Atmospherically Emitted Radiance Interferometer (AERI) - IOP
Instrument Categories: Radiometric, Atmospheric Profiling
General Overview
The atmospheric emitted radiance interferometer (AERI) measures the absolute infrared spectral radiance (watts per square meter per steradian per wavenumber) of the sky directly above the instrument. The spectral measurement range of the instrument is 3300 to 520 wavenumbers (cm-1) or 3-19.2 microns for the normal-range instruments and 3300 to 400 cm-1 or 3-25 microns for the extended-range polar instruments. Spectral resolution is 1.0 cm-1. Instrument field-of-view is 1.3 degrees. A calibrated sky radiance spectrum is produced every 8 minutes in normal mode and every minute in rapid sampling mode. The actual sample scan time is 20-30 sec in rapid sampling mode with periodic gaps when the instrument is looking at the blackbodies. Rapid sampling will become available in all AERIs. Rapid sampling time will eventually be reduced to data every 20 seconds. The AERI data can be used for 1) evaluating line-by-line radiative transport codes, 2) detecting/quantifying cloud effects on ground-based measurements of infrared spectral radiance (and hence is valuable for cloud property retrievals), and 3) calculating vertical atmospheric profiles of temperature and water vapor and the detection of trace gases.
IOPs Where the Instrument was Used
Mixed-Phase Arctic Cloud Experiment
North Slope Alaska, Sep 27-Oct 21 2004
Water Vapor IOP
Southern Great Plains, September 18 - October 8, 2000
Primary Measurements Taken
The following measurements are those considered scientifically relevant. Refer to the datastream (netcdf) file headers for the list of all available measurements, including those recorded for diagnostic or quality assurance purposes.
Mentor(s)
David Turner
(608)-263-1061
dturner@ssec.wisc.edu
Denny Hackel
associate
(608) 770-1485
dennyh@ssec.wisc.edu
Ralph Dedecker
engineering
(608) 263-6779
ralphd@ssec.wisc.edu
