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  |