Soundings, Trace Gases
Chris Barnet and Murty Divakarla |
|
The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) is the first high spectral resolution infrared sounder data to be routinely distributed to Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) Centers in near real-time; generally within 3 hours from observation time.
AIRS is a cooled grating array spectrometer.
Spectral coverage 3.7 to 15.4 microns in 17 arrays with 2378 spectral
channels.
Spectral resolution n/Dn=1200, 15 km FOV from 725 km orbit.
AQUA was launched May 4, 2002.
Primary products: temperature profile (1 K accuracy), moisture
profile (15%), ozone (15 % (layers) and 3 % total).
Accuracy is achieved in clear, cloud cleared, or above clouds. Algorithms
developed by AIRS science team.
Details can be obtained from the AIRS science team website
Daily products including Thinned Radiance files (HDF and BUFR):
a) center AIRS fov within every other AMSU-A fov, 324 AIRS channels
+ AMSU and HSB (11 MB per orbit)
b) 281 AIRS channels + AMSU and HSB (8 MB per orbit) using same thinning
as a)
c) Same as a) but with all 3 x 3 AIRS fovs.
d) Full resolution AMSU and HSB
e) 200 principal component scores using same thinning as a)
* all include cloud indicator
Web site: www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/smcd/spb/iosspdt/iosspdt.php