HR: 11:05h
AN: SF52A-04    [Abstracts]
TI: An Active Orbiting Microwave Spectrometer
AU: * kursinski, e r
EM: kursinsk@atmo.arizona.edu
AF: Univerity of Arizona, Dept. of Atmospheric Sciences 1118 E. Fourth St., Tucson, AZ 85721-0081 United States
AU: Ward, D
EM: ward@atmo.arizona.edu
AF: Univerity of Arizona, Dept. of Atmospheric Sciences 1118 E. Fourth St., Tucson, AZ 85721-0081 United States
AU: Herman, B
EM: herman@atmo.arizona.edu
AF: Univerity of Arizona, Dept. of Atmospheric Sciences 1118 E. Fourth St., Tucson, AZ 85721-0081 United States
AU: Frehlich, R
EM: frehlich@ucar.edu
AF: University of Colorado, CIRES Campus Box 216, Boulder, CO 80309 United States
AU: Dvorak, S
EM: dvorak@ece.arizona.edu
AF: Univerity of Arizona, Electrical & Computer Engr., Tucson, AZ 85721 United States
AB: We present an overview of a satellite-to-satellite occultation system concept operating at cm and mm wavelengths to profile atmospheric water, temperature, the geopotential of atmospheric pressure surfaces and clouds. The system is essentially an orbiting active microwave limb viewing spectrometer and with suitable choice of frequencies, it can characterize other constituents such as ozone. The unique features of this system are global and diurnal coverage, similar performance in clear and cloudy conditions, high vertical resolution (~200 m), a wide dynamic range such that it can profile water from near the surface to the mesopause, very high precision ~1-3% over most of this altitude range and absolute accuracy (perhaps to 1%) and lack of drift. Ozone profiles will have similar performance from the upper troposphere into the mesosphere. Our analysis indicates that such a system will yield dramatically higher vertical resolution, precision and accuracy than present and planned passive radiometric systems in both clear and cloudy air. It will complement other observations for weather applications and is particularly well suited for climate because of its self-calibrating nature. We will discuss the expected performance of such an orbiting system including in particular the effects of scintillations associated with atmospheric turbulence and how to mitigate them. Our simulations indicate that scintillations will not limit the performance in the upper troposphere and above but they will likely limit performance in lower troposphere particularly in the boundary layer with a strong tradeoff between precision and vertical resolution. Time permitting we will also discuss a proof of concept mission and a constellation of microsatellites carrying these instruments focused on the hydrological cycle and monitoring of climate.
DE: 3360 Remote sensing
DE: 1655 Water cycles (1836)
DE: 1640 Remote sensing
DE: 0394 Instruments and techniques
SC: Special Focus: Advances in Data Acquisition, Management, Analysis and Display [SF]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting