Recent Advancements in Atmospheric Measurements Made from NASA Airborne Science Platforms

Techniques for making atmospheric measurements are as wide-ranging as the atmosphere is complex. From in situ measurements made by land, sea, or air, to remote sensing data collected by satellites orbiting the Earth, atmospheric measurements have been paramount in advancing the combined understanding of our planet. To date, many of these advancements have been enabled by NASA Airborne Science platforms, which provide unique opportunities to make these measurements in remote regions, and to compare them with an ever-increasing archive of remote satellite data. Here, we discuss recent advances and current capabilities of the National Suborbital Research Center (NSRC) which provides comprehensive instrumentation and data system support on a variety of NASA airborne research platforms. Application of these methods to a number of diverse science missions, as well as upcoming project opportunities, will also be discussed.