Progress Towards a High-Quality Data Set of Infrared Spectra from the Interferometric Monitor for Greenhouse Gases (IMG)

Terrestrial and atmospheric radiance data were collected from the Interferometric Monitor for Greenhouse Gases (IMG) onboard the polar-orbiting ADEOS spacecraft between October 1996 and June 1997. The IMG instrument consisted of a Michelson-type broadband infrared Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS) that returned raw uncalibrated interferogram data for three different infrared bands. We have been working to assess data quality and create calibrated radiance spectra from these interferograms using calibration algorithms developed for University of Wisconsin infrared FTS instruments. From these calibrated radiance spectra, profiles of atmospheric composition, including the signatures for aerosols, greenhouse gases, and trace gases, can be derived. Examples of spectra taken over desert regions will be presented for their utility in the development of desert aerosol detection algorithms. We believe that this work will be valubable in the development of data quality control and processing schemes for future infrared interferometric instuments such as the Geostationary Imaging Fourier Transform Spectrometer (GIFTS) and the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite (NPOES) system.