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Measurement of Atmospheric Composition from Geostationary PlatformsSatellite instruments flown since 1970 have had great success in elucidating the processes that control stratospheric ozone. In contrast, space-based data for tropospheric constituents that affect air quality and climate have only recently become available. While these datasets highlight the rapidly advancing capabilities of spacebased tropospheric sensors, they are also pointing to the limitations of sun-synchronous, low-earth orbiting (SSO/LEO) satellite platforms for making such measurements. In our talk we will highlight the science requirements for new missions and the technological and algorithmic approaches that we are developing to meet these requirements. From these studies a clear need for advanced atmospheric composition sensors has emerged that can be put on geostationary (GEO) platforms to provide 5 km horizontal resolution with 15-60 minutes repeat cycle. Such measurements have been high priority in the recently released Decadal Survey report by the US National Research Council. The need for GEO is driven not only by the science requirements to track rapidly changing pollution events but also by the need to provide altitude-resolved information about tropospheric constituents. Currently, with the exception of aerosols, it is not possible to derive profile information about lower tropospheric constituents from satellite measurements. New algorithmic approaches are being developed to obtain this information by combining UV and IR data, by monitoring the spatial and temporal structures of the constituents, and by using low-level clouds to separate boundary layer constituents from free troposphere. All these approaches require better spatial and temporal resolution than that provided by LEO sensors.
Document ID
20080030218
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Bhartia, P. K.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Kawa, S. R.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Janz, S.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Herman, J. R.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Gleason, J. F.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
August 24, 2013
Publication Date
June 29, 2008
Subject Category
Geophysics
Meeting Information
Meeting: Quadrennial Ozone Symposium 2008/International Ozone Commission and European Commission
Location: Tromso
Country: Norway
Start Date: June 29, 2008
End Date: July 5, 2008
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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