Title of Paper: Next Generation Airborne Gas Chromatograph for NASA Airborne Platforms

Principal Author: Dr. James Elkins

Abstract: NOAA/CMDL scientists have designed and operated two airborne chromatographs (GCs) on NASA aircraft and balloon payloads that were capable of measuring important atmospheric trace gases that affect climate forcing and stratospheric ozone depletion in the upper troposphere and stratosphere. We will describe the next generation airborne gas chromatograph that also will measure trace gases that are involved in atmospheric chemistry in the troposphere, including PAN and the hydrocarbons. The next generation gas chromatograph includes one mass selective detector and two electron capture detectors. We will describe some of our technological improvements over past GCs. This new GC was funded under NASA's Instrument Incubator Program (IIP).