Science and Applications from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder

NASA's Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) is a hyperspectral infrared instrument that covers the infrared spectrum from 3.7-15.4 um with 2378 channels and flies on the EOS Aqua spacecraft. AIRS provides global daily coverage at 13.5 km spatial resolution allowing tracking of weather events on a daily basis anywhere in the world. Geophysical products including temperature and water vapor profiles, cloud properties, and trace gases are generated from the radiances following a cloud-clearing procedure that results in global daily products at roughly 45 km with better than 90% yield. AIRS radiances are assimilated in near real time by NWP centers worldwide. Geophysical products are used by science researchers investigating weather and climate processes involving moist thermodynamics or atmospheric composition. This talk will focus on the current performance of the AIRS Version 6 data products and science investigations recently performed using the instrument. We also discuss ongoing efforts at JPL to transition our products into operations through a near real time display system utilizing the Global Imagery Browse Service (GIBS) system in conjunction with other instrument data sets.