The Use of Interferometric Radiance Measurements for Sounding the Atmosphere

It is shown that the partial interferogram measurement technique, originally developed to separate the trace gas emissions from a spectral signal dominated by background radiation (from the earth's surface) and emissions from major constituents (H2O and CO2), has application to the vertical sounding problem. The interferometric technique will enable relatively high vertical temperature profile resolution to be achieved and will provide absolute accuracies of temperature approaching, and at same levels exceeding, 1°C.