BackBack to listForwardLimb-sounding spectrometry 

Details on this mission type
Full name Limb-sounding spectrometry
Definition This type of mission designates limb-viewing spectrometers designed for use in atmospheric chemistry, in short waves (UV/VIS/NIR/SWIR), in IR or in millimeter/submillimeter waves. Mm/submm also provide information on cloud ice and liquid water in upper troposphere and low stratosphere.
Relevant instruments and their contribution

The sorting column describes how the instruments, by design, have the potential to contribute to certain pre-determined capabilities, assuming nominal operation of space and ground segments. For this particular capability, instrument performance is considered to be driven by:

  • the spectral band (short-wave or infrared or millimeter-submillimeter wave);
  • the spectral scanning mode (spectrometric or filter radiometric);
  • the vertical scanning mode (active scanning or by occultation).

 Sorting criteria and colour code:

  1. UV/VIS/NIR/SWIR spectrometer with resolution <=1 nm in UV and SWIR, and <=1.5 in VIS and NIR.
  2. UV/VIS and possibly NIR spectrometer with resolution <=1 nm in UV, and <=1.5 nm in VIS and NIR.
  3. IR spectrometer with resolution <=0.05 cm-1 in MWIR and TIR, OR Mm-submm spectrometer in the range 60-250 GHz or possibly 60-650 or possibly 60-3000 GHz.
  4. Very-high resolution spectrometer operating on lines in VIS and NIR with resolution <=0.03 nm; OR on lines in the range 307.9-309.4 nm (for OH).
  5. Occultation spectrometers.