Use of the Antarctic Plateau as a calibration target for infrared satellite instruments

The uniqueness of the Antarctic Plateau makes it an adequate site for calibration and validation of infrared satellite instruments. The average elevation of the East Antarctic Plateau is 2600 meters, and the total column water vapor amount is less than 1 mm throughout the year. Top-of-the-atmosphere (TOA) infrared radiance spectra have been simulated using the radiative transfer model, kCARTA, which was developed for the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS). The model simulations use radiosonde data from two stations on the Plateau, South Pole Station and Dome Concordia (74 S, 123 E). Many frequencies across the infrared radiance spectrum, including many outside of the atmospheric window (8 - 12 micrometers), are insensitive to large uncertainties in the radiosonde temperature and humidity profiles. This suggests that TOA radiances can be derived from ground-based measurements of surface emission without any significant correction for atmospheric emission. Results from a recent validation experiment at Dome Concordia will also be presented.