GRIPS-HI - a Novel Interferometer for Measuring Two-Dimensional Temperature Distributions at the Mesopause

The NDMC (Network for the Detection of Mesopause Change) is a global network of ground based observatories with the objective of monitoring key parameters of the mesopause region. For temperature monitoring GRound-based Infrared P-branch Spectrometers (GRIPS) are widely deployed. These spectrometers allow for the retrieval of the mesopause temperature from the OH* P-band emission lines around 1530 nm. A common technology for GRIPS instruments are spectrometers based on diffraction gratings. To overcome the limitations of conventional grating spectrometers, a new type of spectrometer is being developed within the project Metrology for Earth Observation and Climate - 3 (MetEOC-3) which is coordinated by the European Metrology Project for Innovation and Research (EMPIR). The new spectrometer shall improve the quality and traceability of the atmospheric data obtained by the NDMC. It is intended to serve as a reference instrument with significantly smaller measurement uncertainties. It is also designed to identify temperature trends of 1K/decade. A Spatial Heterodyne Interferometer (SHI) was chosen as the most promising technology, offering several advantages. Compared to conventional grating spectrometers, the throughput and resolution of the interferometer is one order of magnitude larger. The use of a two-dimensional detector array in combination with an imaging optics enables the detection of spatial temperature distributions in the mesopause region, as caused by dynamical processes like gravity waves. The talk gives an introduction to the technology of spatial heterodyne interferometry, and the new instrument design and calibration results are presented.