Almost all of the breakthroughs in understanding the atmospherehave been initiated by field observations, using a range ofinstrumental techniques. Developing or deploying instruments tomake further observations demands a thorough understanding of thechemical and spectroscopic principles on which such measurementsdepend. Written as an authoritative guide to the techniques of instrumentalmeasurement for the atmospheric scientist, research student orundergraduate, Analytical Techniques for Atmospheric Measurementfocuses on the instruments used to make real time measurements ofatmospheric gas and aerosol composition. Topics covered include howthey work, their strengths and weaknesses for a particular task,the platforms on which they have been deployed and how they arecalibrated. It explains the fundamental principles upon which theinstrumental techniques are based (ie what property of a moleculecan be exploited to enable its detection), what limits instrumentalsensitivity and accuracy, and the information that can be gainedfrom their use.

This book provides the first comprehensive analysis of how aerosols form in the atmosphere through in situ processes as well as via transport from the surface (dust storms, seas spray, biogenic emissions, forest fires etc.). Such an analysis has been followed by the consideration of both observation data (various field observational experiments) and numerical modeling results to assess climate impacts of aerosols bearing in mind that these impacts are the most significant uncertainty in studying natural and anthropogenic causes of climate change.