Evaluation of instruments and measurement strategies for airborne remote sensing of regional air pollution measurement requirements

This paper addresses the application of airborne remote sensors of air pollution to the regional problem. The performance of such instruments is contrasted with that expected from both ground-based monitors and airborne contact sensors. The study includes evaluation of measurement strategies for the long-range transport of both an urban oxidant plume and a fossil-fueled power plant sulfur dioxide/sulfate plume. Aspects of the problem which are dealt with include: measurement requirements, the current status of specific remote sensors and a five year outlook for selected techniques. It is concluded that several of the remote sensors should be capable of being used in a regional monitoring system within the next five years if development proceeds as expected. These include an infrared lidar, a gas filter correlator, and a laser absorption spectrometer. Evaluation of the measurement strategies shows that although an airborne remote-sensing system cannot provide significantly more required data than an airborne contact system, it does so with fewer aircraft, fewer instruments, and in a much less complex manner.