Langley Research Center

Researchers at NASA's Langley Research are supporting NAMMA by studying the Saharan Air Layer (SAL) using a variety of instruments aboard the DC-8 including the Lidar Atmospheric Sensing Experiment system. This lidar will remotely measure distributions of water vapor and aerosols (small particles) across the entire lower atmosphere over the eastern tropical Atlantic Ocean . Langley researchers are hoping to gather high precision, fast-response measurements of water vapor and aerosol properties. These measurements are essential for addressing a number of important objectives concerning SAL including its composition and vertical structure; how aerosols impact precipitation within the air mass; and how these aerosols impact the air mass' thermodynamic stability and its affect on hurricane cloud activity.

LaRC Public Affairs Contact:
Chris Rink
c.p.rink@larc.nasa.gov
757-864-6786
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/langley/news/