Abstract
The Laser Absorption Spectrometer (LAS) is an airborne instrument that is capable of remotely measuring several important atmospheric constituents. The instrument design concept is also feasible for operation from earth orbiting altitudes, as part of a shuttle pay load. The LAS utilizes two carbon dioxide lasers and two heterodyne receivers tuned to a selected wavelength pair, and operates in a differential absorption mode. One laser is tuned to an absorption line of a molecular specie of interest, and the other laser is tuned to a nearby wavelength that is not affected by variable atmospheric constituents. The two laser transmitter/receiver combinations are oriented in a nadir viewing configuration, and the differential transmission is determined. The instrument is designed to be installed in a twin-engine Beechcraft and operates through an open port in the belly of the aircraft. The LAS has been used for the last 3 years to measure atmospheric ozone. An extensive series of test flights over the Los Angeles Basin and over Southeastern Virginia, some in conjunction with other instrument aircraft, have demonstrated that the LAS performs accurate remote measurement of tropospheric ozone burdens. By choosing the proper set of wavelengths, this
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