The novel HALO mini-DOAS instrument: inferring trace gas concentrations from airborne UV/visible limb spectroscopy under all skies using the scaling method

• Published in: Atmospheric Measurement Techniques
• Main Authors: Hüneke, Tilman, Aderhold, Oliver-Alex, Bounin, Jannik, Dorf, Marcel, Gentry, Eric, Grossmann, Katja, Grooß, Jens-Uwe, Hoor, Peter, Jöckel, Patrick, Kenntner, Mareike, Knapp, Marvin, Knecht, Matthias, Lörks, Dominique, Ludmann, Sabrina, Matthes, Sigrun, Raecke, Rasmus, Reichert, Marcel, Weimar, Jannis, Werner, Bodo, Zahn, Andreas, Ziereis, Helmut, Pfeilsticker, Klaus
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2018
• Subjects: Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-10-4209-2017; https://amt.copernicus.org/articles/10/4209/2017/

We report on a novel six-channel optical spectrometer (further on called mini-DOAS instrument) for airborne nadir and limb measurements of atmospheric trace gases, liquid and solid water, and spectral radiances in the UV/vis and NIR spectral ranges. The spectrometer was developed for measurements from aboard the German High-Altitude and Long-Range (HALO) research aircraft during dedicated research missions. Here we report on the relevant instrumental details and the novel scaling method used to infer the mixing ratios of UV/vis absorbing trace gases from their absorption measured in limb geometry. The uncertainties of the scaling method are assessed in more detail than before for sample measurements of NO 2 and BrO. Some first results are reported along with complementary measurements and comparisons with model predictions for a selected HALO research flight from Cape Town to Antarctica, which was performed during the research mission ESMVal on 13 September 2012.