Atmospheric in situ and remote sensing observations can be provided by surface stations, aircraft and radiosondes (battery-powered instrument carried into the atmosphere by a weather balloons).

Accurate, stable and well-calibrated observations are needed to constrain the air quality models at the near-surface level of exposure, as well as to validate the global and regional forecasts and reanalyses. While satellite observations provide a global view of the atmosphere, their vertical and temporal coverage is limited. In situ observations ensure that there is an important quality control on the combined information from models and satellite observations. Only the combination of all the data sources, including in situ data, will provide users with reliable and up-to-date information related to environmental and security issues.

The DOAS-group in the Institute of Environmental Physics (IUP), University of Bremen, work on UV/visible remote measurements of atmospheric composition using the Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy-Method (DOAS). They use the DOAS algorithm to analyse and validate and complement all satellite products that are retrieved from the same spectral ranges, by using ground based and air-borne measurements.

NASA’s Pandora project involves a ground based network Spectrometer System designed to specifically look at levels of ozone, nitrogen dioxide and formaldehyde in the atmosphere. What makes the Pandora unique from other ground-based networks at NASA is that it can measure total column profiles, observing different layers of the atmosphere at once.

Featured Educator

• Dr Andreas Meier, PostDoc Researcher, University of Bremen

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