he Atmospheric Imaging Mission for Northern Regions: AIM-North

摘要

AIM-North is a proposed satellite mission that would provide observations of unprecedentedfrequency and density for monitoring northern greenhouse gases (GHGs), air quality (AQ)and vegetation. AIM-North would consist of two satellites in a highly elliptical orbit formation,observing over land from ～40°N to 80°N multiple times per day. Each satellite wouldcarry a near-infrared to shortwave infrared imaging spectrometer for CO_2, CH_4, and CO, andan ultraviolet-visible imaging spectrometer for air quality. Both instruments would measuresolar-induced fluorescence from vegetation. A cloud imager would make near-real-timeobservations, which could inform the pointing of the other instruments to focus only onthe clearest regions. Multiple geostationary (GEO) AQ and GHG satellites are planned for the2020s, but they will lack coverage of northern regions like the Arctic. AIM-North wouldaddress this gap with quasi-geostationary observations of the North and overlap with GEOcoverage to facilitate intercomparison and fusion of these datasets. The resulting data wouldimprove our ability to forecast northern air quality and quantify fluxes of GHG and AQ speciesfrom forests, permafrost, biomass burning and anthropogenic activity, furthering ourscientific understanding of these processes and supporting environmental policy.