and Precipitation Spectrometer (CAPS) is an in situ airborne spectrometer manufactured by Droplet Measurement Technologies. It combines the Cloud Imaging Probe (CIP), the Cloud and Aerosol Spectrometer (CAS), and the Hotwire Liquid Water Content (LWC) Sensor into one instrument. CAPS measures size distribution of aerosol, cloud, and liquid droplets for particles between the sizes of 50-1600 μm at a time resolution of 1 Hz. It can also record images of cloud particles and provide measurements of temperature, pressure and LWC.

a miniature, lightweight, low-power cloud particle spectrometer that measures droplets in the range of 2-50 µm in concentrations as high as 2000 particles/cm3

The Cloud Spectrometer and Impactor (CSI) combines the counterflow virtual impactor with a new lightweight cloud droplet probe to allow for detailed studies of total condensed water (TCW), liquid and ice, in clouds. The CSI can measure TCW from ~ 1 mg/m3 to several g/m3 depending on the configuration; in addition particle sizes from 2 to 50 μm are resolved with the droplet probe. The instrumentation can be mounted externally on most aircraft.

The Optical Particle Counter is an instrument based on the principle of light scattering from particles. It is a real time instrument that is typically used to measure particles above 0.05 μm in diameter.

The Precipitation and Imaging Probe (PIP) measures the concentration and records images of cloud particles from approximately 500-30000 microns in diameter with a resolution of 100 microns per pixel.

The Ultra-High Sensitivity Aerosol Spectrometer (UHSAS) is an in situ spectrometer manufactured by Droplet Measurement Technologies. It can be utilized on both airborne and ground-based platforms to measure aerosol size distribution and concentration. UHSAS determines the particle size by detecting the peak light signals of the aerosol particles which are illuminated by a 1054 nm laser. UHSAS can sample particles within the 60 - 1000 nm size range and has a sampling frequency of 10 Hz.

This data will be added in future versions

This data will be added in future versions.

The Condensation Nuclei Counter (CNC) is optical method for counting atmospheric aerosol particles.

A dropsondes or dropwindsondes are in situ instruments designed to be released from aircraft. They are equipped with Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers and sensors to collect profile measurements of pressure, temperature, humidity, wind speed, and direction. Dropsondes are important during field investigations because they allow researchers to collect vertical profiles in remote locations and during severe weather events. Dropsondes typically have a vertical resolution of 5 m and provide measurements of wind speed/direction every 0.25 seconds and temperature, pressure, and humidity every 0.5 seconds.

The Doppler Aerosol WiNd Lidar (DAWN) is an active remote, airborne lidar developed by NASA Langley Research Center. DAWN uses a pulsed, solid-state laser that operates at a wavelength of 2 micrometers to detect aerosol backscatter in the atmosphere. DAWN can also provide vertical profiles of the horizontal winds below the aircraft and of the line of sight winds at each azimuth angle. Typically, DAWN provides profiles at a resolution of 60 m and emits a pulse at a rate of 10 Hz.

The Langley Aerosol Research Group Experiment (LARGE) is an in situ airborne instrument suite that measures aerosol and cloud microphysical and optical properties such as size distribution, number concentration, and scattering and absorption coefficient. LARGE consists of multiple instruments including the Ultra-High Sensitivity Aerosol Spectrometer (UHSAS), Particle-Into-Liquid Sampler (PILS), Particle Soot Absorption Photometer (PSAP), Cloud and Aerosol Spectrometer (CAS), Cloud Imaging Probe (CIP), and additional cloud and aerosol sensors. The LARGE instruments operate across the 450-700 nm wavelength range, can detect particles in the size range between 0.003-20μm, and have a measurement frequency of 1 Hz. It is typically used for airborne measurements, but it also has capability to deployed on ground-based platforms such as vehicles.

The Airborne Second Generation Precipitation Radar, also known as the APR-2, was built as a prototype for a future spaceborne precipitation radar. It operates at 2 frequencies (13 and 35 GHz) and its primary derived measurements are radar reflectivity and doppler velocity. It is also capable of measuring linear depolarization ratio (LDR).

The Lidar Atmospheric Sensing Experiment (LASE) is an airborne lidar system developed at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC). LASE uses the differential absorption lidar technique to provide profile measurements of water vapor and aerosols in the atmosphere. LASE operates at the 815 nm wavelength and has a measurement frequency of 5 Hz. For aerosol scattering profiles, LASE has a horizontal resolution of 200m and a vertical resolution of 30m. It has a horizontal resolution of 5 km and a vertical resolution of 0.2 km for water vapor measurements.

The Meteorological Measurement System (MMS) is an in situ airborne instrument used for measuring atmospheric state parameters. MMS provides high resolution and accurate measurements of atmospheric pressure, temperature, and wind direction and speed immediately around the plane. Additional parameters can be derived such as potential temperature, true airspeed, turbulence dissipation rate, and Reynolds number. Measurements of all parameters are typically collected at a rate of 20 Hz.

Nephelometers are an in situ airborne or ground-based optical sensor. 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.

The Aerosol Optical Properties (AOP) is a suite consisting of three instruments: a cavity ringdown (CRD) aerosol extinction spectrometer, a photoacoustic absorption spectrometer (PAS), and an ultra-high sensitivity aerosol size spectrometer (UHSAS). This suite measures aerosol absorption and extinction, and can also characterize black carbon optics. AOP was designed to provide quick and accurate measurements of aerosols with stability while aboard an aircraft.

The Particle Analysis by Laser Mass Spectrometry (PALMS) is a laser ionization mass spectrometer owned and operated by NOAA. PALMS provides in situ measurements of aerosol particles and their chemical composition by using a pulse from a UV laser (193 nm) to generate ions. These ions are then analyzed with a time-of-flight mass spectrometer to provide the mass spectrum of each particle which can be used to classify the individual aerosol particles. PALMS has an aerosol size range of 0.2 to 3 microns and has a typical data rate around 1 to 10 Hz. It can be utilized for either airborne or laboratory measurements of aerosols.

The Atmospheric Vertical Observations of CO2 in the Earth’s Troposphere (AVOCET) is an airborne in situ spectrometer developed by NASA’s Langley Research Center (LaRC). AVOCET uses a differential, non-dispersive infrared spectrometer to provide high resolution measurements of carbon dioxide (CO2). It operates at the 4.26 μm CO2 absorption band and has a measurement frequency of 5 Hz. AVOCET has been deployed in several field investigations since the early 1990s and has participated in over 450 science flights.

The Polarized Imaging Nephelometer is an in situ instrument designed and built at the Laboratory for Aerosols, Clouds and Optics (LACO) at the University of Maryland Baltimore County for the measurement of components of the aerosol phase matrix in high angular resolution between 2 to 178 deg scattering angles. The measured phase matrix provides extensive characterization of the scattering properties of the studied aerosols allowing for a very comprehensive set of aerosol scattering parameters. These measurements are essential for the validation of the new generation of aerosol remote sensors like the APS polarimeter in the Glory satellite, and for the construction of accurate models of real aerosol particles, specially the non-spherical ones.

The Differential aerosol sizing and hygroscopicity (DASH) probe is used to study aerosols in the atmosphere. It can take measurements of aerosol sub-saturated hygroscopic growth factors. It also can measure the real part of the aerosol refractive index.

The Difference Frequency Generation Absorption Spectrometer is an instrument designed to measure formaldehyde in the atmosphere. It measures the gas using an infrared laser. The instrument uses two lasers that operate at 1562nm and 1083nm. The instrument was used in multiple campaigns, and has since been replaced by the Compact Atmospheric Multispecies Spectrometer (CAMS).

The Single Particle Soot Photometer (SP2) is laser-induced photometer manufactured by Droplet Measurement Technologies. SP2 provides measurements of black carbon (BC) mass content of individual aerosol particles as well as the optical and physical properties of the particles containing BC. SP2 can be utilized on airborne or ground-based platforms and can be deployed with a paired Humidified-Dual SP2 (HD-SP2). It can detect aerosol particles with a diameter size of 200-400 nm and can measure 25,000 particles/second.

Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) - High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) implements both the DIAL and HSRL systems to measure both ozone and aerosol profiles simultaneously. The HSRL modification to the DIAL adds an additional 3-wavelength (355 nm, 532 nm, 1064 nm) narrowband laser and receiver to measure aerosol backscatter, extinction, and depolarization. The aerosol optical depth measurements along the flight track are also calculated due to the aerosol extinction profiles below and above the aircraft.

The Georgia Institute of Technology Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometer (GT-CIMS) is an in situ airborne spectrometer. It uses a lower pressure flow tube reactor to measure reactive nitrogen species such as nitric acid and peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) in the lower atmosphere. GT-CIMS has a typical temporal resolution of 1 second and has a detection limit of 10 pptv.

This data will be added in future versions

The Thermal-Dissociation Laser Induced Fluorescence (TD-LIF) is an in situ airborne sensor developed at UC Berkeley. It uses a combination of the TD and LIF techniques to measure nitrogen dioxide (NO2), peroxynitrates, nitric acid (HNO3), and other stable organic nitrates in the atmosphere. TD-LIF operates at the 585 nm wavelength and has a typical measurement frequency of 1 Hz.

The Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (AMS) is a spectrometer that measures the chemical composition and properties of sub-micron aerosol particles. AMS has a maximum data collection of 100 Hz and can detect particles with a size range of 40 nm to 1 micron. It operates by switching between mass spectrum (MS) mode and particle time-of-flight (PToF) mode in order to determine the chemical make-up of aerosol samples. The AMS can be deployed on aircraft, ships, mobile laboratories, or placed directly at a field site.

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.

The Whole Air Sampler (WAS) is an airborne in-situ instrument that collects samples of air for analysis of trace gasses, such as nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHCs), Halocarbons, Alkyl Nitrates, and various sulfur compounds that are present in the troposphere. Air samples collected via the WAS then undergo gas chromatography and mass spectrometry to determine which gasses are present in the sample. The WAS collects samples every minute, which enables scientists to get a clear picture of the chemical composition of the environment as research aircraft pass through.

The PTR-MS is a mass spectrometer designed by the University of Innsbruck in Austria. It detects volatile organic compounds quickly and is highly sensitive so it can detect compounds in the pptv range. It has flown in many campaigns studying atmospheric chemistry in the troposphere.

If instrument mode or detailed specification information is not available, can use this entry for spectrometers of various types. A spectrometer is an instrument that measures a range of a characteristic for a given substance or wavelength. There are many different types of spectrometers. Some examples are mass spectrometers, spectrophotometers, and magnetic radiation spectrometers.

The Solar Spectral Flux Radiometer (SSFR) is an airborne radiometer developed by the Ames Atmospheric Radiation Group. It provides remotely-sensed measurements of solar spectral irradiance in the troposphere. SSFR operates across the 300-2150 nm wavelength range and has a spectral resolution of 8-12 nm. It has a typical data collection rate of 1 Hz and has a radiometric accuracy of 3%.

The Soluble Acidic Gases and Aerosols (SAGA) is an in situ airborne sampler owned and operated by the University of New Hampshire. It uses a mist chamber and ion chromatography to collect and analyze select aerosol species. It can provide samples of nitric acid, chloride, sulfates, nitrates, chloride, sodium, potassium, ammonium, and calcium. SAGA has a typical sampling frequency of 5 to 15 minutes and has a detection limit of 1 to 25 pptv depending on the sampled species.

