The atmospheric infrared sounder (AIRS) is a high spectral resolution IR spectrometer. AIRS, together with the advanced microwave sounding unit (AMSU) and the microwave humidity sounder (MHS), is designed to meet the operational weather prediction requirements of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the global change research objectives of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The three instruments will be launched in the year 2000 on the EOS-PM spacecraft. Testing of the AIRS engineering model with start in 1996. An extensive effort of data simulation and retrieval algorithm development has been used to define the AIRS instrument functional requirements and to demonstrate that the combined AIRS/AMSU/MHS data meet the temperature retrieval accuracy of 1 K rms in 1 km thick layers and water vapor profiles with 20% rms accuracy in 2 km layers in the troposphere under all-weather day, night and cloudy conditions. Assimilation of data with this accuracy into global circulation models is required to achieve a positive forecast impact. The AIRS instrument represents a major step forward in satellite based remote sensing technology. In particular, improvements in second generation PV:HgCdTe detector array/readout technology coupled with a rapid advance in long life, low vibration, Stirling/pulse tube cryocooler design have been instrumental. This paper describes the overall hardware design and performance and provides a brief status of the development effort.

Date Published: 15 December 1995
PDF: 12 pages
Proc. SPIE 2583, Advanced and Next-Generation Satellites, (15 December 1995); doi: 10.1117/12.228579

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 2583:
Advanced and Next-Generation Satellites
Hiroyuki Fujisada; Martin N. Sweeting, Editor(s)