Boundary Layer CO2 Using CW Lidar

21 May 2005 - 24 May 2005

Lead Scientist: Michael Dobbs

Observatory: sgp, sgp

Overflights Underway at ACRF Southern Great Plains Site (M.Dobbs/J.Liljegren)

Science collaborators at ITT Industries and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Langley Research Center (LaRC) conducted flights over the Central Facility at ACRF’s Southern Great Plains (SGP) site as part of the Climate Sources and Sink (CO2) Intensive Operational Period (IOP), using a CW lidar. The objective of the flights was to validate, by demonstration and comparison with SGP ground observations, the performance of the ITT system when used in conjunction with retrieval algorithms developed by LaRC as they operate together to resolve small variations in the total column concentration of CO2 as a result of sources and sinks.

In support of the IOP, ACRF operations personnel at SGP assisted with filing of all appropriate Federal Aviation Administration paperwork for operating a non eye-safe laser onboard the Lear 25 aircraft. Routine ARM radiosonde launches will be supplemented with additional launches to bracket the pre-dawn and mid-afternoon flights.

ITT developed a new remote sensing technology believed to have great potential for future scientific missions by NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). By combining robust and reliable telecom fiber lasers with advanced communication signal recovery techniques, ITT developed a new level of capability to detect small signals and reject common sources of noise, including ambient light, variations in surface albedo, target speckle, and atmosphere turbulence, which would introduce errors. Data obtained from these flights was used to validate performance models and demonstrate the advanced technology readiness status of the sensor system.

This IOP supported carbon cycle research conducted through the Department of Energy’s Climate Change Science Program and NASA’s Earth Science Enterprise. The IOP provided new methods to meet climate data requirements not currently addressed by National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System, a satellite system for monitoring global environmental conditions, and collecting and disseminating data related to weather, atmosphere, oceans, land, and the near-space environment.

Timeline

Campaign Data Sets

IOP Participant Data Source Name Final Data
Michael Dobbs CW Lidar Order Data