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    CrIS documentation Index

    NPOESS Instruments - CrIS

    In conjunction with the Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS) the Cross-track Infrared Sounder collects atmospheric data to permit the calculation of  temperature and moisture profiles at high (~ daily) temporal resolution.

    Both CrIS and ATMS (CrIMSS) are selected to fly on the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) spacecraft combining both cross-track infrared and microwave sensors aboard the NPOESS satellite.

    The Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS)

    		 The Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS) provides improved measurements of the temperature and moisture profiles in the atmosphere. Forecasters use temperature and moisture sounding data in advanced numerical weather prediction models to improve both global and regional predictions of weather patterns, storm tracks, and precipitation. The current High-resolution Infrared Radiation Sounder (HIRS) instrument on POES provides about 20 infrared channels of information and is able to characterize atmospheric temperature profiles to an accuracy of 2 to 3 degrees Kelvin. Modern and future forecast models demand higher accuracy. The CrIS will provide over one thousand spectral channels of information in the infrared at an improved horizontal spatial resolution and will be able to measure temperature profiles with improved vertical resolution to an accuracy approaching one degree Kelvin (the absolute temperature scale). This improved accuracy is needed for increasingly sophisticated forecast models.
    graphic: Cross-track Infrared Sounder
    Cross-track Infrared Sounder

    Specifications

    Temperature profile: 18.5 km at nadir
    Moisture profile: 15 km at nadir
    Pressure profile: 55 km at nadir
    1 Kelvin / 1 km layers

    Heritage and Risk Reduction

    POES—High-resolution Infrared Sensor (HIRS)
    NAST—NPOESS Airborne Sounder Testbed
    MIT/LL—Prototype of flight Michelson Interferometer
    NASA—Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS)
    EUMETSAT—Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer Radiometer (IASI) on METOP
    NPP—Early validation of sensor and algorithms
    		 graphic: NAST-I retrieval
    Animation of NAST-I retrieval demonstrating that atmospheric motions are derived from radiance measurements.

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    Last revised: 11/12/2002    

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