The Ultra-High Sensitivity Aerosol Spectrometer (UHSAS) is an in situ spectrometer manufactured by Droplet Measurement Technologies. It can be utilized on both airborne and ground-based platforms to measure aerosol size distribution and concentration. UHSAS determines the particle size by detecting the peak light signals of the aerosol particles which are illuminated by a 1054 nm laser. UHSAS can sample particles within the 60 - 1000 nm size range and has a sampling frequency of 10 Hz.

Broadband Radiometers (BBR) are modified versions of the Kipp & Zonen CM-22 pyranometers and CG-4 pyrgeometers. They have been modified to be more suitable for airborne platforms through different instrument housing and signal amplification. BBR measures solar irradiance in the 0.2-3.6 μm wavelength range and infrared (IR) irradiance in the 4.5-42 μm range. These measurements can be used to derive net irradiance, radiative forcing, absorption, and albedo. It has a typical sampling rate of 1 Hz and a hemispheric field-of-view.

The Airborne Tropospheric Hydrogen Oxides Sensor (ATHOS) is an in situ airborne sensor developed by Penn State University. ATHOS uses a laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) technique to measure hydroxide (OH) and hydroperoxyl (HO2) in the atmosphere. ATHOS operates near the 308 nm wavelength, has a pulse repetition frequency of 3 kHz, and has a typical time resolution of 20-30 s. It was designed to be equipped on NASA’s DC-8 aircraft and can collect measurements of OH and HO2 in clear sky and light cloud conditions.

The CalTech Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometer (CIT-CIMS) is an in situ airborne single mass spectrometer. CIT-CIMS utilizes CF3O-ion chemistry and compact time-of-flight and triple quadrupole spectrometers to measure specific atmospheric trace gases such as nitric acid, hydrogen peroxide, and sulfur dioxide. It was designed with rapid scan capabilities, allowing it to operate at a high temporal resolution (10 Hz) and detect a wide mass range. CIT-CIMS is typically used for airborne observations, but it can be used for ground-based observations as well.

The Condensation Nuclei Counter (CNC) is optical method for counting atmospheric aerosol particles.

The Charged-couple device (CCD) Actinic Flux Spectroradiometer (CAFS) is an in situ airborne spectroradiometer developed by the Atmospheric Radiation Investigations and Measurements (ARIM) laboratory at NCAR. CAFS measures spectrally resolved ultraviolet and visible actinic flux between 280-650 nm. These measurements can be used to derive the photolysis frequencies for several chemical compounds such as ozone, nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde, and nitrate. CAFS has a temporal resolution of 1 Hz and a wavelength resolution of about 1.8 nm at 297 nm.

The Diode Laser Hygrometer (DLH) is an in situ airborne hygrometer developed by NASA’s Langley Research Center (LaRC). It uses tunable diode laser absorption to measure water vapor in the atmosphere. DLH operates in the near-infrared region at around 1.4 μm and has a measurement frequency of 100 Hz. It has the capability to provide accurate measurements of water vapor even while flying through clouds.

The Differential Absorption Carbon monOxide Measurements (DACOM) is an airborne in situ spectrometer system. It uses the differential absorption technique and an infrared tunable diode laser (TDL) to collect measurements of nitrous oxide (N2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and methane (CH4) in the atmosphere. DACOM operates across the 4.7, 4.5, and 3.3 μm wavelengths to access the absorption lines for CO, N2O, and CH4. It has a measurement frequency of 5 Hz and has a precision of about 1 ppbv.

The In Situ Airborne Formaldehyde (ISAF) is an airborne optical sensor developed at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). ISAF uses laser induced fluorescence (LIF) to measure formaldehyde throughout the troposphere and lower stratosphere. It operates at the 353 nm wavelength and has a sampling frequency of 1 Hz. ISAF can measure formaldehyde concentrations ranging from 10 pptv to hundreds of ppbv at an accuracy of 10%.

The Langley Aerosol Research Group Experiment (LARGE) is an in situ airborne instrument suite that measures aerosol and cloud microphysical and optical properties such as size distribution, number concentration, and scattering and absorption coefficient. LARGE consists of multiple instruments including the Ultra-High Sensitivity Aerosol Spectrometer (UHSAS), Particle-Into-Liquid Sampler (PILS), Particle Soot Absorption Photometer (PSAP), Cloud and Aerosol Spectrometer (CAS), Cloud Imaging Probe (CIP), and additional cloud and aerosol sensors. The LARGE instruments operate across the 450-700 nm wavelength range, can detect particles in the size range between 0.003-20μm, and have a measurement frequency of 1 Hz. It is typically used for airborne measurements, but it also has capability to deployed on ground-based platforms such as vehicles.

NOx/NOxy is an in situ chemiluminescence instrument. It provides measurements of nitrogen oxides and ozone in the atmosphere at a spatial resolution better than 100m for typical DC-8 research flight speeds. NOx/NOxy can be utilized on ground-based, airborne, and shipborne platforms allowing it to be used in various types of atmospheric chemistry and air quality studies.

The Meteorological Measurement System (MMS) is an in situ airborne instrument used for measuring atmospheric state parameters. MMS provides high resolution and accurate measurements of atmospheric pressure, temperature, and wind direction and speed immediately around the plane. Additional parameters can be derived such as potential temperature, true airspeed, turbulence dissipation rate, and Reynolds number. Measurements of all parameters are typically collected at a rate of 20 Hz.

The 2D-Stereo Particle Probe (2D-S) is an in situ airborne optical imaging probe developed by SPEC Inc. The 2D-S uses two diode laser beams to produce stereo cloud particle images through linear array shadowing. Through the imagery, cloud particle size distribution, particle number concentration, and ice/liquid water content can be determined. It has a resolution of 10 µm and can measure hydrometeors in the 25-1280 µm range.

Measurements of Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Over Northwestern North America is a differential, non-dispersive, infrared (NDIR) gas analyzer. The CO2 measurements are based on the difference in absorption of infrared(IR) radiation passing through two gas sampling cells. The reference cell is used for a gas of known CO2 concentration, and the sample cell is used for agas of unknown concentration. Infrared radiation is transmitted through both cell paths, and the output of the analyzer is proportional to the difference in absorption between the two.

The Particle Into Liquid Sampler (PILS) is an in situ aerosol sampler manufactured by Brechtel Manufacturing Inc. PILS can be utilized by both ground-based and airborne platforms to collect continuous measurements of ambient aerosol bulk composition. The particles sampled by PILS are mixed with saturated water vapor to product droplets that are analyzed by either an ion chromatograph (IC) or total organic carbon detector (TOC). PILS can measure aerosol particles with a size range of 70 nm to 2.5 μm and has a time resolution of 3 min for airborne measurements and 15 min for ground-based.

The HR-AMS is an upgraded version of Aerodyne’s AMS instrument. HR-AMS has a high spatial resolution and a time-of-flight measurement technique. HR-AMS is a mass spectrometer that measures aerosols in the troposphere.

The GC-MS instrument is a combination of two instruments: a gas chromatograph and a mass spectrometer. It is used on airborne platforms to study atmospheric chemistry, specifically non-methane halocarbons and volatile organic compounds.

If instrument name or model is not available but documents show that specific chemical compounds or constituents or their properties were observed, can use instrument entry. Examples include: CO, CO2, NO, NO2, N2O, HNO3, HNO4, OH, H2SO4, CH3CN, O3, H2O, halocarbons, VOCs, nitrates, aerosols (including CCN), aerosol optical properties, etc...

The Georgia Institute of Technology Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometer (GT-CIMS) is an in situ airborne spectrometer. It uses a lower pressure flow tube reactor to measure reactive nitrogen species such as nitric acid and peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) in the lower atmosphere. GT-CIMS has a typical temporal resolution of 1 second and has a detection limit of 10 pptv.

The Thermal-Dissociation Laser Induced Fluorescence (TD-LIF) is an in situ airborne sensor developed at UC Berkeley. It uses a combination of the TD and LIF techniques to measure nitrogen dioxide (NO2), peroxynitrates, nitric acid (HNO3), and other stable organic nitrates in the atmosphere. TD-LIF operates at the 585 nm wavelength and has a typical measurement frequency of 1 Hz.

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The Whole Air Sampler (WAS) is an airborne in-situ instrument that collects samples of air for analysis of trace gasses, such as nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHCs), Halocarbons, Alkyl Nitrates, and various sulfur compounds that are present in the troposphere. Air samples collected via the WAS then undergo gas chromatography and mass spectrometry to determine which gasses are present in the sample. The WAS collects samples every minute, which enables scientists to get a clear picture of the chemical composition of the environment as research aircraft pass through.

The PTR-MS is a mass spectrometer designed by the University of Innsbruck in Austria. It detects volatile organic compounds quickly and is highly sensitive so it can detect compounds in the pptv range. It has flown in many campaigns studying atmospheric chemistry in the troposphere.

If instrument mode or detailed specification information is not available, can use this entry for spectrometers of various types. A spectrometer is an instrument that measures a range of a characteristic for a given substance or wavelength. There are many different types of spectrometers. Some examples are mass spectrometers, spectrophotometers, and magnetic radiation spectrometers.

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A TUNABLE DIODE LASER is a solid-state laser in which as lasing is achieved by passing an injection current through the active region of a semiconductor across the p-n junction; tunable meaning it is used with a technique based upon the measurement of light absorption upon irrigating a sample using a tunable laser source.

The Airborne Tropospheric Hydrogen Oxides Sensor (ATHOS) is an in situ airborne sensor developed by Penn State University. ATHOS uses a laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) technique to measure hydroxide (OH) and hydroperoxyl (HO2) in the atmosphere. ATHOS operates near the 308 nm wavelength, has a pulse repetition frequency of 3 kHz, and has a typical time resolution of 20-30 s. It was designed to be equipped on NASA’s DC-8 aircraft and can collect measurements of OH and HO2 in clear sky and light cloud conditions.

The CalTech Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometer (CIT-CIMS) is an in situ airborne single mass spectrometer. CIT-CIMS utilizes CF3O-ion chemistry and compact time-of-flight and triple quadrupole spectrometers to measure specific atmospheric trace gases such as nitric acid, hydrogen peroxide, and sulfur dioxide. It was designed with rapid scan capabilities, allowing it to operate at a high temporal resolution (10 Hz) and detect a wide mass range. CIT-CIMS is typically used for airborne observations, but it can be used for ground-based observations as well.

The Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) is an airborne lidar system designed at NASA’s Langley Research Center (LaRC). It uses four lasers to detect lidar backscatter to provide profile measurements of ozone and aerosols in the atmosphere. DIAL operates in the ultraviolet (289-300 nm) for ozone measurements and operates in the visible (572-600 nm) and infrared (1064 nm) for aerosols. It has a horizontal spatial resolution of approximately 15 km and has a measurement accuracy of 5 ppbv.

The Condensation Nuclei Counter (CNC) is optical method for counting atmospheric aerosol particles.

