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Documents |
| Name | Orbit | Instr. type | Agency / Producer | Spectral range | resolving power | FOV | Sampling density | Power | Mass | Platform | Launch date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AIRS | 705 km | Grating | NASA JPL / LoMIRIS | 649-1135 1217-1613 2169-2674 |
1000- 1400 | 13x7 | 9 | 225 | 140 | Aqua | 2002 |
| CrIS | 824 km | FTS | IPO (DoD / NOAA / NASA) ITT | 650-1095 210-1750 2155-2550 |
900- 1800 | 14 | 9 | 86 | 81 | NPP and NPOESS C1 | NPP: 2010 C1: 2013 |
| IASI | 833 km | FTS | EUMETSAT / CNES Alcatel | Contiguous 645-2760 |
2000- 4000 | 12 | 4 | 200 | 230 | METOP -1,2,3 | 2006 |
| IRFS-2 | 850 km | FTS | Russian Aviation and Space Agency | 665-2000 | 2000 | 35 | 1 | 50 | 45-50 | METEOR 3M N2 | 2005 |
| GIFTS | Geo. | FTS | NASA / NOAA /Navy. Space Dynamics Lab. | 685-1130 1650-2250 |
2000 | 4 | 144 | 255 | 60 | Geostationary | ? |
| IMG | 797 km | FTS | NASDA / METI | 303-714 | 8 | < 150 | < 115 | ADEOS | 1996 |
These dates are approximate and are not official. The actual dates are subject to change.
The
Atmospheric Infrared Sounder, AIRS, advances climate research and weather
prediction into the 21st century. AIRS is one of six instruments onboard
Aqua, a satellite that is part of NASA's Earth Observing System. AIRS,
along with two partner microwave sounding instruments, represents the
most advanced atmospheric sounding system ever deployed in space. Together
these instruments observe the global water and energy cycles, climate
variation and trends, and the response of the climate system to increased
greenhouse gases. The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder instrument is making
highly accurate measurements of air temperature, humidity, clouds, and
surface temperature. The data collected by AIRS is being used by scientists
around the world to better understand weather and climate.
The
Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS) is a Michelson interferometer infrared
sounder designed to measure scene radiance and calculate the vertical
distribution of temperature, moisture, and pressure in the Earth's atmosphere.
CrIS was designed to work in unison with the Advanced technology Microwave
Sounder (ATMS), together they create the Cross-track Infrared Microwave
Sounding Suite (CrIMSS). The objective of CrIMSS is to provide global
three dimensional soundings of atmospheric temperature and moisture as
well as provide data on other geophysical parameters. The Cross-track
Infrared Sounder takes high spectral resolution measurements of Earth's
radiation to determine the vertical distribution of temperature, moisture,
and pressure in the atmosphere. CrIS uses a Michelson interferometer
infrared sounder covering the spectral range of approximately 3.9 microns
to 15.4 microns (650-2550 cm^-1). It is the primary instrument for satisfying
three Environmental Data Records (EDRs).
The Cross-track
Infrared Sounder (CrIS) combined with the Advanced
Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS) globally produces atmospheric
temperature, moisture and pressure profiles from space. CrIS and ATMS
(CrIMSS) are the next generation operational sensor suite selected
to fly on the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite
System (NPOESS) spacecraft. Combining both cross-track infrared and
microwave sensors aboard the NPOESS satellite provides key Environmental
Data Records (EDRs) CrIMSS will operationally produce high vertical
resolution profile measurements of temperature, water vapor, and pressure.
In addition to providing operational temperature, moisture, and pressure
profiles, CrIMSS has the potential to provide other surface and atmo-
spheric science data, including total ozone and sea surface temperature.
ATMS provides high spatial resolution microwave data to support temperature
and humidity sounding generation in cloud covered conditions. In addition,
ATMS provides advances in technology that allow the current operational
temperature and moisture microwave sounder components to be packaged
in one sensor with less total weight, power, and volume.
IASI is a spectrometer, that is an instrument that measures the spectral distribution of radiation. The instrument concept is based on the Michelson interferometer. Incident radiation is divided into two beams by a beamsplitter (A): the first beam follows a path of constant length (B); the other is reflected by a moving mirror and follows a path of variable length (C). The difference between both paths is called the optical path difference. The energy of the beams, when they recombine on the detector (D), varies with the path difference. It is maximum when the path difference is a multiple of the wavelength (beams in phase). It is zero when the path difference is an odd multiple of half the wavelength (beams in phase opposition). Energy on the detector thus varies with the movement of the corner cube mirror. This variation produces what is called an interferogram, which represents the Fourier transform of the spectral distribution of analysed radiation. The electrical signal from the detector is then digitized before performing a mathematical inverse Fourier transform to restitute the incident radiation spectrum.
Additional information:
The
Geosynchronous Imaging Fourier Transform Spectrometer (GIFTS) is a measurement
concept which combines a number of advanced technologies, including particularly
the Large area format Focal Plane detector Array (LFPA) with the Fourier
Transform Spectrometer (FTS). The GIFTS will improve the observation
of all three basic atmospheric state variables (temperature, moisture,
and wind velocity) allowing much higher spatial, vertical, and temporal
resolutions than is now achievable with currently operational Geosynchronous
weather satellites. The displacement of the measured water vapor and
cloud features will be used as tracers of the transport of atmospheric
water as well as other important constituents (e.g., CO and O3). A key
advance over current geostationary wind measurement capabilities is that
the water-vapor winds will be altitude-resolved throughout the troposphere.
Thus, GIFTS observations will lead to a significantly better understanding
of weather and climate processes, including the atmosphere's water cycle
and the transport of greenhouse and pollutant gases.
The
key to predicting the weather more accurately lies in measuring these
atmospheric variables more accurately. Geosynchronous Imaging Fourier
Transform Spectrometer (GIFTS) uses a new measurement concept that will
provide the nearly continuous observation of large geographical areas
with high, horizontal resolution. This concept combines the large area
format focal plane detector arrays (LFPA) with the Fourier Transform
spectrometer (FTS) on a geosynchronous satellite. The LFPAs and the FTS
work together to make better observations and transform data more quickly,
to more accurately predict weather and forecast air quality.
GIFTS will measure elements of the Earth's atmosphere ( water vapor, wind, and temperature) and support space research aimed at reducing risks from severe weather. Secondarily, GIFTS will measure trace gases within the Earth's troposphere and stratosphere, as well as the life cycle of clouds and their radiance and optical properties.
Additional information:
The
Interferometric Monitor for Greenhouse Gases (IMG) is a sensor to monitor
the earth's radiation balance, the temperature profile of the atmosphere,
the temperature of the earth's surface, and physical properties of clouds.
It was developed by the Japan Resources Observation System Organization
(JAROS) for the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI).
IMG will obtain detailed spectra of thermal infrared radiation from the
earth's surface and atmosphere. The detailed spectra measared by the
IMG will be used to infer atmospheric concentrations of water vapor and
other greenhouse gases.
Last updated 28 March 2008