The GLO (GFCR Limb Occultation) sensor: a new sensor concept for upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UTLS) composition and transport studies

The GLO instrument concept is a VNIR/MWIR solar occultation sensor designed to measure (all at < 1 km vertical resolution) O3, H2O, CH4, CO, HF, HCN, HCl, HDO, N2O, CO2 (for temperature), and aerosol from orbital altitudes. The vertical measurement range spans the entire middle atmosphere, but the sensor has been designed to particularly target transport and composition in the UTLS. With its small form factor and modest spacecraft requirements, GLO is well suited for constellation applications. We will describe one such implementation of GLO. The instrument concept, measurement and data acquisition approach, and potential applications will be discussed.