MLS

Microwave Limb Sounder

Satellite

EOS-Aura

Status

Operational – Utilised in the period 2004 to ~ 2009

Mission

Chemistry of the high atmosphere. Tracked species: BrO, ClO, CO, H2O, HCl, HCN, HNO3, HO2, HOCl, N2O, O3, OH, SO2, temperature and pressure

Instrument type

5-band / 36 sub-bands / 1000 channels millimetre-submillimetre heterodyne radiometer at frequencies 118 GHz (9 bands), 190 GHz (6 bands), 240 GHz (7 bands), 640 GHz (9 bands) and 2500 GHz (5 bands)

Scanning technique

Limb scanning

Coverage/cycle

Global coverage every 3 d for cells of 300 km side

Resolution

Vertical: 1.5 km, in the altitude range 5-120 km. Horizontal effective resolution: ~ 300 km (limb geometry)

Resources

Mass: 490 kg - Power: 550 W - Data rate: 100 kbps