A new space instrument being developed at the University of Iowa College of Engineering in collaboration with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) will help scientists probe how tiny particles in the air known as aerosols are distributed three dimensionally across the world, influencing cloud, weather, and climate patterns.

The project is led by Jun Wang, professor and DEO of chemical and biochemical engineering, Lichtenberger Family Chair in Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, and assistant director of the Iowa Technology Institute. 

Wang calls the instrument HiMAP, or the High-Resolution Metagrating Spectropolarimeter for Aerosol Profiling. The HiMAP project has been awarded $4.9 million over three years as part of an 11-project, $53 million investment through NASA’s Instrument Incubator Program.

HiMAP presents a groundbreaking advancement in aerosol monitoring technology.

Current passive remote sensing instruments that measure reflected sunlight, such as MODIS, TROPOMI, and VIIRS, estimate the total amount of aerosols in the atmosphere but lack accuracy in delineating how aerosols are distributed vertically, particularly closer to the earth’s surface where people live.

This information is critical to accurate air quality forecasts. 

Other tools, such as CALIOP, a space-borne lidar, can measure vertical distribution of aerosols very accurately but have limited use at the global scale because they lack a mapping capability and can only cover a small fraction (0.2%) of our planet.

HiMAP would bridge this gap by providing detailed vertical aerosol profiles and unprecedented spatial coverage – delivering an 800-fold increase in spatial reach compared to CALIOP.

These advancements are achieved through innovation in metagrating technology, which enables simultaneous measurements of the polarization and intensity of light in hyperspectral resolution, while also capturing high resolution images over a broad area.

HiMAP is designed to be a small, lightweight, and low-cost instrument that is suitable for smaller satellites and can gather and efficiently transmit aerosol monitoring data.

“This innovation led by JPL’s team together with the advanced algorithms developed at the University of Iowa will enable future instruments, like HiMAP, to map 3D distribution of aerosols at a global scale on a daily basis,” Wang said. “Our algorithms provide the theoretical foundation to define the instrument design requirements and, overall, this is nice combination of our excellence through collaboration between JPL and UI toward strategic planning for future satellite missions.”

This project is one of the biggest achievements of UI’s three-year, $3.6 million public-private partnership investment to expand space-based research across campus. The IIP award also builds upon funded research and advancements in metagrating technology by NASA's Earth Science Technology Office and the JPL.