We describe a fully computer-controlled differential optical absorption spectroscopy system for atmospheric air pollution monitoring. A receiving optical telescope can sequentially tune in to light beams from a number of distant high-pressure Xe lamp light sources to cover the area of a medium-sized city. A beam-finding servosystem and automatic gain control permit unattended long-time monitoring. Using an astronomical code, we can also search and track celestial sources. Selected wavelength regions are rapidly and repetitively swept by a monochromator to sensitively record the atmospheric absorption spectrum while avoiding the detrimental effects of atmospheric turbulence. By computer fitting to stored laboratory spectra, we can evaluate the path-averaged concentration of a number of important pollutants such as NO 2 , SO 2 , and 03. A measurement of NH 3 and NO close to the UV limit is also demonstrated.

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