Recent measurement results from the Carbon Dioxide Laser Absorption Spectrometer for the ASCENDS Mission

The JPL developed Carbon Dioxide Laser Absorption Spectrometer, CO2LAS flew on the NASA DC-8 aircraft during the February-March 2013 ASCENDS flight campaign. The instrument measures the column averaged CO2 between the aircraft and the ground. Nine flights were conducted over a variety of surface cover types through out the Western United States. In-situ measurements of CO2 were made using both a commercial PICARRO sensor and the NASA LaRC developed Atmospheric Vertical Observations of CO2 in the Earth's Troposphere, AVOCET instrument onboard the aircraft. Auxiliary measurements of atmospheric pressure, temperature and water vapor profiles were collected via balloon sondes launched from the ground during flights over California and Nevada. The purpose of this series of flights was to demonstrate the ability to make column CO2 measurements over a variety of surface types including snow. We will present results from these most recent flights together with refined results from the prior 2011 campaign. We will discuss algorithm changes and improvements that lead to a more automated processing regime and will conclude with plans for instrument improvements for the next series of flights that are tentatively planned for summer 2014.