HIRDLS High Resolution Dynamic Limb Sounder
Basics Set to fly on the Aura mission of NASA’s Earth Observation System Set to fly on the Aura mission of NASA’s Earth Observation System Joint US-UK (NASA-NERC) development Joint US-UK (NASA-NERC) development Scheduled for launch in December 2002, then June 2003, now June 17, 2004 Scheduled for launch in December 2002, then June 2003, now June 17, 2004 Will sound upper troposphere, stratosphere, and mesosphere (8km-80km) to determine : Will sound upper troposphere, stratosphere, and mesosphere (8km-80km) to determine : Temperature/Pressure Temperature/Pressure Concentrations of : O 3, H 2 O, CH 4, N 2 O, NO 2, HNO 3, N 2 O 5, CFC11, CFC12, ClONO 2, and aerosols Concentrations of : O 3, H 2 O, CH 4, N 2 O, NO 2, HNO 3, N 2 O 5, CFC11, CFC12, ClONO 2, and aerosols Locations of polar stratospheric clouds and cloud tops Locations of polar stratospheric clouds and cloud tops
Operational Tidbits Operates in sun synchronous orbit at 705km Operates in sun synchronous orbit at 705km Completes orbit in 105 minutes Completes orbit in 105 minutes Takes ~10,000 profiles per day with one complete profile in 12 hours Takes ~10,000 profiles per day with one complete profile in 12 hours Spatial Resolution Spatial Resolution Horizontal : 5° x 5° (500km x 500km) Horizontal : 5° x 5° (500km x 500km) Vertical : km Vertical : km Measures infrared emission in 21 channels ranging from cm -1 Measures infrared emission in 21 channels ranging from cm -1 4 sensors for CO 2, 4 for O 3, and 1 for each remaining constituent sampled 4 sensors for CO 2, 4 for O 3, and 1 for each remaining constituent sampled Has an onboard gyroscope for accurate reporting of where the instrument was pointing for a given measurement Has an onboard gyroscope for accurate reporting of where the instrument was pointing for a given measurement
Scan Cycle
HIRDLS Limb Viewing Geometry (Satellite moving clockwise)
Data processing 1. CO 2 mixing ratio is well known 2. Using this information and CO 2 radiance measurements to determine temperature/pressure information 3. Using temperature/pressure data with blackbody formula to calculate mixing ratios of the constituent of interest
Limb Radiance Spectra
Weighting Functions Ch. 2-5