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Overview of NASA current and future atmospheric composition missions

Jay Al-SaadiTropospheric Chemistry Program

Earth Science DivisionScience Mission Directorate

NASA Headquarters

Satellite and Above-Boundary Layer Observations for Air Quality Management Workshop, May 9-10, 2011

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NASA Earth Science Overarching goal: Advance Earth system science, including climate studies,

through spaceborne data acquisition, research and analysis, and predictive modeling

Six major activities in Earth Science Division: Building and operating Earth observing satellite missions, many with

international and interagency partners Making high-quality data products available to broad science community Conducting and sponsoring cutting-edge research

• Field campaigns to complement satellite measurements• Modeling; Analyses of non-NASA mission data

Applied Science & Applications to enhance near-term benefits Developing technologies to improve Earth observation capabilities Education and Public Outreach

Earth Science by NASAA Space Program with a comprehensive, broad-based scientific research, technology, and applications element.

A scientific research, technology, and applications program with expertise and access to space.

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Air Quality From Space

Significant progress has been made over the past ~15 years in satellite remote sensing of atmospheric composition relevant to air quality

Survey Articles:•Martin, Invited Review Article: “Satellite Remote Sensing of Surface Air Quality”Atmos Env, 2008.

•Fishman et al., “Remote Sensing of Tropospheric Pollution from Space”Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, June 2008

•Hoff and Christopher, 2009 Critical Review of the Airand Waste Management Association“Remote Sensing of Particulate Pollution from Space:Have We Reached the Promised Land?” J. Air & Waste Manage. Assoc., June 2009

•Burrows, Platt, and Borrell, eds.The Remote Sensing of Tropospheric Composition FromSpace, Springer-Verlag, 2011

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Trace species in Red can be routinely observed from spaceTrace species in Green are being observed in research efforts

O3

STRATOSPHERE

TROPOSPHERE

OHNO2

O3

O2

NOAerosolSO2 NH3

H2O, H2O2, HNO3

Aerosol

Atmospheric Pollutants: Emission and Transformation

Ozone (O3): Aura-OMI, Aura-MLS, Aura-TESCarbon Monoxide (CO): Terra-MOPITT, Aqua-AIRS, Aura-TESNitrogen Dioxide (NO2): Aura-OMIFormaldehyde (CH2O): Aura-OMIAerosols: Terra-MODIS and MISR, Aqua-MODIS, Aura-OMI, CALIPSO

Global observations, at best once per dayLaunch dates: Terra 1999, Aqua 2002, Aura 2004, Calipso 2006

Current NASA satellite observations relevant to Air QualityA legacy of the Earth Observing System (EOS) vision

Terra10:30

NO2 observations from GOME, SCIAMACHY, GOME-2: Information on anthropogenic and natural emissions

Tropospheric NO2 concentrations for December 2003 to December 2004 as measured with SCIAMACHY on ENVISAT. Clearly visible are industrialised regions in the northern and southern hemisphere as well as regions of biomass burning in the southern hemisphere. Inset illustrates how NO2 concentrations have risen in China from 1996-2009. The trend analysis uses data from GOME (1996-2002) and SCIAMACHY (2003-2009).

(Courtesy A. Richter, University of Bremen)

Promising Ground-Level NO2 Inferred From OMI for 2005: Need Higher Temporal and Spatial Resolution

Temporal Correlation with In Situ Over 2005

Lamsal et al., JGR, 2008

Spatial Correlation of Annual Mean vs In Situ for North America = 0.78

×In situ—— OMI

Bryan Duncan & Yasuko YoshidaThe Atmospheric Chemistry and Dynamics Branch (Code 613.3),

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

The OMI formaldehyde (HCHO) to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) ratio for August 2005. Harmful levels of surface ozone can form through a complex series of reactions involving volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) in the presence of sunlight. Ozone will decrease when emissions of anthropogenic VOCs are reduced when the ratio is < 1 (e.g., Los Angeles, Chicago). It will decrease when NOx emissions are reduced when the ratio is > 2. In this way, the ratio is an air quality indicator.

Duncan et al., Atmospheric Environment, 2010

Natural VOCs from trees are so high in the East that ozone production is primarily controlled by reducing NOxemissions.

Ozone production is controlled by reducing VOC emissions in downtown LA.

Reduce NOx EmissionsReduce VOC Emissions Transition

Application of Ozone Monitoring Instrument Observations to a Space-Based Indicator of NOx and VOC Controls on Surface Ozone Formation

A joint NASA-NOAA-EPA initiative to improve accuracy of next day air quality forecasts of fine particulate matter

Combines NASA (MODIS) and NOAA (GOES) satellite aerosol observations, EPA surface measurements, and NOAA air trajectories to provide air quality guidance during large aerosol events

• Dust storms• Smoke from forest fires• Urban/industrial haze

Regulatory relevance: satellite aerosol observations are now providing “weight of evidence” for judgments of exemption from air quality compliance due to exceptional events

IDEA: Infusing satellite Data into Environmental Applications

http://www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/smcd/spb/aq/

Al-Saadi et. al., September 2005, Bull. American Meteorological Society

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NPOESS Preparatory Project10.25.11

NPP’s five-instrument suite of advanced ultraviolet, visible, infrared, and microwave imagers and sounders will improve the accuracy of climate observations, advance Earth science research, enable expanded applications of spaceborne measurements for societal benefit, and enhance weather forecasting capabilities for the nation. NASA has worked closely with NOAA and DoD in developing NPP.

Continuity measurements for aerosol (MODIS=>VIIRS), O3 (OMI/MLS=>OMPS), maybe CO (AIRS => CrIS)

Assembling the Taurus XL rocket on the launch pad

NPP observatory in the clean room

Smoke from Yellowstone Fires

Glory’s position in the A-Train

Heavy Dust over the Persian GulfHurricane Ike Forecast

VIIRSCrIS

ATMS

CERESOMPS

OMI Continuity(Pepijn Veefkind & TROPOMI team, 2011)

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Future Missions: Guiding Recommendation Documents

http://science.nasa.gov/media/medialibrary/2010/07/01/Climate_Architecture_Final.pdf

2007 Decadal Survey

Administration prioritiesand constraints

Decadal survey,OCO-2,climate continuity missions, balanced programIntegrated Program

• Research and Applications communities priorities

• No realistic budget constraint (calls for $2B funding [FY06 constant $$ beginning in FY10)

• Dec Surv + Administration priorities• Executable for FY11 Pres. Bud.• OSTP, USGCRP, OMB approval

est. 2018-2022 est. 2020-2025

*

*

*

*

*Denotes atmospheric composition components

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Future Orbital Flight Missions – 2010 – 2022X X X X XX

Internationalcontributions

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1. High temporal resolution measurements to capture changes in pollutant distributions due to changing photochemistry, emissions and meteorology

2. High spatial resolution measurements to access the city scale with continuous full-coverage of North America

3. Exploitation of multispectral observations to improve information content in vertical profile

4. Key contributor to an integrated observing system in conjunction with observations from the ground-based, suborbital and satellite platforms of US and international partners

GEO-CAPE will significantly improve observational capability for Air Quality in 4 key areas:

http://geo-cape.larc.nasa.gov/

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Why Geostationary? High temporal resolutionOMI accurately detects column NO2 - once per day and with varying horizontal resolution

Hourly NO2 surface concentration and integrated column calculated by CMAQ air quality model: Houston, TX, June 22-23, 2005

Low Earth Orbit measurements once per day provide limited information for AQ models

Geo-CAPE would provide NO2 measurements every 30-60 minutes during sunlit hours

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GEO-CAPE Atmosphere Measurement Objectives

Threshold objectives (minimum mission, responsive to Decadal Survey): Hourly O3 and NO2 (during daylight hours) and CO (day and night), at 8 km

horizontal resolution at 40N HCHO 3 times/day at 8 km horizontal resolution Hourly AOD at 2 km horizontal resolution

Baseline objectives (goal mission, optimal science): O3 , NO2 , HCHO, SO2 ,CH4 , NH3 , CHOCHO, and CO at different sampling

frequencies, at 4 km horizontal resolution at 40N Hourly AOD, AAOD, AI, aerosol optical centroid height (AOCH), cloud

detection at 1 km horizontal resolution at 40N Baseline measurements require addition of Thermal IR wavelengths

Strong emphasis on improving sensitivity to “near surface” O3 and CO and on better distinguishing “near surface” from “free troposphere”

Capability to achieve threshold and most baseline objectives has been demonstrated from low-Earth orbit (e.g., GOME, SCIAMACHY, OMI, MOPITT, and TES)

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GEO-CAPE Status

Increasing urgency for GEO-CAPE observations over the US US air quality policies growing more rigorous (new rules, revisions of standards)

placing more emphasis on expanded monitoring and international conventions Increasing emphasis on carbon cycle and water quality (particularly in coastal

ecosystems), short lived climate forcers, and air quality/ climate co-benefits

Challenging economic situation and budget environment GEO-CAPE not presently scheduled for launch before 2021 NASA developing mission concepts to possibly enable sooner launch

The DISCOVER-AQ investigation (2011-2014) will help establish how remote sensing observations many times per day will be combined with ground based measurements in integrated observing systemshttp://discover-aq.larc.nasa.gov/

Advancement of similar missions in Europe and Asia presents opportunity to achieve GEO-CAPE science/applications throughout Northern Hemisphere European and Korean geostationary AQ missions approved for 2018 launches

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A Geostationary Air Quality Constellationhttp://www.ceos.org/images/ACC/AC_Geo_Position_Paper_v4.pdf

Geostationary orbit offers the potential for “continuous” (many times per day) observation within the satellite field of view

Harmonization of planned geostationary missions for air quality, along with planned low-Earth orbit continuity missions, will enable an integrated global observing system fulfilling the visions of GEO/GEOSS

Help address over-arching policy relevant science questions posed by the Hemispheric Transport of Air Pollution report (2007), particularly including the following: For each region in the Northern Hemisphere, can we define source/receptor

relationships and the influence of intercontinental transport on the exceedance of established standards or policy objectives for the pollutants of interest?

How will changes in emissions in each of the other countries in the Hemisphere change pollutant concentrations or deposition levels and the exceedance of established standards or policy objectives for the pollutants of interest?

NASA GEO-CAPENOAA GOES R/S

ESA, EumetsatSentinel-4 + MTG

KARI MP-GeoSat GEMSJAXA GMAP-ASIA

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Summary Current satellite observations relevant to air quality are expected to continue

and in many cases improve in capability. Gaps are possible. Increasing reliance on international partners

The air quality management and remote sensing communities need to continue working together to extract the most possible value from satellite observations. We believe more can be done with past and current observations; EPA

Workshop Series and NASA AQAST team are excellent steps

GEO-CAPE is the next US tropospheric composition mission At minimum, will provide information similar to OMI plus MOPITT at hourly

frequency and finer horizontal resolution. It may provide more information. Next step is to conduct cost vs capability

assessments. We need your help to define the right metrics and value them. Examples:

• Tropospheric column O3, NO2, HCHO accurate to X%• Distinguish near-surface from free-trop CO accurate to X%• Sensitivity to O3 in the lowest 2km with a confidence of X%• Trade-off between finer spatial resolution and higher temporal frequency• And many more