Measurements and Applications
High spectral resolution measurement of temperature and humidity profiles in the atmosphere. Long-wave Earth surface emissivity. Cloud diagnostics. Trace gas profiles. Surface temperatures.
Full Name
Atmospheric Infra-red Sounder
Status
Operational
Instrument Agencies
Maturity
Instrument Type
Atmospheric temperature and humidity sounders 
Geometry
Cross-track scanning
Instrument Technology
Medium-resolution IR spectrometer
Sampling
Sounding
Data Access
Open Access
Data Format
HDF-EOS
Resolution
1.1 degree (13 x 13 km at nadir)
[Best Resolution: 13000m]
Swath
+/-48.95 degrees
[Max Swath: 1650 km]
Accuracy
Humidity: 20%, Temperature: 1 K
Waveband
VIS - TIR: 0.4 - 1.7 µm, 3.4 - 15.4 µm, Has approximately 2382 bands from VIS to TIR
| VIS (~0.40 µm - ~0.75 µm) |
| NIR (~0.75 µm - ~1.3 µm) |
| MWIR (~3.0 µm - ~6.0 µm) |
| TIR (~6.0 µm - ~15.0 µm) |
Aqua - Aqua (formerly EOS PM-1) (2002 - 2026) |
| Category | Parameter |
| Atmospheric Humidity Fields | Atmospheric specific humidity (LT, HT, LS, HS&M, TC)  |
| Atmospheric Temperature Fields | Atmospheric temperature (LT, HT, LS, HS&M) |
| Cloud type, amount and cloud top temperature | Cloud cover |
| Cloud top height |
| Cloud top temperature |
| Liquid water and precipitation rate | Precipitation index (daily cumulative) |
| Ozone | O3 Mole Fraction |
| Radiation budget | Short-wave cloud reflectance |
| Downward long-wave irradiance at Earth surface |
| Short-wave Earth surface bi-directional reflectance |
| Upwelling (Outgoing) long-wave radiation at Earth surface |
| Long-wave Earth surface emissivity |
| Sea ice cover, edge and thickness | Sea-ice cover |
| Snow cover, edge and depth | Snow cover |
| Surface temperature (land) | Land surface temperature |
| Surface temperature (ocean) | Sea surface temperature |
| Trace gases (excluding ozone) | CH4 Mole Fraction |
| CO2 Mole Fraction |
| CO Mole Fraction |