Laser long-path absorption measurements of atmospheric trace species using the Retroreflector In Space (RIS) on the ADEOS

Experiments on Earth-satellite-Earth laser long-path absorption measurements of atmospheric trace species are planned with the Retroreflector In Space (RIS) for the Advanced Earth Observing Satellite (ADEOS), which is scheduled for launch in early 1996. The RIS is a single-element cube-corner retroreflector with an effective diameter of 0.5 m. In the measurements using RIS, a laser beam is transmitted from a ground station, reflected by RIS, and received at the ground station. The absorption of the intervening atmosphere is measured in the round-trip optical path. Measurement of the vertical profiles of ozone and methane and the column contents of CFC12, HNO₃, etc. are planned with a ground system based on isotope TEA-CO₂ lasers