title: SAFIRE-A (spectroscopy of the atmosphere by far-infrared emission-airborne): optimized instrument configuration and new assessment of improved performance.
abstract: An upgraded configuration of the SAFIRE-A Fourier transform far-infrared spectrometer was recently set up, and significant improvements in instrument performance were attained during several testing and scientific flights onboard the high-altitude research aircraft M55-Geophysica. New features were implemented in specific instrument subsystems, such as the pointing system, the reference laser interferometer, and the onboard calibration unit, to increase the overall instrument functionality and to obtain reliable operation from both the high-frequency (approximately 120 cm(-1)) and the low-frequency (approximately 23 cm(-1)) detection channels. Other changes, such as those made in the onboard recording system or in the postflight data-transfer procedure, were aimed at expanding the capability of unattended operation and at providing a user-friendly interface for data downloading and ground servicing. A detailed description of these modifications is given, along with a quantitative assessment of the SAFIRE-A instrument performance.
authors.affiliation: Instituto di Fisica Applicata Nello Carrara-Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, CNR-IFAC, Florence 50127, Italy. gb@ifac.cnr.it
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bianchini
authors.forename: Ugo
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Cortesi
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Palchetti
authors.forename: Enzo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pascale