Design and characterization of the balloon-borne Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding (MIPAS-B2).
MIPAS-B2 is a balloon-borne limb-emission sounder for atmospheric research. The heart of the instrument is a Fourier spectrometer that covers the mid-infrared spectral range (4-14 microns) and operates at cryogenic temperatures. Essential for this application is the sophisticated line-of-sight stabilization system, which is based on an inertial navigation system and is supplemented with an additional star reference system. The major scientific benefit of the instrument is the simultaneous detection of complete trace gas families in the stratosphere without restrictions concerning the time of day and viewing directions. The specifications, the design considerations, the actual realization of the instrument, and the results of characterization measurements that have been performed are described.
Friedl-Vallon
Felix
F
Institut für Meteorologie und Klimaforschung, Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, Postfach 3640, 76021 Karlsruhe, Germany. felix.friedl-vallon@imk.fzk.de
Maucher
Guido
G
Seefeldner
Meinhard
M
Trieschmann
Olaf
O
Kleinert
Anne
A
Lengel
Anton
A
Keim
Corneli
C
Oelhaf
Hermann
H
Fischer
Herbert
H