TEMPO Green Paper: Chemistry, physics, and meteorology experiments with the Tropospheric Emissions: monitoring of pollution instrument

Abstract

The NASA/Smithsonian Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO; tempo.si.edu) satellite instrument will measure atmospheric pollution and much more over Greater North America at high temporal resolution (hourly or better in daylight, with selected observations at 10 minute or better sampling) and high spatial resolution (10 km2 at the center of the field of regard). It will measure ozone (O₃) profiles (including boundary layer O₃), and columns of nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), nitrous acid (HNO₂), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), formaldehyde (H₂CO), glyoxal (C₂H₂O₂), water vapor (H₂O), bromine oxide (BrO), iodine oxide (IO), chlorine dioxide (OClO), as well as clouds and aerosols, foliage properties, and ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation. The instrument has been delivered and is awaiting spacecraft integration and launch in 2022. This talk describes a selection of TEMPO applications based on the TEMPO Green Paper living document (http://tempo.si.edu/publications.html). Applications to air quality and health will be summarized. Other applications presented include: biomass burning and O₃ production; aerosol products including synergy with GOES infrared measurements; lightning NOx; soil NOx and fertilizer application; crop and forest damage from O₃; chlorophyll and primary productivity; foliage studies; halogens in coastal and lake regions; ship tracks and drilling platform plumes; water vapor studies including atmospheric rivers, hurricanes, and corn sweat; volcanic emissions; air pollution and economic evolution; high-resolution pollution versus traffic patterns; tidal effects on estuarine circulation and outflow plumes; air quality response to power blackouts and other exceptional events.