AIRS: Atmospheric InfraRed Sounder

What is AIRS and what does the AIRS instrument suite measure?

The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) is a facility instrument onboard the polar-orbiting Earth Observing System (EOS) Aqua satellite which was successfully launched on May 4, 2002. In combination with the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU-A) and the Humidity Sounder for Brazil (HSB), the AIRS instrument suite constitutes an innovative atmospheric sounding group of visible, infrared, and microwave sensors.

AIRS is a high spectral resolution spectrometer with 2378 bands in the thermal infrared (3.7 - 15.4 µm) and 4 bands in the visible (0.4 - 1.0 µm). These ranges have been specifically selected to allow determination of atmospheric temperature with an accuracy of 1°C in layers 1 km thick, and humidity with an accuracy of 20% in layers 2 km thick in the troposphere.

AIRS will make measurements of the Earth's atmosphere and surface that will allow scientists to improve weather prediction and to observe changes in Earth's climate.

For more information see the AIRS instrument guide:

http://disc.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/AIRS/additional/documentation/airs_instrument_guide.shtml

Quelle: http://disc.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/AIRS/additional/instruments.shtml#1.