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First light from the Far‐Infrared Spectroscopy of the Troposphere (FIRST) instrument
Author(s) -
Mlynczak Martin G.,
Johnson David G.,
Latvakoski Harri,
Jucks Kenneth,
Watson Mike,
Kratz David P.,
Bingham Gail,
Traub Wesley A.,
Wellard Stanley J.,
Hyde Charles R.,
Liu Xu
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2005gl025114
Subject(s) - troposphere , radiance , infrared window , infrared , spectrometer , spectroscopy , water vapor , spectral resolution , radiative transfer , optics , cirrus , physics , far infrared , remote sensing , emission spectrum , environmental science , spectral line , atmospheric sciences , astronomy , geology , meteorology
We present first light spectra that were measured by the newly‐developed Far‐Infrared Spectroscopy of the Troposphere (FIRST) instrument during a high‐altitude balloon flight from Ft. Sumner, NM on 7 June 2005. FIRST is a Fourier Transform Spectrometer designed to measure accurately the far‐infrared (15 to 100 μm; 650 to 100 wavenumbers, cm −1 ) emission spectrum of the Earth and its atmosphere. The flight data successfully demonstrated the FIRST instrument's ability to observe the entire energetically significant infrared emission spectrum (50 to 2000 cm −1 ) at high spectral and spatial resolution on a single focal plane in an instrument with one broad spectral bandpass beamsplitter. Comparisons with radiative transfer calculations demonstrate that FIRST accurately observes the very fine spectral structure in the far‐infrared. Comparisons also show excellent agreement between the atmospheric window radiance measured by FIRST and by instruments on the NASA Aqua satellite that overflew the FIRST flight. FIRST opens a new window on the spectrum that can be used for studying atmospheric radiation and climate, cirrus clouds, and water vapor in the upper troposphere.