Abstract
The European satellite ENVISAT has been successfully launched at 1 March 2002. Onboard ENVISAT the MIPAS (Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding) experiment has been carried to a sun-synchronous polar orbit. MIPAS is a mid-infrared high resolution (0.035 cm−1) limb sounder. The measured spectra in the range between 4.1 and 14.6 µm are processed in order to derive global distributions of temperature and about 25 trace constituents. In addition, the detected broadband spectra allow to determine properties of Polar Stratospheric Clouds (PSCs) and aerosol amount. The status of the MIPAS experiment since its launch will be described. The strength of the MIPAS experiment is demonstrated by the simultaneous detection of a larger number of stratospheric trace species including ClONO2 and ClO. In addition, it will be shown that essential properties of PSCs will be derived from corresponding spectra including the spatial distribution and temporal development of PSCs. MIPAS can also be used to study the troposphericstratospheric exchange (H2O distributions) and the mesosphericstratospheric exchange (NO/NO2 distributions). Further investigations deal with the analysis of highly resolved spectra in order to determine the concentration profiles of isotopes (e.g. of water vapour). These results yield complementary information on dynamics and transport in the atmosphere. The article will be concluded with future expectations on MIPAS results
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
