Pandora lunar measurements of nitrogen dioxide during the OWLETS 2018 and LISTOS campaigns
Abstract
The sources and transport of nighttime nitrogen dioxide (NO2) has a large impact on surface air quality the following day. A lack of available nighttime ground-based remote sensing observations has made quantifying tropospheric NO2 a difficult endeavor. Incorporating lunar observations with daytime records can provide complete diel information on atmospheric composition and air quality. Using the moon or sun as a light source, Pandora UV spectrometer systems (280-530 nm; 0.6 nm resolution) can derive precise total column NO2 from an open signal with an open line of sight, clear skies, and the phase of the moon being more than 50% full. In partnership with state agencies and academic researchers, NASA and the EPA have deployed 19 Pandora systems from southern Virginia to New England. These systems were deployed for long-term operations along with supporting the 2018 Ozone Water-Land Environmental Transition Study (OWLETS-2) and Long Island Sound Tropospheric Ozone Study (LISTOS) campaigns. During the full-moon cycles of the campaigns, 12 Pandora systems were operating on lunar observation routines. We present Pandora data that begins to broaden our understanding of nocturnal NO2 behavior. We also integrate these observations with air quality forecasts and models of the following day to determine if Pandora can accurately be used in aiding forecasting.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2018
- Bibcode:
- 2018AGUFM.A51N2391S
- Keywords:
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- 0365 Troposphere: composition and chemistry;
- ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTUREDE: 0368 Troposphere: constituent transport and chemistry;
- ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTUREDE: 3307 Boundary layer processes;
- ATMOSPHERIC PROCESSESDE: 3355 Regional modeling;
- ATMOSPHERIC PROCESSES