The Low-Cost Upper-Atmosphere Sounder (LOCUS)

Abstract

The LOw-Cost Upper-atmosphere Sounder (LOCUS) is a mission concept with the aim of observing the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) region of the Earth’s atmosphere from a small space-borne platform in Low-Earth Orbit (LEO). The LOCUS payload consists of a compact terahertz radiometer operating between 0.8–4.7 THz providing global distributions of key MLT species such as atomic oxygen (O), the hydroxyl radical (OH) and nitric oxide (NO) with the aim of increasing our understanding of the chemistry of the region and its effect on climate. This paper presents an overview of the LOCUS mission concept and describes the main technology pre-developments that are in progress in the areas of quantum-cascade lasers (QCL), terahertz Schottky diodes and components, space cryocoolers and digital spectrometers