Speaker
Description
Spaceborne observations have enabled critical insights into the behavior of Earth's atmosphere. Atmospheric limb sounding (viewing the atmosphere edge-on) offers good vertical resolution, and the long atmospheric path viewed provides a strong signal to noise for measurements of tenuous trace gases. We present an overview of the “Microwave Limb Sounder” (MLS) series of instruments, whose measurements have been used in studies of issues related to stratospheric ozone layer stability, climate variability and change, and the impact of stratospheric ozone on air quality. To date, more than 1700 peer-reviewed publications have used data from the MLS instruments on NASA’s Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS, 1991–2000) and Aura (2004–) missions.
We briefly review the MLS technique and the MLS instrument on Aura, then describe a new “Continuity-MLS” instrument under development. Continuity MLS obtains nearly all of the measurements made by Aura MLS, but in a far more compact form factor (60kg, 80W vs. 500kg, 500W). Continuity-MLS takes advantage of new advances in microwave technology, including singlechip digital spectrometers and compact ~100 GHz oscillators. The C-MLS instrument is a strong candidate for the “Ozone and Trace Gas” opportunity that is part of NASA’s new “Earth Explorer” program. It would also ideally suited to NASA’s new “Earth Venture-Continuity” opportunity.
