The AIRS Atmospheric Science Group was formed to provide science support to the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) project. Those services include:

• algorithm development, integration, testing and troubleshooting
• data product development
• computer system infrastructure
• performance assessment and diagnostics
• calibration and validation
• documentation and user services and
• research.

The group is also heavily involved with atmospheric research using data from AIRS and other sources, both individually and in collaboration with colleagues at JPL and at other institutions. As the AIRS mission enters a mature phase, the group is transitioning from a science service group to a research and development group, focusing on the atmospheric hydrologic cycle, atmospheric sounding and retrieval of trace gases, with emphasis on the troposphere and the lower stratosphere. We are engaged in climate and process studies and are involved in efforts to develop future microwave and infrared sounding systems and missions. We are studying the three-dimensional structure of the upper tropospheric humidity and its seasonal and interannual variation. We are also exploring the upper tropospheric distribution of trace gases (e.g. CO₂ and O₃) and are collaborating in field campaigns and the subsequent data analysis.

The group's expertise and experience ranges from instrument science to development of algorithms and analysis tools to climate research:

• microwave and infrared instrument development
• measurement requirements
• spectroscopy and forward models
• simulations and what-if studies (alternative retrieval methodologies, instrument work-arounds, retrieval algorithm responses to a broad range of atmospheric physical states)
• retrieval algorithms and their theoretical basis
• visualization and GIS applications
• data system development and
• data analysis and scientific research employing AIRS data in combination with data from other sources.

People in this Group
Group Projects