Each instrument is assigned with a 5-step rating, evaluated as a blend of several elements such as the uncertainty, the vertical resolution, and the frequency and spatial resolution of the retrieved measurement in comparison with the space-time variability of the geophysical parameter. For this particular Variable, the rating is driven by:
the spectral interval used to infer the temperature from the emission of CO2 (in IR) or O2 (in MW);
the spectral resolution or the number of channels;
the observing technique (cross-nadir sounding, limb sounding, radio-occultation);
the orbit (GEO or LEO).
RATING CRITERIA:
1
TIR and/or MWIR high-resolution spectrometer in LEO
TIR and/or MWIR medium-resolution spectrometer in GEO
Cluster of radio-occultation sounders
MW radiometer with >=10 channels in the 54 GHz band in LEO
2
TIR and/or MWIR medium or low resolution spectrometer in LEO
TIR and/or MWIR non-scanning spectrometer in LEO
Radio-occultation sounder tracking >=2 GNSS systems in setting and/or rising phase
MW radiometer with < 10 channels in the 54 and/or 118 GHz band in LEO
3
TIR and/or MWIR radiometer with several channels in GEO or LEO
Radio-occultation sounder tracking <2 GNSS systems in setting and/or rising phase
MW radiometer with < 5 channels in the 54 and/or 118 GH band in LEO
4
TIR and/or MWIR radiometer with very few channels in GEO or LEO
Radio-occultation sounder with omni-directional antenna
Limb-sounding spectrometer by mechanical or electronical scanning, including Mm-submm
5
Limb-sounding spectrometer by star occultation
Limb-sounding spectrometer by solar occultation
OSCAR/Space Version 2.5 released
On 14th October 2020 we released a new version of OSCAR/Space including major software upgrade and new functionalities. Please see details here.