A Feasibility Assessment of Implementing the Active Sensing of CO2 Emissions Over Nights, Days, and Seasons (ASCENDS) Mission

Fenton W Harrison, NASA Langley Research Center, fenton.w.harrison@nasa.gov (Presenting)
Edward V Browell, NASA Langley Research Center, edward.v.browell@nasa.gov
Stacey W Boland, 2California Institute of Technology Jet Propulsion Laboratory, stacey.w.boland@jpl.nasa.gov
Gary D Spiers, 2California Institute of Technology Jet Propulsion Laboratory, gary.d.spiers@jpl.nasa.gov

The decadal study report of the National Research Council (NRC), Earth Science and Applications from Space: National Imperatives for the Next Decade and Beyond, recommends that NASA undertake development of the Active Sensing of CO₂ Emissions over Nights, Days, and Seasons (ASCENDS) mission as the next step beyond the Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO) in enhancing the understanding of the role of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the global carbon cycle. The NASA Science Mission Directorate sponsored an ASCENDS mission system study to assess the feasibility of implementing the decadal study recommendation. The ASCENDS mission concept would extend the observational capabilities of OCO by providing day/night, all-latitude, all-season column integrated measurements of CO₂ and the required ancillary measurements necessary for quantifying the global distribution of terrestrial and oceanic sources and sinks of CO₂. The purpose of this paper is to present the results of the ASCENDS mission study, including the key mission design constraints and assumptions, measurement performance goals, and assessments of the scientific and technical feasibility of the mission concept, with emphasis on the laser based measurements.

NASA Carbon Cycle & Ecosystems Active Awards Represented by this Poster:

• Award: OTHER