Global measurement of atmospheric carbon dioxide from the Space Shuttle
Abstract
This paper discusses an experiment to measure concentrations of atmospheric CO2 by means of a small Get-Away Special experiment aboard a Space Shuttle on an earth-viewing mission. Solar radiation reflected from the earth's surface will be alternately sampled in two relatively narrow wavelength bands near 2.1 microns: one sampling will be done in the P-branch of the 2.06 micron absorption band of CO2, and other sampling will be done at a region of no CO2 absorption near 2.14 microns. Detection will be done with a lead-sulfide detector operating near room temperature. The difference between signals at two filter wavelengths is a measure of the total CO2 contained in the sampled portion of the atmosphere. Data will be stored on a magnetic tape for subsequent analysis after the mission. Results will be presented as geographic isoconcentration profiles giving total atmospheric concentrations of CO2 over the global path of the Shuttle.
- Publication:
-
AIAA, Aerospace Sciences Meeting
- Pub Date:
- May 1981
- Bibcode:
- 1981aiaa.meetV....P
- Keywords:
-
- Atmospheric Composition;
- Atmospheric Sounding;
- Carbon Dioxide Concentration;
- Infrared Spectroscopy;
- Space Shuttle Payloads;
- Absorption Spectra;
- Get Away Specials (Sts);
- Greenhouse Effect;
- Infrared Filters;
- Photometers;
- Solar Radiation;
- Spacecraft Instrumentation