Speaker
Mr
Larry L. Gordley
(GATS)
Description
Limb observations from orbiting sensors have a rich history. The cold space background, long optical paths, and limb geometry provide formidable advantages for achieving calibration, sensitivity and vertically resolved geophysical parameters. The measurement of limb ray refraction also provides temperature and pressure profiles, unburdened by spectral calibration, leading to reliable long-term trends. This talk reviews those advantages and successes, including recent achievements of the SOFIE instrument on the AIM satellite. It then lists advances in calibration, sensitivity, profile fidelity, downlink data rate, and future synergy of limb sensors with nadir sounders. This is now possible thanks to modern FPAs, ADCS, and GPS. Finally, we suggest that advances in weather forecasting and climate observation will be strongly dependent on limb observations and analysis techniques pioneered and perfected by teams designing and operating sensors such as ALTIUS.
Primary author
Mr
Larry L. Gordley
(GATS)
Co-authors
B. T. Marshall
(GATS)
D. C. Fritts
(GATS)
R. L. Lachance
(GPI Canada)
