88th Annual Meeting (20-24 January 2008)

Tuesday, 22 January 2008
NPOESS Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS) retrieval characteristics defined using proxy Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) measurements
Exhibit Hall B (Ernest N. Morial Convention Center)
Daniel K. Zhou, NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA; and X. Liu, A. M. Larar, W. L. Smith Sr., P. Schluessel, L. L. Strow, S. A. Mango, and K. St.Germain
The Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) on the MetOp satellite was launched on October 19, 2006. IASI possesses a spectral resolution of 0.25 cm-1 and a spectral coverage from 645 to 2760 cm-1. Meanwhile, the U. S. National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS) is under development for the near future NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP) and the following NPOESS series of satellites. The CrIS has an inherent spectral resolution that is a factor of two times poorer than IASI, but CrIS is expected to have two to four times better signal to noise performance. Also, the CrIS data for its midwave and shortwave bands are currently planned to be transmitted at a reduced spectral resolution of one-half and one-fourth the instrument's measurement resolution making the data for these bands a factor of one-fourth and one-eighth, respectively, poorer than IASI. Since IASI has a higher spectral resolution and covers the full CrIS spectral range, CrIS proxy spectral radiance data are generated using IASI measurements. An advanced retrieval algorithm with a fast radiative transfer model, including cloud effects, is used for atmospheric profile and surface/cloud parameter retrieval. Preliminary retrievals of atmospheric soundings, surface properties, and cloud optical/microphysical properties with the IASI measurements and CrIS proxy measurements, for both the CrIS measurement and transmitted spectral resolutions, are obtained. The profiling capabilities of the IASI and CrIS are inter-compared in order to prepare for the use of IASI and CrIS as part of the planned MetOp/NPOESS Joint Polar System (JPS) operation.

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