The Two-Column Aerosol Program (TCAP) is designed to provide a detailed set of observations with which to (1) perform radiative and cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) closure studies, (2) evaluate a new retrieval algorithm for aerosol optical depth (AOD) in the presence of clouds using passive remote sensing, (3) extend a previously developed technique to investigate aerosol indirect effects, and (4) evaluate the performance of a detailed regional-scale model and a more parameterized global-scale model in simulating particle activation and AOD associated with the aging of anthropogenic aerosols. The 12-month campaign is scheduled to take place July 2012 through June 2013. Research flights take place in July 2012 and February 2013.
Airborne Instruments
G-1 Payload
| Category | Measurement | Instrument | Sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Platform Pos/Vel/Attitude | Position/Velocity @ ~10Hz | Trimble DSM | AAF |
| Pitch/Roll/Azimuth | Trimble TANS 10Hz | AAF | |
| Atmospheric State | Temperature | Rosemount 102 probe | AAF |
| Static Pressure | Rosemount 1201F1 | AAF | |
| Differential Pressure (dynamic: Rosemount 1221F2; alpha: Rosemount 1221S1; beta: All-Sensor 20-inch-G-4V) | Gustprobe | AAF/BNL | |
| Dew-point Temperature | GE-1011B chilled-mirror hygrometer | AAF | |
| Absolute humidity | TDL (Tuneable Diode Laser) | AAF | |
| 5-port air motion sensing: true air speed, altitude, angle-of-attack,side-slip, T, RH | AIMMS-20 | AAF | |
| Liquid and Total Water Content | Liquid water concent, total water content | SEA WCM-2000 | AAF |
| Liquid water content | CAPS-hotwire | AAF | |
| Cloud Microphysics | Cloud droplet size distribution (25-1500 µm) | CIP (part of CAPS) | AAF |
| Large aerosol and cloud droplets (2-50 µm) | CDP | AAF | |
| Large aerosol and cloud droplets (0.5-50 µm) | CAS (part of CAPS) | AAF | |
| Aerosol | Total particle concentration (> 3 nm) |
UCPC TSI 3025 | AAF |
| Total particle concentration (> 10 nm) |
CPC TSI 3010 | AAF | |
| Aerosol size distribution (60-1000 nm) |
UHSAS-A | AAF | |
| Aerosol size distribution (100-3000 nm) |
PCASP | AAF | |
| Large aerosol and cloud droplets (0.5-50 µm) | CAS (part of CAPS) | AAF | |
| Aerosol absorption | Radiance Particle/Soot Absorption Photometer (PSAP) | AAF | |
| Aerosol scattering | Nephelometer (TSI 3563) | AAF | |
| Aerosol hygroscopicity, f(RH) | Humidigraph (PNNL built) | AAF | |
| Aerosol chemical composition, anions, cations, and water soluble organic carbon | Particle Into Liquid Sampler-Ion Chromatography-Water Soluble Organic Carbon (PILS-IC-WSOC) | AAF | |
| Size-resolved aerosol composition | HR-ToF-AMS | PNNL | |
| Single particle mixing state, aerosol size, density and shape | Mini-SPLAT II | PNNL | |
| Soot mass, number and size distribution | DMT SP-2 Single Particle Soot Photometer | AAF | |
| CCN concentration at 2 super-saturations | DMT Cloud Condensation Nuclei (CCN) counter (dual SS) |
AAF | |
| Aerosol Sample Collection | Sample stream of dry aerosol, sizes < 5 µm | Isokinetic inlet (heated) | AAF |
| Sample stream of cloud-droplet residuals | In-cabin Counter-flow Virtual Impactor (CVI) | AAF | |
| Maintains flow through aerosol inlet and internal plumbing | Pump for aerosol flow | AAF | |
| Radiation | AOD, Size Distribution, Aerosol Absortion, Aerosol Extinction | Spectrometer for Sky Scanning and Suntracking Atmospheric Research (4STAR) | NASA-Ames/PNNL |
| Upwelling shortwave radiation global, 415, 500, 615, 673, 870, 940,1625 nm spectral channels | MFR | AAF | |
| Upwelling shortwave radiation global, broadband | SPN-1 unshaded | AAF | |
| Gases | Carbon Monoxide | CO analyzer+vacuum pump+Argon purge cylinder | AAF |
| Other | Central data acquisition/display system | SEA M300 | AAF |
| Cockpit movies | Nose Video Camera | AAF | |
| Cockpit display of precipitation returns | Weather radar | AAF | |
| Traffic Collision and Avoidance System | TCAS | AAF | |
| Terrain Awareness and Warning System | TAWS | AAF |
B-200 King Air Payload (July 2012 only)
| Measurement | Instrument | Sponsor |
|---|---|---|
| Aerosol Optical Depth (532 nm) | Research Scanning Polarimeter | NASA/GISS |
| Backscatter Coefficient (532 and 1064 nm) |
High Spectral Resolution Lidar | NASA |
| Backscatter Ratio (532 nm) | High Spectral Resolution Lidar | NASA |
| Depolarization (532 and 1064 nm) | High Spectral Resolution Lidar | NASA |
| Extinction Coefficient (532 nm) | High Spectral Resolution Lidar | NASA |