Accuracy Advances in Measuring Earth Emission Spectra for Weather and Climate

Launch of the first component of the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) in late October is expected to initiate a new series of US afternoon satellites to complement the EUMETSAT MetOp EPS morning observations. A key component is the Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS) designed for advanced temperature and water vapor profiling for weather and climate applications. We have worked on getting this operational capability in space ever since conducting a Phase A instrument design in 1990, and will report on what is expected to be its highly accurate radiometric and spectral performance post launch. The expectation from thermal/vacuum testing is that the accuracy will exceed 0.2 K (k=3) brightness temperature at scene temperature for all three bands in the region from 3.5 to 15 microns. CrIS is expected to offer further confirmation of techniques that have proven to offer significant accuracy improvements for the new family of advanced sounding instruments including AIRS on NASA Aqua platform and IASI on MetOp A and that are needed in the new IR Decadal Survey measurements. CrIS and these other advanced sounders help set the stage for a new era in establishing spectrally resolved IR climate benchmark measurements from space. Here we report on being able to achieve even higher accuracy with instruments designed specifically for climate missions similar to the Decadal Survey Climate Absolute Radiance and Refractivity Observatory (CLARREO). Results will be presented from our NASA Instrument Incubator Program (IIP) effort for which a new concept for on-orbit verification and test has been developed. This system is capable of performing fundamental radiometric calibration, spectral characterization and calibration, and other key performance tests that are normally only performed prior to launch in thermal/vacuum testing. By verifying accuracy directly on-orbit, this capability should provide the ultra-high confidence in data sets needed for societal decision making.