Sky sensor

By pairing a sleek new air sampler designed at the

(UCAR) with a diode laser from SpectraSensors, researchers have hit on a technology that can capture highly accurate atmospheric water vapour data during routine commercial flights.

The data will benefit researchers and forecasters, who need more frequent, accurate measurements at various altitudes worldwide to improve weather forecasts and monitor climate change.

This month UPS is flying the Water Vapor Sensing System II (WVSS II) on 25 of its Boeing (B-757) aircraft based in Louisville, Kentucky, to compare the data to measurements from weather balloons, satellites, and other instruments and to evaluate its performance aboard commercial planes.

Currently water vapour data is gathered by an older style of sensor using a thin-film capacitor. These sensors are launched on weather balloons every 12 hours from stations around the US. Satellites also gather water vapour data, but at low vertical resolution. The WVSS II aboard commercial flights will gather data more often, at higher vertical resolution, and at lower cost than satellites and balloons.