A monitoring program to measure changes in the mean atmospheric temperature of the earth
Abstract
We outline a laser-absorption program to measure mean temperatures in the atmosphere of the earth. The proposed thermometer may involve, for example, a set of 5 ground-based, high-power CO lasers tuned to the P2 and P22 lines of the 0-1 vibration-rotation band. The transmitted radiation is detected on a platform that is located beyond the atmosphere of the earth (either on a satellite or else on a space shuttle). Our preliminary calculations indicate that mean temperature changes of about 0.2 C will be detectable with reasonable certainty. A careful optimization and evaluation of our proposed systems configuration remains to be done.
- Publication:
-
Journal of Quantitative Spectroscopy and Radiative Transfer
- Pub Date:
- November 1977
- DOI:
- 10.1016/0022-4073(77)90055-3
- Bibcode:
- 1977JQSRT..18..549P
- Keywords:
-
- Atmospheric Temperature;
- Earth Atmosphere;
- Laser Applications;
- Temperature Measurement;
- Carbon Monoxide Lasers;
- Photoabsorption;
- Satellite Observation