Aethalometer is an in situ aerosol instrument manufactured by Magee Scientific that can be deployed on either airborne or ground-based platforms. It samples aerosols through a filter tape and measures the attenuation of transmitted light to determine concentration of black carbon particles. The Aethalometer operates across seven optical wavelengths (370, 470, 520, 590, 660, 880 and 950 nm) and can provide data at a rate of 1 Hz. It has a measurement range of 0-500 μg per cubic meter and a resolution of 0.1 μg per cubic meter.

Nephelometers are an in situ airborne or ground-based optical sensor. 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.

The Cloud Aerosol and Precipitation Spectrometer (CAPS) is an in situ airborne spectrometer manufactured by Droplet Measurement Technologies. It combines the Cloud Imaging Probe (CIP), the Cloud and Aerosol Spectrometer (CAS), and the Hotwire Liquid Water Content (LWC) Sensor into one instrument. CAPS measures size distribution of aerosol, cloud, and liquid droplets for particles between the sizes of 50-1600 μm at a time resolution of 1 Hz. It can also record images of cloud particles and provide measurements of temperature, pressure and LWC.

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If instrument name or model is not available but documents show that specific chemical compounds or constituents or their properties were observed, can use instrument entry. Examples include: CO, CO2, NO, NO2, N2O, HNO3, HNO4, OH, H2SO4, CH3CN, O3, H2O, halocarbons, VOCs, nitrates, aerosols (including CCN), aerosol optical properties, etc...

The Optical Particle Counter is an instrument based on the principle of light scattering from particles. It is a real time instrument that is typically used to measure particles above 0.05 μm in diameter.

The Precipitation and Imaging Probe (PIP) measures the concentration and records images of cloud particles from approximately 500-30000 microns in diameter with a resolution of 100 microns per pixel.

A TUNABLE DIODE LASER is a solid-state laser in which as lasing is achieved by passing an injection current through the active region of a semiconductor across the p-n junction; tunable meaning it is used with a technique based upon the measurement of light absorption upon irrigating a sample using a tunable laser source.

The Ultra-High Sensitivity Aerosol Spectrometer (UHSAS) is an in situ spectrometer manufactured by Droplet Measurement Technologies. It can be utilized on both airborne and ground-based platforms to measure aerosol size distribution and concentration. UHSAS determines the particle size by detecting the peak light signals of the aerosol particles which are illuminated by a 1054 nm laser. UHSAS can sample particles within the 60 - 1000 nm size range and has a sampling frequency of 10 Hz.

Carbon Monoxide By Attenuation of Laser Transmission (COBALT) is an airborne instrument used to measure carbon monoxide in the atmosphere. It is manufactured by Los Gatos Research. COBALT takes measurements of carbon monoxide using laser spectrometry. It can also build profiles from these measurements.

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The Condensation Nuclei Counter (CNC) is optical method for counting atmospheric aerosol particles.

A dropsondes or dropwindsondes are in situ instruments designed to be released from aircraft. They are equipped with Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers and sensors to collect profile measurements of pressure, temperature, humidity, wind speed, and direction. Dropsondes are important during field investigations because they allow researchers to collect vertical profiles in remote locations and during severe weather events. Dropsondes typically have a vertical resolution of 5 m and provide measurements of wind speed/direction every 0.25 seconds and temperature, pressure, and humidity every 0.5 seconds.

The Cloud Particle Imager (CPI) is an airborne imager manufactured by SPEC Inc. CPI collects high resolution (2.3 μm pixel size) images of cloud particles that pass through its sample volume. It uses a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera that operates at 810 nm to record images and can take up to 74 frames per second with a refresh rate of 40 Hz. The imagery from CPI can be used to derive microphysical properties such as particle size and habit.

The Diode Laser Hygrometer (DLH) is an in situ airborne hygrometer developed by NASA’s Langley Research Center (LaRC). It uses tunable diode laser absorption to measure water vapor in the atmosphere. DLH operates in the near-infrared region at around 1.4 μm and has a measurement frequency of 100 Hz. It has the capability to provide accurate measurements of water vapor even while flying through clouds.

The High Altitude Monolithic Microwave integrated Circuit (MMIC) Sounding Radiometer (HAMSR) is an airborne microwave sounder developed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory under the NASA Instrument Incubator Program. HAMSR measures brightness temperature which can be used to derive three-dimensional profiles of temperature, water vapor, and cloud liquid water in the atmosphere. It operates across 25 spectral channels in 3 microwave bands (50-60 GHz, 118 GHz, 183 GHz) and has a sampling frequency of 5 seconds. HAMSR has a horizontal spatial resolution of 2 km at nadir and a field of view of about 40 km at an altitude of 20 km.

The Langley Aerosol Research Group Experiment (LARGE) is an in situ airborne instrument suite that measures aerosol and cloud microphysical and optical properties such as size distribution, number concentration, and scattering and absorption coefficient. LARGE consists of multiple instruments including the Ultra-High Sensitivity Aerosol Spectrometer (UHSAS), Particle-Into-Liquid Sampler (PILS), Particle Soot Absorption Photometer (PSAP), Cloud and Aerosol Spectrometer (CAS), Cloud Imaging Probe (CIP), and additional cloud and aerosol sensors. The LARGE instruments operate across the 450-700 nm wavelength range, can detect particles in the size range between 0.003-20μm, and have a measurement frequency of 1 Hz. It is typically used for airborne measurements, but it also has capability to deployed on ground-based platforms such as vehicles.

The Airborne Second Generation Precipitation Radar, also known as the APR-2, was built as a prototype for a future spaceborne precipitation radar. It operates at 2 frequencies (13 and 35 GHz) and its primary derived measurements are radar reflectivity and doppler velocity. It is also capable of measuring linear depolarization ratio (LDR).

The Lidar Atmospheric Sensing Experiment (LASE) is an airborne lidar system developed at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC). LASE uses the differential absorption lidar technique to provide profile measurements of water vapor and aerosols in the atmosphere. LASE operates at the 815 nm wavelength and has a measurement frequency of 5 Hz. For aerosol scattering profiles, LASE has a horizontal resolution of 200m and a vertical resolution of 30m. It has a horizontal resolution of 5 km and a vertical resolution of 0.2 km for water vapor measurements.

The Meteorological Measurement System (MMS) is an in situ airborne instrument used for measuring atmospheric state parameters. MMS provides high resolution and accurate measurements of atmospheric pressure, temperature, and wind direction and speed immediately around the plane. Additional parameters can be derived such as potential temperature, true airspeed, turbulence dissipation rate, and Reynolds number. Measurements of all parameters are typically collected at a rate of 20 Hz.

The 2D-Stereo Particle Probe (2D-S) is an in situ airborne optical imaging probe developed by SPEC Inc. The 2D-S uses two diode laser beams to produce stereo cloud particle images through linear array shadowing. Through the imagery, cloud particle size distribution, particle number concentration, and ice/liquid water content can be determined. It has a resolution of 10 µm and can measure hydrometeors in the 25-1280 µm range.

Nephelometers are an in situ airborne or ground-based optical sensor. 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.

The Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AIRSAR) was an all-weather imaging tool able to penetrate through clouds and collect data at night. The longer wavelengths could also penetrate into the forest canopy and in extremely dry areas, through thin sand cover and dry snow pack. AIRSAR was designed and built by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) which also manages the AIRSAR project. AIRSAR served as a NASA radar technology testbed for demonstrating new radar technology and acquiring data for the development of radar processing techniques and applications. As part of NASA’s Earth Science Enterprise, AIRSAR first flew in 1988, and flew its last mission in 2004.

The Doppler Aerosol WiNd Lidar (DAWN) is an active remote, airborne lidar developed by NASA Langley Research Center. DAWN uses a pulsed, solid-state laser that operates at a wavelength of 2 micrometers to detect aerosol backscatter in the atmosphere. DAWN can also provide vertical profiles of the horizontal winds below the aircraft and of the line of sight winds at each azimuth angle. Typically, DAWN provides profiles at a resolution of 60 m and emits a pulse at a rate of 10 Hz.

The High Altitude Lidar Observatory (HALO) is an active remote, airborne lidar developed by NASA Langley Research Center. HALO operates across 4 wavelengths (1645, 1064, 935, 532 nm) and uses a combination of Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) and High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) methods to measure lidar backscatter and depolarization ratio. It provides vertical profiles of aerosol and cloud optical properties, atmospheric water vapor, and methane at a data rate of 2 Hz. HALO has a nominal spatial resolution of 12 km horizontally and 315 m vertically at an altitude of 10 km.

A dropsondes or dropwindsondes are in situ instruments designed to be released from aircraft. They are equipped with Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers and sensors to collect profile measurements of pressure, temperature, humidity, wind speed, and direction. Dropsondes are important during field investigations because they allow researchers to collect vertical profiles in remote locations and during severe weather events. Dropsondes typically have a vertical resolution of 5 m and provide measurements of wind speed/direction every 0.25 seconds and temperature, pressure, and humidity every 0.5 seconds.

If instrument model information is not available, can use this instrument entry for temperature, pressues, wind speed, wind direction, humidity

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The Lidar Atmospheric Sensing Experiment (LASE) is an airborne lidar system developed at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC). LASE uses the differential absorption lidar technique to provide profile measurements of water vapor and aerosols in the atmosphere. LASE operates at the 815 nm wavelength and has a measurement frequency of 5 Hz. For aerosol scattering profiles, LASE has a horizontal resolution of 200m and a vertical resolution of 30m. It has a horizontal resolution of 5 km and a vertical resolution of 0.2 km for water vapor measurements.

The Lightning Instrument Package (LIP) is an in situ airborne electric field detection system. LIP uses eight electric field mills and a conductivity probe to provide measurements of the three-dimensional components of the electric field of surrounding thunderstorms. LIP has a sampling frequency of 0.02 seconds and has an accuracy of 2.5%.

The Meteorological Measurement System (MMS) is an in situ airborne instrument used for measuring atmospheric state parameters. MMS provides high resolution and accurate measurements of atmospheric pressure, temperature, and wind direction and speed immediately around the plane. Additional parameters can be derived such as potential temperature, true airspeed, turbulence dissipation rate, and Reynolds number. Measurements of all parameters are typically collected at a rate of 20 Hz.

The Diode Laser Hygrometer (DLH) is an in situ airborne hygrometer developed by NASA’s Langley Research Center (LaRC). It uses tunable diode laser absorption to measure water vapor in the atmosphere. DLH operates in the near-infrared region at around 1.4 μm and has a measurement frequency of 100 Hz. It has the capability to provide accurate measurements of water vapor even while flying through clouds.

A dropsondes or dropwindsondes are in situ instruments designed to be released from aircraft. They are equipped with Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers and sensors to collect profile measurements of pressure, temperature, humidity, wind speed, and direction. Dropsondes are important during field investigations because they allow researchers to collect vertical profiles in remote locations and during severe weather events. Dropsondes typically have a vertical resolution of 5 m and provide measurements of wind speed/direction every 0.25 seconds and temperature, pressure, and humidity every 0.5 seconds.

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The Airborne Vertical Atmospheric Profiling System (AVAPS) is an airborne system that utilizes dropsondes and Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers to collect in situ profiles of atmospheric state parameters. It provides profile measurements of temperature, pressure, and humidity at a sampling frequency of 0.5 s and measurements of atmospheric winds at a frequency of 0.25 s. AVAPS has a vertical resolution of about 10 m and has the capability to allow for dropsonde launches every 20 s. AVAPS was developed by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) for the NASA Global Hawk, but it can be deployed on other aircraft such as the DC-8 and P-3.

