HR: 12:05h
AN: A12A-08    [Abstracts]
TI: A Future "Global Atmospheric Composition Mission" (GACM) Concept.
AU: * Livesey, N J
EM: livesey@mls.jpl.nasa.gov
AF: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109, United States
AU: Santee, M L
EM: mls@mls.jpl.nasa.gov
AF: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109, United States
AU: Stek, P C
EM: Paul.C.Stek@jpl.nasa.gov
AF: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109, United States
AU: Waters, J W
EM: joe@mls.jpl.nasa.gov
AF: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109, United States
AU: Levelt, P
AF: Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI), PO Box 201, De Bilt, 3730AE, Netherlands
AU: Veefkind, P
AF: Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI), PO Box 201, De Bilt, 3730AE, Netherlands
AU: Kumer, J
AF: Lockheed Martin, LMATC ADCS 255 2 3251 Hanover Street, Palo Alto, CA 94304, United States
AU: Roche, A
AF: Lockheed Martin, LMATC ADCS 255 2 3251 Hanover Street, Palo Alto, CA 94304, United States
AB: Resolution of important outstanding questions in air quality, climate change and ozone layer stability demands global observations of multiple chemical species with high horizontal and vertical resolution from the boundary layer to the stratopause. We present a mission concept that delivers the needed atmospheric composition observations, along with cloud ice and water vapor data needed for improvements in climate and weather forecasting models. The mission comprises ultraviolet and infrared nadir and microwave limb viewing instruments observing wide swaths each orbit. We review the scientific goals of the mission and the measurement capabilities this concept will deliver. We describe how precessing orbits offer significant improvements in temporal resolution and diurnal coverage compared to sun-synchronous orbits. Such improvements are needed to quantify the impact of critical "fast processes" such as deep convection on the composition and radiative properties of the upper troposphere, a region where water vapor and ozone are strong but poorly understood greenhouse gases. This concept can serve as the "Global Atmospheric Composition Mission" (GACM) recently recommended by the National Academy of Sciences decadal survey as one of 17 priority earth science missions for the coming decade.
DE: 0300 ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE
DE: 0365 Troposphere: composition and chemistry
DE: 0368 Troposphere: constituent transport and chemistry
DE: 0394 Instruments and techniques
SC: Atmospheric Sciences [A]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting