Instrumentation and its development play a key role in advancing research, providing state-of-the-art tools to address scientific "open questions" and to enable novel fields of research leading to new discoveries.
Over the last several decades, atmospheric environmental monitoring has benefited from the development of novel spectroscopic measurement techniques owing to the significant breakthroughs in photonic technology from the UV to THz spectral regions. These advances open new research avenues for observation of spatial and long-term trends in key atmospheric precursors, thus improving our understanding of tropospheric chemical processes and trends that affect regional air quality and global climate change. Extensive development of spectroscopic instruments for sensing the atmosphere continues toward improving performance and functionality, and reducing size and cost.
This focus session entitled "Advanced Spectroscopic Measurement Techniques for Atmospheric Science" addresses the latest developments and advances in a broad range of spectroscopic instrumentation and photonic/optoelectronic devices and technologies, and their integration for a variety of atmospheric applications. The objective is to provide a platform for sharing information on state-of-the-art and emerging developments in photonic instrumentation for atmospheric sensing. This interdis¬ciplinary forum aims to foster discussion among experimentalists, atmospheric scientists, and development engineers. It is also an opportunity for R&D and analytical equipment companies to evaluate the capabilities of new instrumentation and techniques.
Topics for presentation include novel spectroscopic methods and instruments for measuring atmospheric aerosols, isotopologues, trace gases and radicals. In situ and remote observations, vertical concentration profiles, and flux measurements are all welcome. Spectroscopic methods could include high performance absorption spectroscopy (such as broadband and laser-based cavity-enhanced spectroscopies and multipass systems), fluorescence techniques, heterodyne radiometry, and aerosol spectroscopy. Applications to field observations, airborne platforms (UAV, balloon, aircraft), geological exploration, and smog chamber studies are welcome. Creative approaches using new photonic technologies, methodologies, and data analysis tools are particularly encouraged.