Passive remote sensing of stratospheric and mesospheric winds
A passive infrared sensor for remote sounding of the wind field in the stratosphere and mesosphere from near earth orbital spacecraft is described. The sensor utilizes gas correlation spectroscopy and electrooptic phase-modulation techniques to measure winds in the 20-120 km altitude range, temperature, and atmospheric species concentrations. The operation of the sensor is examined. The sensitivity of the sensor is small Doppler shifts in an observed spectrum and the performance of the instrument were evaluated using laboratory simulation and numerical modeling. The data reveal that the sensor's wind measurements should have an accuracy better than 5 m/s and a spatial resolution of 5 km vertical by 150 km horizontal.