FIRS home page

	The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory Far-Infrared Spectroscopy Group
	January 31, 2006/I>

Welcome to the FIRS homepage at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.

The FIRS-2 is a far-infrared Fourier transform spectrometer used to measure the abundance of various trace gases in the stratosphere from both balloon and aircraft platforms. It is the successor to the FIRS-1, which had 6 productive balloon flights starting in 1979 before being destroyed in a free-fall in 1983. We use the abundance measurements to test photochemical models of the stratosphere, particularly our understanding of mechanisms of production and loss of ozone. We also use our measurements of long-lived molecules, particularly water vapor, to test models of stratospheric transport and stratosphere-troposphere exchange.

Personnel:

Kenneth W. Jucks, PI
Wesley A. Traub, co-I (now at JPL)
David G. Johnson, co-I (now at NASA Langley)
Kelly V. Chance, co-I

More information is available on:

Current work.
The FIRS-2 spectrometer.
The Smithsonian Astrophysical spectroscopic database SAO92.
Recent papers by the FIRS group.
Recent presentations by the FIRS group.

Images:

See pictures from our 1997 Alaska campaign.
See pictures from our 2006 Kiruna, Sweden campaign.
See pictures from our 2007 Kiruna, Sweden campaign.

Ken Jucks (jucks@cfa.harvard.edu)