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The Airborne Multichannel Microwave Radiometer (AMMR) has been in operation since the 1970s. AMMR measures thermal microwave emissions in brightness temperature. AMMR is used to measure precipitation. It operated from 10-92 GHz. AMMR has been used in validation efforts for satellite instruments.

A microwave imaging radiometer developed by Georgia Institute of Technology and NOAA for obtaining polarimetric microwave emission imagery of the Earth's oceans, land, ice, clouds, and precipitation. The basic concept of the PSR is a set of polarimetric radiometers housed within a gimbal-mounted scanhead drum. The original system has been extended - as discussed below - to greatly exceed the original design objectives by providing additional radiometric channels and expanded platform capabilities.

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The High Altitude Monolithic Microwave integrated Circuit (MMIC) Sounding Radiometer (HAMSR) is an airborne microwave sounder developed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory under the NASA Instrument Incubator Program. HAMSR measures brightness temperature which can be used to derive three-dimensional profiles of temperature, water vapor, and cloud liquid water in the atmosphere. It operates across 25 spectral channels in 3 microwave bands (50-60 GHz, 118 GHz, 183 GHz) and has a sampling frequency of 5 seconds. HAMSR has a horizontal spatial resolution of 2 km at nadir and a field of view of about 40 km at an altitude of 20 km.

The Doppler Aerosol WiNd Lidar (DAWN) is an active remote, airborne lidar developed by NASA Langley Research Center. DAWN uses a pulsed, solid-state laser that operates at a wavelength of 2 micrometers to detect aerosol backscatter in the atmosphere. DAWN can also provide vertical profiles of the horizontal winds below the aircraft and of the line of sight winds at each azimuth angle. Typically, DAWN provides profiles at a resolution of 60 m and emits a pulse at a rate of 10 Hz.

The High Altitude Lidar Observatory (HALO) is an active remote, airborne lidar developed by NASA Langley Research Center. HALO operates across 4 wavelengths (1645, 1064, 935, 532 nm) and uses a combination of Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) and High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) methods to measure lidar backscatter and depolarization ratio. It provides vertical profiles of aerosol and cloud optical properties, atmospheric water vapor, and methane at a data rate of 2 Hz. HALO has a nominal spatial resolution of 12 km horizontally and 315 m vertically at an altitude of 10 km.

A dropsondes or dropwindsondes are in situ instruments designed to be released from aircraft. They are equipped with Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers and sensors to collect profile measurements of pressure, temperature, humidity, wind speed, and direction. Dropsondes are important during field investigations because they allow researchers to collect vertical profiles in remote locations and during severe weather events. Dropsondes typically have a vertical resolution of 5 m and provide measurements of wind speed/direction every 0.25 seconds and temperature, pressure, and humidity every 0.5 seconds.

The Airborne Third Generation Precipitation Radar (APR-3) is an airborne Doppler, dual-polarization radar. It provides measurements of Doppler velocity and radar reflectivity across three frequencies: 13.4 GHz, 35.6 GHz, and 94 GHz. These measurements can be used to derive vertical structures of clouds and precipitation properties. APR-3 has a horizontal resolution of 700-800 m at an altitude of 10 km and vertical resolution of 60 m. The APR-3 was developed by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and replaced the APR-2.

Measurements of Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Over Northwestern North America is a differential, non-dispersive, infrared (NDIR) gas analyzer. The CO2 measurements are based on the difference in absorption of infrared(IR) radiation passing through two gas sampling cells. The reference cell is used for a gas of known CO2 concentration, and the sample cell is used for agas of unknown concentration. Infrared radiation is transmitted through both cell paths, and the output of the analyzer is proportional to the difference in absorption between the two.

The Particle Analysis by Laser Mass Spectrometry (PALMS) is a laser ionization mass spectrometer owned and operated by NOAA. PALMS provides in situ measurements of aerosol particles and their chemical composition by using a pulse from a UV laser (193 nm) to generate ions. These ions are then analyzed with a time-of-flight mass spectrometer to provide the mass spectrum of each particle which can be used to classify the individual aerosol particles. PALMS has an aerosol size range of 0.2 to 3 microns and has a typical data rate around 1 to 10 Hz. It can be utilized for either airborne or laboratory measurements of aerosols.

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The Cloud Aerosol and Precipitation Spectrometer (CAPS) is an in situ airborne spectrometer manufactured by Droplet Measurement Technologies. It combines the Cloud Imaging Probe (CIP), the Cloud and Aerosol Spectrometer (CAS), and the Hotwire Liquid Water Content (LWC) Sensor into one instrument. CAPS measures size distribution of aerosol, cloud, and liquid droplets for particles between the sizes of 50-1600 μm at a time resolution of 1 Hz. It can also record images of cloud particles and provide measurements of temperature, pressure and LWC.

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The Thermal-Dissociation Laser Induced Fluorescence (TD-LIF) is an in situ airborne sensor developed at UC Berkeley. It uses a combination of the TD and LIF techniques to measure nitrogen dioxide (NO2), peroxynitrates, nitric acid (HNO3), and other stable organic nitrates in the atmosphere. TD-LIF operates at the 585 nm wavelength and has a typical measurement frequency of 1 Hz.

The Precipitation and Imaging Probe (PIP) measures the concentration and records images of cloud particles from approximately 500-30000 microns in diameter with a resolution of 100 microns per pixel.

The Whole Air Sampler (WAS) is an airborne in-situ instrument that collects samples of air for analysis of trace gasses, such as nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHCs), Halocarbons, Alkyl Nitrates, and various sulfur compounds that are present in the troposphere. Air samples collected via the WAS then undergo gas chromatography and mass spectrometry to determine which gasses are present in the sample. The WAS collects samples every minute, which enables scientists to get a clear picture of the chemical composition of the environment as research aircraft pass through.

The Solar Spectral Flux Radiometer (SSFR) is an airborne radiometer developed by the Ames Atmospheric Radiation Group. It provides remotely-sensed measurements of solar spectral irradiance in the troposphere. SSFR operates across the 300-2150 nm wavelength range and has a spectral resolution of 8-12 nm. It has a typical data collection rate of 1 Hz and has a radiometric accuracy of 3%.

The Soluble Acidic Gases and Aerosols (SAGA) is an in situ airborne sampler owned and operated by the University of New Hampshire. It uses a mist chamber and ion chromatography to collect and analyze select aerosol species. It can provide samples of nitric acid, chloride, sulfates, nitrates, chloride, sodium, potassium, ammonium, and calcium. SAGA has a typical sampling frequency of 5 to 15 minutes and has a detection limit of 1 to 25 pptv depending on the sampled species.

Broadband Radiometers (BBR) are modified versions of the Kipp & Zonen CM-22 pyranometers and CG-4 pyrgeometers. They have been modified to be more suitable for airborne platforms through different instrument housing and signal amplification. BBR measures solar irradiance in the 0.2-3.6 μm wavelength range and infrared (IR) irradiance in the 4.5-42 μm range. These measurements can be used to derive net irradiance, radiative forcing, absorption, and albedo. It has a typical sampling rate of 1 Hz and a hemispheric field-of-view.

The CalTech Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometer (CIT-CIMS) is an in situ airborne single mass spectrometer. CIT-CIMS utilizes CF3O-ion chemistry and compact time-of-flight and triple quadrupole spectrometers to measure specific atmospheric trace gases such as nitric acid, hydrogen peroxide, and sulfur dioxide. It was designed with rapid scan capabilities, allowing it to operate at a high temporal resolution (10 Hz) and detect a wide mass range. CIT-CIMS is typically used for airborne observations, but it can be used for ground-based observations as well.

The Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) is an airborne lidar system designed at NASA’s Langley Research Center (LaRC). It uses four lasers to detect lidar backscatter to provide profile measurements of ozone and aerosols in the atmosphere. DIAL operates in the ultraviolet (289-300 nm) for ozone measurements and operates in the visible (572-600 nm) and infrared (1064 nm) for aerosols. It has a horizontal spatial resolution of approximately 15 km and has a measurement accuracy of 5 ppbv.

A dropsondes or dropwindsondes are in situ instruments designed to be released from aircraft. They are equipped with Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers and sensors to collect profile measurements of pressure, temperature, humidity, wind speed, and direction. Dropsondes are important during field investigations because they allow researchers to collect vertical profiles in remote locations and during severe weather events. Dropsondes typically have a vertical resolution of 5 m and provide measurements of wind speed/direction every 0.25 seconds and temperature, pressure, and humidity every 0.5 seconds.

The Cloud Particle Imager (CPI) is an airborne imager manufactured by SPEC Inc. CPI collects high resolution (2.3 μm pixel size) images of cloud particles that pass through its sample volume. It uses a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera that operates at 810 nm to record images and can take up to 74 frames per second with a refresh rate of 40 Hz. The imagery from CPI can be used to derive microphysical properties such as particle size and habit.

The Charged-couple device (CCD) Actinic Flux Spectroradiometer (CAFS) is an in situ airborne spectroradiometer developed by the Atmospheric Radiation Investigations and Measurements (ARIM) laboratory at NCAR. CAFS measures spectrally resolved ultraviolet and visible actinic flux between 280-650 nm. These measurements can be used to derive the photolysis frequencies for several chemical compounds such as ozone, nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde, and nitrate. CAFS has a temporal resolution of 1 Hz and a wavelength resolution of about 1.8 nm at 297 nm.

The Diode Laser Hygrometer (DLH) is an in situ airborne hygrometer developed by NASA’s Langley Research Center (LaRC). It uses tunable diode laser absorption to measure water vapor in the atmosphere. DLH operates in the near-infrared region at around 1.4 μm and has a measurement frequency of 100 Hz. It has the capability to provide accurate measurements of water vapor even while flying through clouds.

The Differential Absorption Carbon monOxide Measurements (DACOM) is an airborne in situ spectrometer system. It uses the differential absorption technique and an infrared tunable diode laser (TDL) to collect measurements of nitrous oxide (N2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and methane (CH4) in the atmosphere. DACOM operates across the 4.7, 4.5, and 3.3 μm wavelengths to access the absorption lines for CO, N2O, and CH4. It has a measurement frequency of 5 Hz and has a precision of about 1 ppbv.

The Langley Aerosol Research Group Experiment (LARGE) is an in situ airborne instrument suite that measures aerosol and cloud microphysical and optical properties such as size distribution, number concentration, and scattering and absorption coefficient. LARGE consists of multiple instruments including the Ultra-High Sensitivity Aerosol Spectrometer (UHSAS), Particle-Into-Liquid Sampler (PILS), Particle Soot Absorption Photometer (PSAP), Cloud and Aerosol Spectrometer (CAS), Cloud Imaging Probe (CIP), and additional cloud and aerosol sensors. The LARGE instruments operate across the 450-700 nm wavelength range, can detect particles in the size range between 0.003-20μm, and have a measurement frequency of 1 Hz. It is typically used for airborne measurements, but it also has capability to deployed on ground-based platforms such as vehicles.

