CEOS EO HANDBOOK – INSTRUMENT SUMMARY - HiRDLS -
Full Name High Resolution Dynamics Limb Sounder Status No longer operational
Instrument Agencies NASA, UKSA Maturity
Instrument Type Atmospheric chemistry Geometry Limb-scanning
Instrument Technology Limb-scanning IR spectrometer Sampling Sounding
Data Access Open Access Data Format HDF
Measurements and Applications Measures atmospheric temperature, concentrations of ozone, water vapour, methane, NOx, N2O, CFCs and other minor species, aerosol concentration, location of polar stratospheric clouds and cloud tops. Currently not collecting data on Aqua.
Resolution Summary Vertical: 1 km, Horizontal: 10 km
Swath Summary
Accuracy Summary Trace gas: 10%, Temperature: 1 K, Ozone: 10%
Waveband Summary TIR: 6.12 - 17.76 µm (21 channels)
TIR (~6.0 µm - ~15.0 µm)
FIR (~15.0 µm - ~0.1 cm)
Instrument Measurements
Measurements Overview
CategoryParameter
AerosolsAerosol Extinction / Backscatter (column/profile)
Aerosol optical depth (column/profile)
Aerosol absorption optical depth (column/profile)
Atmospheric Humidity FieldsAtmospheric specific humidity (HT, LS, HS&M)
Atmospheric Temperature FieldsAtmospheric temperature (HT, LS, HS&M)
Cloud type, amount and cloud top temperatureCloud top height
OzoneO3 Mole Fraction
Trace gases (excluding ozone)CH4 Mole Fraction
CFC-11 (HT, LS, HS&M)
CFC-12 (HT, LS, HS&M)
NO2 Mole Fraction
N2O (HT, LS, HS&M)
HNO3 (HT, LS, HS&M)
ClONO2 (LS, HS&M)
N2O5 (HT, LS, HS&M)
Thematic Links Global Climate Observing System Essential Climate Variables (GCOS ECVs)
ECVDescriptionProduct(s)ECV Inventory 3.0 Record(s)
Aerosols properties click here click here search ECV Inventory records
Carbon Dioxide, Methane and other Greenhouse gases click here click here search ECV Inventory records
Ozone click here click here search ECV Inventory records
Temperature (upper-air) click here click here search ECV Inventory records
Water Vapour (upper air) click here click here search ECV Inventory records
Instrument Missions
Aura - Aura (formerly EOS Chemistry) (2004 - 2025)