MkIV Fourier Transform InfraRed (FTIR) Interferometer

Laboratory Studies and Atmospheric Observations Group (329H)




The JPL MkIV Interferometer is a Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) Spectrometer, designed and built at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in 1984, to remotely sense the composition of the Earth's atmosphere by the technique of solar absorption spectrometry. This effort was born out of concern that man-made pollutants (e.g. chlorofluorocarbons, aircraft exhaust) might perturb the ozone layer. More recently, focus has broadened to also include measurements of greenhouse gases and pollutants.

Since 1989, the MkIV Interferometer has participated in 3 NASA DC-8 polar aircraft campaigns, and has successfully completed 27 balloon flights. In addition, the MkIV Interferometer made over 1100 days of ground-based observations from many different locations, including McMurdo, Antarctica (1986), Fairbanks, Alaska (1997), and Esrange, Sweden (1999, 2000, 2002, 2003 & 2007).

Solar Absorption Spectrometry MkIV Instrument LWBI Instrument Field Campaigns Science Personnel NDACC-IRWG Meeting (2008)

This investigation is sponsored by NASA's Upper Atmosphere Research Program (UARP).

Principal Investigator:
Dr. Geoffrey C. Toon
Geoffrey.C.Toon@jpl.nasa.gov

Web Related Comments To:
Dr. Jean-Francois L Blavier
Jean-Francois.L.Blavier@jpl.nasa.gov


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JPL Clearance #: CL 98-1653
Created: May 17, 1995 - James T. Szeto