Abstract

The Eos Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) experiment is an enhanced version of the UARS MLS described in a separate paper presented at this meeting. Most of the Eos MLS measurements will be from the submillimeter spectral region around 600 GHz (20 cm^-1). This region is very rich in spectral lines of atmospheric interest, and includes the first rotational line of HC1, and the strongest emission lines of ClO and many other molecules. Figure 1 shows emission spectra for a small portion of the spectral region to be covered. Figure 2 summarizes the measurement capability of the instrument (vibrationally excited states of O₃, O₂, and possibly of other molecules, will also be measured). All measurements are made simultaneously and continuously, at all times of day and night, with ~3 km vertical resolution. Latitude coverage is 82°S-82°N on each orbit. The altitude range shown in Figure 2 is where the expected atmospheric volume mixing ratio exceeds by 2× the predicted ‘noise-equivalent volume mixing ratio’ of the instrument, and where, based on data in the JPL Submillimeter, Millimeter, and Microwave Catalog [1], the targeted spectral lines are expected to be sufficiently free from other interfering lines. Figure 3 shows one day’s measurement pattern.

© 1990 Optical Society of America