Principal Investigator: Omar Torres

Institution name: Goddard Space Flight Center – National Aeronautics and Space Administration (GSFC – NASA)

Scientific Objetives

The NASA Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, and Ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission carries three sensors specifically designed for the characterization of Earth-System components and improved understanding of their interactive physical processes. The Ocean Color Instrument (OCI) is a low spectral resolution spectrometer that will measure the Earth-reflected radiance in the range 340-890 nm in 5 nm steps.

Figure.- UV-MFRSR582 sunphotometer installled at Santa Cruz Observatory (Tenerife).

This project proposes a plan to collect relevant data for the validation of PACE-OCI atmospheric products UV aerosol index (UVAI) and 380 nm single scattering albedo (SSA). Since the AERONET program routinely collects aerosol optical depth (AOD) at multiple wavelengths, including 380 nm, no specific data collection activities for 380 nm AOD are proposed. The modified MFRSR have been designed to carry out these purposes and will be operated at multiple AERONET locations at low and mid latitudes in both hemispheres during field campaigns over three years. One of them has been installed in Santa Cruz de Tenerife AERONET station.