Abstract

Water vapor is an important and highly variable component of the atmosphere. Climate, atmospheric chemistry, and meteorological processes (e.g., formation of clouds, precipitation) are significantly influenced by the amounts of water vapor in the troposphere. The measurement of water vapor in the troposphere is necessitated to better understand climate change, the behavior and evolution of hurricanes, and the effect of environmental processes which release water vapor into the atmosphere (e.g., moisture on soils or surfaces, oceans, lakes). Water vapor measurements in the stratosphere are important for radiation (greenhouse) effects and atmosphere chemistry. Water vapor is the source of hydroxyl radicals and hydrogen peroxide which are key players in the gas-phase chemistry of the troposphere and stratosphere. Water vapor can also serve as a tracer for troposphere/stratosphere exchange.

© 1999 Optical Society of America