happy 25th anniversary, aats (ames airborne tracking sunphotometers)

Happy 25th Anniversary, AATS

(Ames Airborne Tracking Sunphotometers)

AATS-6- First test flights on CV-990, Dec 1984- First science mission in Brazil, April 1985

You could almost fly that thing

1975: STARS (Sutro Tower Aerosol and Radiation Study)

You should propose an

airborne active tracking version

to NASA HQ

1975: STARS (Sutro Tower Aerosol and Radiation Study)

You should come to work

at Ames & propose it to

our DDF

1975: STARS (Sutro Tower Aerosol and Radiation Study)

You should come to work

at Ames & propose it to

our DDF

1975: STARS (Sutro Tower Aerosol and Radiation Study)

Cousins

R2D2 R2D2 of of

The JediThe Jedi

R2D2 R2D2 of of

NASANASA

AATS-6 AATS-6 “R2D2” “R2D2”

P. Russell, Earth Science Seminar, NASA Ames, 19 July 2007

AATS-14

AATS-6

NASA Ames NASA Ames Airborne Tracking Sunphotometers Airborne Tracking Sunphotometers

(AATS-6 & AATS-14)(AATS-6 & AATS-14)

10/8/2004 3:58:54 PM10/8/2004 3:58:54 PM P. Russell, Ames Seminar, 24 January 2002P. Russell, Ames Seminar, 24 January 200211

UrbanPollution

BiomassSmoke

H20H20

O3O3

Desert Dust

AATS-6AATS-6

AATS-14AATS-14

19961996

AATS-6AATS-6

AATS-14AATS-14

1997: ACE-21997: ACE-2

2001: ACE-Asia2001: ACE-Asia

AATS-6AATS-6

AATS-14AATS-14

AATS-14AATS-14 10 journal 10 journal papers!papers!

AATSAATS-14-14

AATSAATS-14-14

4STAR: Spectrometer for Sky-Scanning, Sun-Tracking Atmospheric Research

AERONET-like capability

Ground-based direct beam + sky scanning yields column-integrated aerosol properties:• Size distributions• Single-scattering albedo • Asymmetry parameter • Sphericity

4STAR:

Improve gasesAnd thus AOD

Airborne spectra yields profiles of aerosol type

AATS-like capability:

Airborne sun-tracking yields range-resolved properties from column-integrated quantities measured while profiling.

AATS-like capability:

Airborne sun-tracking yields range-resolved properties from column-integrated quantities measured while profiling.

Schmid et al., AGU Fall 2009Schmid et al., AGU Fall 2009

Spectrometer for Sky-Scanning, Sun-Tracking Atmospheric Research (4STAR)

Fiber Optics Rotating Joint

Azimuth Motor

Elevation Motor

Motor Feedback Devices

Aircraft Skin

Fiber Optics Cable

Slip Ring

Optical Entrance

19

Ground Prototypes (4STAR-G)

4STAR Fabrication, 2010

4STAR Fabrication, 2010

R2D2 R2D2 of of

The JediThe Jedi

Darth Darth Vader?Vader?R2D2 R2D2

of of NASANASA

4STAR Fabrication, 2010

R2D2 R2D2 of of

The JediThe Jedi

Darth Darth Vader?Vader?

May the May the 4STAR be 4STAR be with you!with you!

R2D2 R2D2 of of

NASANASA

Next steps…

Adding temperature-stabilized enclosure for data acquisition rack

Finish stray light in side spectrometer correction

Reduce stray light in skylight measurements

Build airborne version FY10 and FY11.

Modify G-1 escape hatch for integration of 4STAR in FY10

Test-fly 4STAR on G-1 in FY11.

Hardening and retrieval algorithms in FY12

Funding: NASA, DOE ARM, BMI, PNNL

[Airworthiness test flights, Sep 2010]

[Science demo]

Schmid et al., AGU Fall 2009Schmid et al., AGU Fall 2009

>100 peer-reviewed pubs

None of this would have happened without: Jim Pollack’s vision & persistence Many, many engineers, technicians, scientists, pilots, managers, … who have worked on & with the AATSs over the years

We’re here today to recognize these contributions with cake drinks, & memories!