The Airborne Second Generation Precipitation Radar, also known as the APR-2, was built as a prototype for a future spaceborne precipitation radar. It operates at 2 frequencies (13 and 35 GHz) and its primary derived measurements are radar reflectivity and doppler velocity. It is also capable of measuring linear depolarization ratio (LDR).

NOx/NOxy is an in situ chemiluminescence instrument. It provides measurements of nitrogen oxides and ozone in the atmosphere at a spatial resolution better than 100m for typical DC-8 research flight speeds. NOx/NOxy can be utilized on ground-based, airborne, and shipborne platforms allowing it to be used in various types of atmospheric chemistry and air quality studies.

The Lidar Atmospheric Sensing Experiment (LASE) is an airborne lidar system developed at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC). LASE uses the differential absorption lidar technique to provide profile measurements of water vapor and aerosols in the atmosphere. LASE operates at the 815 nm wavelength and has a measurement frequency of 5 Hz. For aerosol scattering profiles, LASE has a horizontal resolution of 200m and a vertical resolution of 30m. It has a horizontal resolution of 5 km and a vertical resolution of 0.2 km for water vapor measurements.

The Meteorological Measurement System (MMS) is an in situ airborne instrument used for measuring atmospheric state parameters. MMS provides high resolution and accurate measurements of atmospheric pressure, temperature, and wind direction and speed immediately around the plane. Additional parameters can be derived such as potential temperature, true airspeed, turbulence dissipation rate, and Reynolds number. Measurements of all parameters are typically collected at a rate of 20 Hz.

The 2D-Stereo Particle Probe (2D-S) is an in situ airborne optical imaging probe developed by SPEC Inc. The 2D-S uses two diode laser beams to produce stereo cloud particle images through linear array shadowing. Through the imagery, cloud particle size distribution, particle number concentration, and ice/liquid water content can be determined. It has a resolution of 10 µm and can measure hydrometeors in the 25-1280 µm range.

The Atmospheric Vertical Observations of CO2 in the Earth’s Troposphere (AVOCET) is an airborne in situ spectrometer developed by NASA’s Langley Research Center (LaRC). AVOCET uses a differential, non-dispersive infrared spectrometer to provide high resolution measurements of carbon dioxide (CO2). It operates at the 4.26 μm CO2 absorption band and has a measurement frequency of 5 Hz. AVOCET has been deployed in several field investigations since the early 1990s and has participated in over 450 science flights.

Condensation Particle Counters (CPCs) are in situ sensors that measure aerosol particle concentration. CPCs measure aerosol concentration by condensing fluid onto the particles, allowing them to grow to more detectable sizes for optical scattering. Typically, CPCs can detect particles with a size range of 7 nm-3 μm, can measure particle concentrations up to 100,000 particles/cc, and can provide measurements at 1 second intervals. CPCs are manufactured by TSI Incorporated and can be deployed on airborne, shipborne, and ground-based platforms.

The Single Particle Soot Photometer (SP2) is laser-induced photometer manufactured by Droplet Measurement Technologies. SP2 provides measurements of black carbon (BC) mass content of individual aerosol particles as well as the optical and physical properties of the particles containing BC. SP2 can be utilized on airborne or ground-based platforms and can be deployed with a paired Humidified-Dual SP2 (HD-SP2). It can detect aerosol particles with a diameter size of 200-400 nm and can measure 25,000 particles/second.

Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) - High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) implements both the DIAL and HSRL systems to measure both ozone and aerosol profiles simultaneously. The HSRL modification to the DIAL adds an additional 3-wavelength (355 nm, 532 nm, 1064 nm) narrowband laser and receiver to measure aerosol backscatter, extinction, and depolarization. The aerosol optical depth measurements along the flight track are also calculated due to the aerosol extinction profiles below and above the aircraft.

The HR-AMS is an upgraded version of Aerodyne’s AMS instrument. HR-AMS has a high spatial resolution and a time-of-flight measurement technique. HR-AMS is a mass spectrometer that measures aerosols in the troposphere.

The Georgia Institute of Technology Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometer (GT-CIMS) is an in situ airborne spectrometer. It uses a lower pressure flow tube reactor to measure reactive nitrogen species such as nitric acid and peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) in the lower atmosphere. GT-CIMS has a typical temporal resolution of 1 second and has a detection limit of 10 pptv.

This data will be added in future versions

The Thermal-Dissociation Laser Induced Fluorescence (TD-LIF) is an in situ airborne sensor developed at UC Berkeley. It uses a combination of the TD and LIF techniques to measure nitrogen dioxide (NO2), peroxynitrates, nitric acid (HNO3), and other stable organic nitrates in the atmosphere. TD-LIF operates at the 585 nm wavelength and has a typical measurement frequency of 1 Hz.

The Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (AMS) is a spectrometer that measures the chemical composition and properties of sub-micron aerosol particles. AMS has a maximum data collection of 100 Hz and can detect particles with a size range of 40 nm to 1 micron. It operates by switching between mass spectrum (MS) mode and particle time-of-flight (PToF) mode in order to determine the chemical make-up of aerosol samples. The AMS can be deployed on aircraft, ships, mobile laboratories, or placed directly at a field site.

The Whole Air Sampler (WAS) is an airborne in-situ instrument that collects samples of air for analysis of trace gasses, such as nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHCs), Halocarbons, Alkyl Nitrates, and various sulfur compounds that are present in the troposphere. Air samples collected via the WAS then undergo gas chromatography and mass spectrometry to determine which gasses are present in the sample. The WAS collects samples every minute, which enables scientists to get a clear picture of the chemical composition of the environment as research aircraft pass through.

The PTR-MS is a mass spectrometer designed by the University of Innsbruck in Austria. It detects volatile organic compounds quickly and is highly sensitive so it can detect compounds in the pptv range. It has flown in many campaigns studying atmospheric chemistry in the troposphere.

The Soluble Acidic Gases and Aerosols (SAGA) is an in situ airborne sampler owned and operated by the University of New Hampshire. It uses a mist chamber and ion chromatography to collect and analyze select aerosol species. It can provide samples of nitric acid, chloride, sulfates, nitrates, chloride, sodium, potassium, ammonium, and calcium. SAGA has a typical sampling frequency of 5 to 15 minutes and has a detection limit of 1 to 25 pptv depending on the sampled species.

The Airborne Cavity Enhanced Spectrometer (ACES) is a two-channel spectrometer designed for aircraft measurements of glyoxal (CHOCHO), methylglyoxal (CH3COCHO), nitrous acid (HONO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and water vapor (H2O). ACES makes high sensitivity measurements of trace gases and aerosols as light passes through the optical cavity equipped with a grating spectrometer and a charge-coupled device. ACES operates across two wavelength ranges (361-389 nm and 438-468 nm) and has high precision and temporal frequency.

The Airborne Tropospheric Hydrogen Oxides Sensor (ATHOS) is an in situ airborne sensor developed by Penn State University. ATHOS uses a laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) technique to measure hydroxide (OH) and hydroperoxyl (HO2) in the atmosphere. ATHOS operates near the 308 nm wavelength, has a pulse repetition frequency of 3 kHz, and has a typical time resolution of 20-30 s. It was designed to be equipped on NASA’s DC-8 aircraft and can collect measurements of OH and HO2 in clear sky and light cloud conditions.

The CalTech Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometer (CIT-CIMS) is an in situ airborne single mass spectrometer. CIT-CIMS utilizes CF3O-ion chemistry and compact time-of-flight and triple quadrupole spectrometers to measure specific atmospheric trace gases such as nitric acid, hydrogen peroxide, and sulfur dioxide. It was designed with rapid scan capabilities, allowing it to operate at a high temporal resolution (10 Hz) and detect a wide mass range. CIT-CIMS is typically used for airborne observations, but it can be used for ground-based observations as well.

The Closed-path Laser Hygrometer (CLH) is a tunable diode laser hygrometer that was developed by the University of Colorado along with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). The CLH measures water vapor via second-harmonic absorption spectroscopy. It provides measurements approximately every 1.5 seconds and is typically flown on commercial aircraft, making it an ideal instrument to collect tropospheric water vapor measurements.

The Condensation Nuclei Counter (CNC) is optical method for counting atmospheric aerosol particles.

The Spectrometers for Sky-Scanning, Sun-Tracking Atmospheric Research (4-STAR) is an airborne sun-sky spectrometer that measures direct solar irradiance and sky radiance. These measurements can be used to retrieve column-integrated information on aerosols, clouds, and trace gases such as aerosol optical depth, extinction, and single scattering albedo. 4-STAR operates in the 350-1650 nm wavelength range and has a typical horizontal resolution of about 100 m.

The Charged-couple device (CCD) Actinic Flux Spectroradiometer (CAFS) is an in situ airborne spectroradiometer developed by the Atmospheric Radiation Investigations and Measurements (ARIM) laboratory at NCAR. CAFS measures spectrally resolved ultraviolet and visible actinic flux between 280-650 nm. These measurements can be used to derive the photolysis frequencies for several chemical compounds such as ozone, nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde, and nitrate. CAFS has a temporal resolution of 1 Hz and a wavelength resolution of about 1.8 nm at 297 nm.

The Compact Atmospheric Multispecies Spectrometer (CAMS) is an in situ airborne spectrometer developed by the University of Colorado. CAMS uses mid-IR (3.53 μm) absorption spectroscopy to measure formaldehyde and ethane in the atmosphere. It utilizes difference-frequency generation (DFG) to produce the mid-IR light by mixing two near-IR (1562 and 1083 nm) laser sources. CAMS provides high precision measurements at a sampling frequency of 1 Hz.

The Diode Laser Hygrometer (DLH) is an in situ airborne hygrometer developed by NASA’s Langley Research Center (LaRC). It uses tunable diode laser absorption to measure water vapor in the atmosphere. DLH operates in the near-infrared region at around 1.4 μm and has a measurement frequency of 100 Hz. It has the capability to provide accurate measurements of water vapor even while flying through clouds.

The Differential Absorption Carbon monOxide Measurements (DACOM) is an airborne in situ spectrometer system. It uses the differential absorption technique and an infrared tunable diode laser (TDL) to collect measurements of nitrous oxide (N2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and methane (CH4) in the atmosphere. DACOM operates across the 4.7, 4.5, and 3.3 μm wavelengths to access the absorption lines for CO, N2O, and CH4. It has a measurement frequency of 5 Hz and has a precision of about 1 ppbv.

The Langley Aerosol Research Group Experiment (LARGE) is an in situ airborne instrument suite that measures aerosol and cloud microphysical and optical properties such as size distribution, number concentration, and scattering and absorption coefficient. LARGE consists of multiple instruments including the Ultra-High Sensitivity Aerosol Spectrometer (UHSAS), Particle-Into-Liquid Sampler (PILS), Particle Soot Absorption Photometer (PSAP), Cloud and Aerosol Spectrometer (CAS), Cloud Imaging Probe (CIP), and additional cloud and aerosol sensors. The LARGE instruments operate across the 450-700 nm wavelength range, can detect particles in the size range between 0.003-20μm, and have a measurement frequency of 1 Hz. It is typically used for airborne measurements, but it also has capability to deployed on ground-based platforms such as vehicles.

NOx/NOxy is an in situ chemiluminescence instrument. It provides measurements of nitrogen oxides and ozone in the atmosphere at a spatial resolution better than 100m for typical DC-8 research flight speeds. NOx/NOxy can be utilized on ground-based, airborne, and shipborne platforms allowing it to be used in various types of atmospheric chemistry and air quality studies.

The Particle Analysis by Laser Mass Spectrometry (PALMS) is a laser ionization mass spectrometer owned and operated by NOAA. PALMS provides in situ measurements of aerosol particles and their chemical composition by using a pulse from a UV laser (193 nm) to generate ions. These ions are then analyzed with a time-of-flight mass spectrometer to provide the mass spectrum of each particle which can be used to classify the individual aerosol particles. PALMS has an aerosol size range of 0.2 to 3 microns and has a typical data rate around 1 to 10 Hz. It can be utilized for either airborne or laboratory measurements of aerosols.

The Cloud Aerosol and Precipitation Spectrometer (CAPS) is an in situ airborne spectrometer manufactured by Droplet Measurement Technologies. It combines the Cloud Imaging Probe (CIP), the Cloud and Aerosol Spectrometer (CAS), and the Hotwire Liquid Water Content (LWC) Sensor into one instrument. CAPS measures size distribution of aerosol, cloud, and liquid droplets for particles between the sizes of 50-1600 μm at a time resolution of 1 Hz. It can also record images of cloud particles and provide measurements of temperature, pressure and LWC.

The Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometer was developed by NOAA. This instrument can take high-precision measurements of gases such as nitric acid, water vapor, and hydrochloric acid. This instrument was designed to take measurements accurately in the boundary layer. The detection limit for CIMS is in the parts-per-trillion range, and the temporal resolution is 50s.

The Single Particle Soot Photometer (SP2) is laser-induced photometer manufactured by Droplet Measurement Technologies. SP2 provides measurements of black carbon (BC) mass content of individual aerosol particles as well as the optical and physical properties of the particles containing BC. SP2 can be utilized on airborne or ground-based platforms and can be deployed with a paired Humidified-Dual SP2 (HD-SP2). It can detect aerosol particles with a diameter size of 200-400 nm and can measure 25,000 particles/second.

The HR-AMS is an upgraded version of Aerodyne’s AMS instrument. HR-AMS has a high spatial resolution and a time-of-flight measurement technique. HR-AMS is a mass spectrometer that measures aerosols in the troposphere.

The Georgia Institute of Technology Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometer (GT-CIMS) is an in situ airborne spectrometer. It uses a lower pressure flow tube reactor to measure reactive nitrogen species such as nitric acid and peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) in the lower atmosphere. GT-CIMS has a typical temporal resolution of 1 second and has a detection limit of 10 pptv.

The Trace Organic Gas Analyzer (TOGA) is an in situ airborne analyzer that measures volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the atmosphere. It uses a combination of fast gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy to provide atmospheric mixing ratios of VOCs. It can detect a wide range of VOCs with high precision (<3%) and accuracy (20% or better) at a time resolution of 40 seconds for a 2 minute cycle.

The Programmable Flask Package (PFP) is a type of whole air sampler. This instrument consists of twelve glass flasks that can be filled with air. The samples collected by the PFP are sent to NOAA’s Global Monitoring Division and INSTAR’s Staple Isotope Lab where they are tested for trace gases. This instrument is used to monitor multiple types of trace gases.

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.

This data will be added in future versions

The Whole Air Sampler (WAS) is an airborne in-situ instrument that collects samples of air for analysis of trace gasses, such as nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHCs), Halocarbons, Alkyl Nitrates, and various sulfur compounds that are present in the troposphere. Air samples collected via the WAS then undergo gas chromatography and mass spectrometry to determine which gasses are present in the sample. The WAS collects samples every minute, which enables scientists to get a clear picture of the chemical composition of the environment as research aircraft pass through.

The Soluble Acidic Gases and Aerosols (SAGA) is an in situ airborne sampler owned and operated by the University of New Hampshire. It uses a mist chamber and ion chromatography to collect and analyze select aerosol species. It can provide samples of nitric acid, chloride, sulfates, nitrates, chloride, sodium, potassium, ammonium, and calcium. SAGA has a typical sampling frequency of 5 to 15 minutes and has a detection limit of 1 to 25 pptv depending on the sampled species.

The Airborne Tropospheric Hydrogen Oxides Sensor (ATHOS) is an in situ airborne sensor developed by Penn State University. ATHOS uses a laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) technique to measure hydroxide (OH) and hydroperoxyl (HO2) in the atmosphere. ATHOS operates near the 308 nm wavelength, has a pulse repetition frequency of 3 kHz, and has a typical time resolution of 20-30 s. It was designed to be equipped on NASA’s DC-8 aircraft and can collect measurements of OH and HO2 in clear sky and light cloud conditions.

The CalTech Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometer (CIT-CIMS) is an in situ airborne single mass spectrometer. CIT-CIMS utilizes CF3O-ion chemistry and compact time-of-flight and triple quadrupole spectrometers to measure specific atmospheric trace gases such as nitric acid, hydrogen peroxide, and sulfur dioxide. It was designed with rapid scan capabilities, allowing it to operate at a high temporal resolution (10 Hz) and detect a wide mass range. CIT-CIMS is typically used for airborne observations, but it can be used for ground-based observations as well.

The PAN and Trace Hydrohalocarbon ExpeRiment (PANTHER) is an in situ airborne analyzer. It uses electron capture detection and gas chromatography techniques to measure various trace gases such as methane, peroxyacyl nitrate (PAN), and carbon monoxide. PANTHER has a sampling frequency of 60 to 120 seconds and has an accuracy of around 2% for most species except for PAN (10%). The development of PANTHER was funded through NASA’s Instrument Incubator Program and NOAA’s Climate and Global Change Program.

The Laser Aerosol Spectrometer Model 3340 uses patented wide-angle optics and an intracavity laser to measure the size and number concentration of airborne particles. It features a monotonic response with respect to light scattering intensity in the Mie range for precise resolution. While the instrument is calibrated with NIST traceable Polystyrene Latex (PSL) spheres, users can easily perform custom calibrations with other aerosols. This Laser Aerosol Spectrometer is unique in its ability to measure both sub- and supermicron particles over a wide range.

The NCAR Airborne Oxygen Instrument measures O2 concentration using a vacuum-ultraviolet absorption technique.
 AO2 is based on earlier ship-board and laboratory instruments using the same technique, but has been designed specifically for airborne use to minimize
motion and thermal sensitivity and with a pressure and flow controlled inlet system. To achieve the high levels of precision needed, AO2 switches between sample gas and air
from a high-pressure reference cylinder
every 2.5 seconds. Atmospheric O2 concentrations are typically reported in units
of one part in 1,000,000 relative deviations
in the O2/N2 ratio, which are referred to as
 "per meg." AO2 has a 1-sigma precision of
± 2 per meg on a 5 second measurement.
 For comparison, this is equivalent to detecting the removal of one O2 molecule
 from 2.5 million molecules of air. At typical
flight speeds of 300 kts or climb/descent
rates of 1500 fpm, 5-seconds correspond to
a horizontal resolution of 750 m and a
vertical resolution of 40 m. The instrument includes an internal single-cell CO2 sensor (LI-840), which is used to correct the O2 measurements for dilution by CO2 and for scientific purposes.

Five instruments consisting of two nucleation-mode aerosol size spectrometers (NMASS), two ultra-high sensitivity aerosol spectrometers (UHSAS), and a laser aerosol spectrometer (LAS) comprise the Aerosol Microphysical Properties (AMP) package. The AMP payload provides size distributions with up to one-second time resolution for dry aerosol particles between 0.003 and 4.8 microns in diameter.

The Nucleation-mode Aerosol Size Spectrometer (NMASS) is an airborne, in situ spectrometer used to measure particle size distribution and cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). NMASS consists of 5 parallel condensation nucleus counters (CNCs) that are used to sample particles within the 3 to 60 nm diameter range. It can be equipped on multiple types of aircraft and is ideal for sampling cirrus clouds in the upper atmosphere. NMASS provides fast time response measurements at a temporal resolution of 10 Hz.

The Charged-couple device (CCD) Actinic Flux Spectroradiometer (CAFS) is an in situ airborne spectroradiometer developed by the Atmospheric Radiation Investigations and Measurements (ARIM) laboratory at NCAR. CAFS measures spectrally resolved ultraviolet and visible actinic flux between 280-650 nm. These measurements can be used to derive the photolysis frequencies for several chemical compounds such as ozone, nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde, and nitrate. CAFS has a temporal resolution of 1 Hz and a wavelength resolution of about 1.8 nm at 297 nm.

The Diode Laser Hygrometer (DLH) is an in situ airborne hygrometer developed by NASA’s Langley Research Center (LaRC). It uses tunable diode laser absorption to measure water vapor in the atmosphere. DLH operates in the near-infrared region at around 1.4 μm and has a measurement frequency of 100 Hz. It has the capability to provide accurate measurements of water vapor even while flying through clouds.

The In Situ Airborne Formaldehyde (ISAF) is an airborne optical sensor developed at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). ISAF uses laser induced fluorescence (LIF) to measure formaldehyde throughout the troposphere and lower stratosphere. It operates at the 353 nm wavelength and has a sampling frequency of 1 Hz. ISAF can measure formaldehyde concentrations ranging from 10 pptv to hundreds of ppbv at an accuracy of 10%.

NOx/NOxy is an in situ chemiluminescence instrument. It provides measurements of nitrogen oxides and ozone in the atmosphere at a spatial resolution better than 100m for typical DC-8 research flight speeds. NOx/NOxy can be utilized on ground-based, airborne, and shipborne platforms allowing it to be used in various types of atmospheric chemistry and air quality studies.

The Meteorological Measurement System (MMS) is an in situ airborne instrument used for measuring atmospheric state parameters. MMS provides high resolution and accurate measurements of atmospheric pressure, temperature, and wind direction and speed immediately around the plane. Additional parameters can be derived such as potential temperature, true airspeed, turbulence dissipation rate, and Reynolds number. Measurements of all parameters are typically collected at a rate of 20 Hz.

The Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) Chromatograph for Atmospheric Trace Species (UCATS) is an in situ airborne instrument suite that measures trace gases in the atmosphere. It consists of the three separate instruments: a three-channel gas chromatograph (GC), a dual-beam ozone photometer (OZ), and a tunable diode laser (TDL) spectrometer. The GC measures nitrous oxide (N2O) and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) every 70 s and measures hydrogen (H2), methane (CH4), and carbon monoxide (CO) every 140 s. The OZ sensor operates at 254 nm and provides ozone measurements every 10 s. The TDL spectrometer operates at 1370 nm and provides water vapor measurements every 1 s. UCATS was designed to be operated on UAS, but it has been deployed on piloted aircraft as well.

This data will be added in future versions.

This data will be added in future versions

If instrument model or detailed specification information is not available, can use this instrument entry for radiometers of various types (typically microwave-band) that are flown on aircraft.

