HIRDLS Scientific Aims

HIRDLS is a multi-channel limb-viewing infrared (IR) radiometer for high resolution monitoring of upper tropospheric, statospheric, and mesospheric temperature, trace chemicals, and geopotential height gradients. These are the key elements that are needed to understand the chemistry and dynamics of those regions, including the roles of planetary and gravity waves in transporting and mixing radiatively and chemically active species that are important to climate change. The instrument has a better vertical resolution than previous limb sounders, because of its smaller field of view, and the horizontal spacing between the profiles is much closer because the instrument is able to scan azimuthaly.