Carbon Dioxide Science
Studying Carbon Dioxide with AIRS Data
The most important trace gas retrieved by AIRS for the study of anthropogenic effects on climate is carbon dioxide. AIRS CO2 retrievals use an analytical method for the determination of carbon dioxide and other minor gases in the troposphere from AIRS spectra.
The AIRS data have been shown to be accurate to within 1.20 ppmv of simultaneous measurements by aircraft.
Global monthly maps of CO2 have been generated and identify global transport patterns in the mid-troposphere. These results will aid climate modelers in parameterization of mid-tropospheric transport processes of CO2 and other gases. AIRS CO2 provides a mid-tropospheric measurement that when combined with a total measurement from the Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO) to be launched in 2009 will identify surface sources and sinks of CO2.
There are over 13 referred publications on the use of AIRS data to determine CO2 concentrations and the use of the data for understanding global CO2 circulation. Although other instruments measure CO2, their observations are improved with a good understanding of the 'background' CO2 levels measured by AIRS. The AIRS will also provide the 'context' of observations with the wide swath and global coverage capability.