This data will be added in future versions

The Langley Aerosol Research Group Experiment (LARGE) is an in situ airborne instrument suite that measures aerosol and cloud microphysical and optical properties such as size distribution, number concentration, and scattering and absorption coefficient. LARGE consists of multiple instruments including the Ultra-High Sensitivity Aerosol Spectrometer (UHSAS), Particle-Into-Liquid Sampler (PILS), Particle Soot Absorption Photometer (PSAP), Cloud and Aerosol Spectrometer (CAS), Cloud Imaging Probe (CIP), and additional cloud and aerosol sensors. The LARGE instruments operate across the 450-700 nm wavelength range, can detect particles in the size range between 0.003-20μm, and have a measurement frequency of 1 Hz. It is typically used for airborne measurements, but it also has capability to deployed on ground-based platforms such as vehicles.

If instrument mode or detailed specification information is not available, can use this entry for spectrometers of various types. A spectrometer is an instrument that measures a range of a characteristic for a given substance or wavelength. There are many different types of spectrometers. Some examples are mass spectrometers, spectrophotometers, and magnetic radiation spectrometers.

A dropsondes or dropwindsondes are in situ instruments designed to be released from aircraft. They are equipped with Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers and sensors to collect profile measurements of pressure, temperature, humidity, wind speed, and direction. Dropsondes are important during field investigations because they allow researchers to collect vertical profiles in remote locations and during severe weather events. Dropsondes typically have a vertical resolution of 5 m and provide measurements of wind speed/direction every 0.25 seconds and temperature, pressure, and humidity every 0.5 seconds.

This data will be added in future versions.

The Cloud Aerosol and Precipitation Spectrometer (CAPS) is an in situ airborne spectrometer manufactured by Droplet Measurement Technologies. It combines the Cloud Imaging Probe (CIP), the Cloud and Aerosol Spectrometer (CAS), and the Hotwire Liquid Water Content (LWC) Sensor into one instrument. CAPS measures size distribution of aerosol, cloud, and liquid droplets for particles between the sizes of 50-1600 μm at a time resolution of 1 Hz. It can also record images of cloud particles and provide measurements of temperature, pressure and LWC.

If instrument model information is not available, can use this instrument entry for temperature, pressues, wind speed, wind direction, humidity

A microwave imaging radiometer developed by Georgia Institute of Technology and NOAA for obtaining polarimetric microwave emission imagery of the Earth's oceans, land, ice, clouds, and precipitation. The basic concept of the PSR is a set of polarimetric radiometers housed within a gimbal-mounted scanhead drum. The original system has been extended - as discussed below - to greatly exceed the original design objectives by providing additional radiometric channels and expanded platform capabilities.

Measurements of Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Over Northwestern North America is a differential, non-dispersive, infrared (NDIR) gas analyzer. The CO2 measurements are based on the difference in absorption of infrared(IR) radiation passing through two gas sampling cells. The reference cell is used for a gas of known CO2 concentration, and the sample cell is used for agas of unknown concentration. Infrared radiation is transmitted through both cell paths, and the output of the analyzer is proportional to the difference in absorption between the two.

The Particle Into Liquid Sampler (PILS) is an in situ aerosol sampler manufactured by Brechtel Manufacturing Inc. PILS can be utilized by both ground-based and airborne platforms to collect continuous measurements of ambient aerosol bulk composition. The particles sampled by PILS are mixed with saturated water vapor to product droplets that are analyzed by either an ion chromatograph (IC) or total organic carbon detector (TOC). PILS can measure aerosol particles with a size range of 70 nm to 2.5 μm and has a time resolution of 3 min for airborne measurements and 15 min for ground-based.

The Single Particle Soot Photometer (SP2) is laser-induced photometer manufactured by Droplet Measurement Technologies. SP2 provides measurements of black carbon (BC) mass content of individual aerosol particles as well as the optical and physical properties of the particles containing BC. SP2 can be utilized on airborne or ground-based platforms and can be deployed with a paired Humidified-Dual SP2 (HD-SP2). It can detect aerosol particles with a diameter size of 200-400 nm and can measure 25,000 particles/second.

The HR-AMS is an upgraded version of Aerodyne’s AMS instrument. HR-AMS has a high spatial resolution and a time-of-flight measurement technique. HR-AMS is a mass spectrometer that measures aerosols in the troposphere.

The GC-MS instrument is a combination of two instruments: a gas chromatograph and a mass spectrometer. It is used on airborne platforms to study atmospheric chemistry, specifically non-methane halocarbons and volatile organic compounds.

If instrument name or model is not available but documents show that specific chemical compounds or constituents or their properties were observed, can use instrument entry. Examples include: CO, CO2, NO, NO2, N2O, HNO3, HNO4, OH, H2SO4, CH3CN, O3, H2O, halocarbons, VOCs, nitrates, aerosols (including CCN), aerosol optical properties, etc...

The Georgia Institute of Technology Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometer (GT-CIMS) is an in situ airborne spectrometer. It uses a lower pressure flow tube reactor to measure reactive nitrogen species such as nitric acid and peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) in the lower atmosphere. GT-CIMS has a typical temporal resolution of 1 second and has a detection limit of 10 pptv.

The Thermal-Dissociation Laser Induced Fluorescence (TD-LIF) is an in situ airborne sensor developed at UC Berkeley. It uses a combination of the TD and LIF techniques to measure nitrogen dioxide (NO2), peroxynitrates, nitric acid (HNO3), and other stable organic nitrates in the atmosphere. TD-LIF operates at the 585 nm wavelength and has a typical measurement frequency of 1 Hz.

This description will be added in a future version.

The Whole Air Sampler (WAS) is an airborne in-situ instrument that collects samples of air for analysis of trace gasses, such as nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHCs), Halocarbons, Alkyl Nitrates, and various sulfur compounds that are present in the troposphere. Air samples collected via the WAS then undergo gas chromatography and mass spectrometry to determine which gasses are present in the sample. The WAS collects samples every minute, which enables scientists to get a clear picture of the chemical composition of the environment as research aircraft pass through.

The PTR-MS is a mass spectrometer designed by the University of Innsbruck in Austria. It detects volatile organic compounds quickly and is highly sensitive so it can detect compounds in the pptv range. It has flown in many campaigns studying atmospheric chemistry in the troposphere.

If instrument mode or detailed specification information is not available, can use this entry for spectrometers of various types. A spectrometer is an instrument that measures a range of a characteristic for a given substance or wavelength. There are many different types of spectrometers. Some examples are mass spectrometers, spectrophotometers, and magnetic radiation spectrometers.

A TUNABLE DIODE LASER is a solid-state laser in which as lasing is achieved by passing an injection current through the active region of a semiconductor across the p-n junction; tunable meaning it is used with a technique based upon the measurement of light absorption upon irrigating a sample using a tunable laser source.

The Airborne Tropospheric Hydrogen Oxides Sensor (ATHOS) is an in situ airborne sensor developed by Penn State University. ATHOS uses a laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) technique to measure hydroxide (OH) and hydroperoxyl (HO2) in the atmosphere. ATHOS operates near the 308 nm wavelength, has a pulse repetition frequency of 3 kHz, and has a typical time resolution of 20-30 s. It was designed to be equipped on NASA’s DC-8 aircraft and can collect measurements of OH and HO2 in clear sky and light cloud conditions.

The CalTech Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometer (CIT-CIMS) is an in situ airborne single mass spectrometer. CIT-CIMS utilizes CF3O-ion chemistry and compact time-of-flight and triple quadrupole spectrometers to measure specific atmospheric trace gases such as nitric acid, hydrogen peroxide, and sulfur dioxide. It was designed with rapid scan capabilities, allowing it to operate at a high temporal resolution (10 Hz) and detect a wide mass range. CIT-CIMS is typically used for airborne observations, but it can be used for ground-based observations as well.

The Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) is an airborne lidar system designed at NASA’s Langley Research Center (LaRC). It uses four lasers to detect lidar backscatter to provide profile measurements of ozone and aerosols in the atmosphere. DIAL operates in the ultraviolet (289-300 nm) for ozone measurements and operates in the visible (572-600 nm) and infrared (1064 nm) for aerosols. It has a horizontal spatial resolution of approximately 15 km and has a measurement accuracy of 5 ppbv.

The Condensation Nuclei Counter (CNC) is optical method for counting atmospheric aerosol particles.

Aethalometer is an in situ aerosol instrument manufactured by Magee Scientific that can be deployed on either airborne or ground-based platforms. It samples aerosols through a filter tape and measures the attenuation of transmitted light to determine concentration of black carbon particles. The Aethalometer operates across seven optical wavelengths (370, 470, 520, 590, 660, 880 and 950 nm) and can provide data at a rate of 1 Hz. It has a measurement range of 0-500 μg per cubic meter and a resolution of 0.1 μg per cubic meter.

Nephelometers are an in situ airborne or ground-based optical sensor. 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.

The Aerosol Optical Properties (AOP) is a suite consisting of three instruments: a cavity ringdown (CRD) aerosol extinction spectrometer, a photoacoustic absorption spectrometer (PAS), and an ultra-high sensitivity aerosol size spectrometer (UHSAS). This suite measures aerosol absorption and extinction, and can also characterize black carbon optics. AOP was designed to provide quick and accurate measurements of aerosols with stability while aboard an aircraft.

The Cloud Aerosol and Precipitation Spectrometer (CAPS) is an in situ airborne spectrometer manufactured by Droplet Measurement Technologies. It combines the Cloud Imaging Probe (CIP), the Cloud and Aerosol Spectrometer (CAS), and the Hotwire Liquid Water Content (LWC) Sensor into one instrument. CAPS measures size distribution of aerosol, cloud, and liquid droplets for particles between the sizes of 50-1600 μm at a time resolution of 1 Hz. It can also record images of cloud particles and provide measurements of temperature, pressure and LWC.

a miniature, lightweight, low-power cloud particle spectrometer that measures droplets in the range of 2-50 µm in concentrations as high as 2000 particles/cm3

The Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometer was developed by NOAA. This instrument can take high-precision measurements of gases such as nitric acid, water vapor, and hydrochloric acid. This instrument was designed to take measurements accurately in the boundary layer. The detection limit for CIMS is in the parts-per-trillion range, and the temporal resolution is 50s.

This data will be added in future versions

This data will be added in future versions

Condensation Particle Counters (CPCs) are in situ sensors that measure aerosol particle concentration. CPCs measure aerosol concentration by condensing fluid onto the particles, allowing them to grow to more detectable sizes for optical scattering. Typically, CPCs can detect particles with a size range of 7 nm-3 μm, can measure particle concentrations up to 100,000 particles/cc, and can provide measurements at 1 second intervals. CPCs are manufactured by TSI Incorporated and can be deployed on airborne, shipborne, and ground-based platforms.

The Single Particle Soot Photometer (SP2) is laser-induced photometer manufactured by Droplet Measurement Technologies. SP2 provides measurements of black carbon (BC) mass content of individual aerosol particles as well as the optical and physical properties of the particles containing BC. SP2 can be utilized on airborne or ground-based platforms and can be deployed with a paired Humidified-Dual SP2 (HD-SP2). It can detect aerosol particles with a diameter size of 200-400 nm and can measure 25,000 particles/second.

Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) - High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) implements both the DIAL and HSRL systems to measure both ozone and aerosol profiles simultaneously. The HSRL modification to the DIAL adds an additional 3-wavelength (355 nm, 532 nm, 1064 nm) narrowband laser and receiver to measure aerosol backscatter, extinction, and depolarization. The aerosol optical depth measurements along the flight track are also calculated due to the aerosol extinction profiles below and above the aircraft.

The Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (DOAS) is a style of instrument used for measuring trace gases in the atmosphere. The DOAS technique is used to identify and quantify trace gases using their narrow band absorptions. DOAS is a remote sensing spectrometer. It has a high temporal resolution. The DOAS technique has been in use since the 1980’s.

The HR-AMS is an upgraded version of Aerodyne’s AMS instrument. HR-AMS has a high spatial resolution and a time-of-flight measurement technique. HR-AMS is a mass spectrometer that measures aerosols in the troposphere.

FLIR is an infrared camera that detects infrared radiation. It can be used to see heat signatures on land surfaces. There are multiple kinds of this camera, and its design has evolved over the past few decades.

The GC-MS instrument is a combination of two instruments: a gas chromatograph and a mass spectrometer. It is used on airborne platforms to study atmospheric chemistry, specifically non-methane halocarbons and volatile organic compounds.

If instrument model information is not available, can use this instrument entry for temperature, pressues, wind speed, wind direction, humidity

If instrument name or model is not available but documents show that specific chemical compounds or constituents or their properties were observed, can use instrument entry. Examples include: CO, CO2, NO, NO2, N2O, HNO3, HNO4, OH, H2SO4, CH3CN, O3, H2O, halocarbons, VOCs, nitrates, aerosols (including CCN), aerosol optical properties, etc...

Los Gatos Research Greenhouse Gas Analyzer (LGR GGA) makes analyzers that measure trace gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor. GGA can operate on different aircraft and take in situ measurements in the troposphere. GGA has high resolution capabilities and does not require frequent calibration.

The Georgia Institute of Technology Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometer (GT-CIMS) is an in situ airborne spectrometer. It uses a lower pressure flow tube reactor to measure reactive nitrogen species such as nitric acid and peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) in the lower atmosphere. GT-CIMS has a typical temporal resolution of 1 second and has a detection limit of 10 pptv.

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The Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS) is an in situ airborne or ground-based aerosol sensor manufactured by TSI Incorporated. SMPS uses a differential mobility analyzer (DMA) to measure the electrical mobility diameter of aerosol particles to determine the size distribution. It also measures the number of aerosol particles by using a condensation particle counter (CNC). It can detect particles within the size range of 10-1000 nm and can provide measurements typically around 10 seconds per scan.

The Trace Organic Gas Analyzer (TOGA) is an in situ airborne analyzer that measures volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the atmosphere. It uses a combination of fast gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy to provide atmospheric mixing ratios of VOCs. It can detect a wide range of VOCs with high precision (<3%) and accuracy (20% or better) at a time resolution of 40 seconds for a 2 minute cycle.

The Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (AMS) is a spectrometer that measures the chemical composition and properties of sub-micron aerosol particles. AMS has a maximum data collection of 100 Hz and can detect particles with a size range of 40 nm to 1 micron. It operates by switching between mass spectrum (MS) mode and particle time-of-flight (PToF) mode in order to determine the chemical make-up of aerosol samples. The AMS can be deployed on aircraft, ships, mobile laboratories, or placed directly at a field site.

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The Whole Air Sampler (WAS) is an airborne in-situ instrument that collects samples of air for analysis of trace gasses, such as nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHCs), Halocarbons, Alkyl Nitrates, and various sulfur compounds that are present in the troposphere. Air samples collected via the WAS then undergo gas chromatography and mass spectrometry to determine which gasses are present in the sample. The WAS collects samples every minute, which enables scientists to get a clear picture of the chemical composition of the environment as research aircraft pass through.

The PTR-MS is a mass spectrometer designed by the University of Innsbruck in Austria. It detects volatile organic compounds quickly and is highly sensitive so it can detect compounds in the pptv range. It has flown in many campaigns studying atmospheric chemistry in the troposphere.

The Soluble Acidic Gases and Aerosols (SAGA) is an in situ airborne sampler owned and operated by the University of New Hampshire. It uses a mist chamber and ion chromatography to collect and analyze select aerosol species. It can provide samples of nitric acid, chloride, sulfates, nitrates, chloride, sodium, potassium, ammonium, and calcium. SAGA has a typical sampling frequency of 5 to 15 minutes and has a detection limit of 1 to 25 pptv depending on the sampled species.

This data will be added in future versions

This data will be added in future versions.

The Ultra-High Sensitivity Aerosol Spectrometer (UHSAS) is an in situ spectrometer manufactured by Droplet Measurement Technologies. It can be utilized on both airborne and ground-based platforms to measure aerosol size distribution and concentration. UHSAS determines the particle size by detecting the peak light signals of the aerosol particles which are illuminated by a 1054 nm laser. UHSAS can sample particles within the 60 - 1000 nm size range and has a sampling frequency of 10 Hz.

The Airborne Cavity Enhanced Spectrometer (ACES) is a two-channel spectrometer designed for aircraft measurements of glyoxal (CHOCHO), methylglyoxal (CH3COCHO), nitrous acid (HONO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and water vapor (H2O). ACES makes high sensitivity measurements of trace gases and aerosols as light passes through the optical cavity equipped with a grating spectrometer and a charge-coupled device. ACES operates across two wavelength ranges (361-389 nm and 438-468 nm) and has high precision and temporal frequency.

The CalTech Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometer (CIT-CIMS) is an in situ airborne single mass spectrometer. CIT-CIMS utilizes CF3O-ion chemistry and compact time-of-flight and triple quadrupole spectrometers to measure specific atmospheric trace gases such as nitric acid, hydrogen peroxide, and sulfur dioxide. It was designed with rapid scan capabilities, allowing it to operate at a high temporal resolution (10 Hz) and detect a wide mass range. CIT-CIMS is typically used for airborne observations, but it can be used for ground-based observations as well.

The Laser Aerosol Spectrometer Model 3340 uses patented wide-angle optics and an intracavity laser to measure the size and number concentration of airborne particles. It features a monotonic response with respect to light scattering intensity in the Mie range for precise resolution. While the instrument is calibrated with NIST traceable Polystyrene Latex (PSL) spheres, users can easily perform custom calibrations with other aerosols. This Laser Aerosol Spectrometer is unique in its ability to measure both sub- and supermicron particles over a wide range.

The Condensation Nuclei Counter (CNC) is optical method for counting atmospheric aerosol particles.

The Charged-couple device (CCD) Actinic Flux Spectroradiometer (CAFS) is an in situ airborne spectroradiometer developed by the Atmospheric Radiation Investigations and Measurements (ARIM) laboratory at NCAR. CAFS measures spectrally resolved ultraviolet and visible actinic flux between 280-650 nm. These measurements can be used to derive the photolysis frequencies for several chemical compounds such as ozone, nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde, and nitrate. CAFS has a temporal resolution of 1 Hz and a wavelength resolution of about 1.8 nm at 297 nm.

The Compact Atmospheric Multispecies Spectrometer (CAMS) is an in situ airborne spectrometer developed by the University of Colorado. CAMS uses mid-IR (3.53 μm) absorption spectroscopy to measure formaldehyde and ethane in the atmosphere. It utilizes difference-frequency generation (DFG) to produce the mid-IR light by mixing two near-IR (1562 and 1083 nm) laser sources. CAMS provides high precision measurements at a sampling frequency of 1 Hz.

The Diode Laser Hygrometer (DLH) is an in situ airborne hygrometer developed by NASA’s Langley Research Center (LaRC). It uses tunable diode laser absorption to measure water vapor in the atmosphere. DLH operates in the near-infrared region at around 1.4 μm and has a measurement frequency of 100 Hz. It has the capability to provide accurate measurements of water vapor even while flying through clouds.

The Differential Absorption Carbon monOxide Measurements (DACOM) is an airborne in situ spectrometer system. It uses the differential absorption technique and an infrared tunable diode laser (TDL) to collect measurements of nitrous oxide (N2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and methane (CH4) in the atmosphere. DACOM operates across the 4.7, 4.5, and 3.3 μm wavelengths to access the absorption lines for CO, N2O, and CH4. It has a measurement frequency of 5 Hz and has a precision of about 1 ppbv.

The In Situ Airborne Formaldehyde (ISAF) is an airborne optical sensor developed at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). ISAF uses laser induced fluorescence (LIF) to measure formaldehyde throughout the troposphere and lower stratosphere. It operates at the 353 nm wavelength and has a sampling frequency of 1 Hz. ISAF can measure formaldehyde concentrations ranging from 10 pptv to hundreds of ppbv at an accuracy of 10%.

The Langley Aerosol Research Group Experiment (LARGE) is an in situ airborne instrument suite that measures aerosol and cloud microphysical and optical properties such as size distribution, number concentration, and scattering and absorption coefficient. LARGE consists of multiple instruments including the Ultra-High Sensitivity Aerosol Spectrometer (UHSAS), Particle-Into-Liquid Sampler (PILS), Particle Soot Absorption Photometer (PSAP), Cloud and Aerosol Spectrometer (CAS), Cloud Imaging Probe (CIP), and additional cloud and aerosol sensors. The LARGE instruments operate across the 450-700 nm wavelength range, can detect particles in the size range between 0.003-20μm, and have a measurement frequency of 1 Hz. It is typically used for airborne measurements, but it also has capability to deployed on ground-based platforms such as vehicles.

NOx/NOxy is an in situ chemiluminescence instrument. It provides measurements of nitrogen oxides and ozone in the atmosphere at a spatial resolution better than 100m for typical DC-8 research flight speeds. NOx/NOxy can be utilized on ground-based, airborne, and shipborne platforms allowing it to be used in various types of atmospheric chemistry and air quality studies.

The Meteorological Measurement System (MMS) is an in situ airborne instrument used for measuring atmospheric state parameters. MMS provides high resolution and accurate measurements of atmospheric pressure, temperature, and wind direction and speed immediately around the plane. Additional parameters can be derived such as potential temperature, true airspeed, turbulence dissipation rate, and Reynolds number. Measurements of all parameters are typically collected at a rate of 20 Hz.

The Particle Soot Absorption Photometer (PSAP) is an in situ airborne photometer manufactured by Radiance Research. It uses Beer's Law to measure the change in light transmission of aerosol particles. These measurements can be used to derive aerosol absorption and extinction. PSAP operates across three wavelengths (467, 530, and 660 nm) and has a temporal resolution of 1 second. It is typically deployed on aircraft, but it can be deployed on other platforms such as ships and vehicles.

Nephelometers are an in situ airborne or ground-based optical sensor. 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.

The High Altitude Monolithic Microwave integrated Circuit (MMIC) Sounding Radiometer (HAMSR) is an airborne microwave sounder developed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory under the NASA Instrument Incubator Program. HAMSR measures brightness temperature which can be used to derive three-dimensional profiles of temperature, water vapor, and cloud liquid water in the atmosphere. It operates across 25 spectral channels in 3 microwave bands (50-60 GHz, 118 GHz, 183 GHz) and has a sampling frequency of 5 seconds. HAMSR has a horizontal spatial resolution of 2 km at nadir and a field of view of about 40 km at an altitude of 20 km.