AtmoSat will observe high-resolution 3D distributions of atmospheric temperature and a multitude of trace species from a low Earth orbit. The limb sounding method allows for particularly high vertical resolution, essential for the scientific aims investigated.
The proposed AtmoSat infrastructure comprises an observation system (satellite and instruments) to generate unique atmospheric data and a data infrastructure to enable global freely accessible use of the measured data. AtmoSat will allow the first detailed investigation of the influence of the middle atmosphere (5-100 km) on global and regional climate and weather. The scientific goals of AtmoSat require three-dimensional, daily measurements of temperature and trace gas distributions with a high vertical resolution for the vertical range of the middle atmosphere to give a better understanding in particular of decadal climate variability and its regional patterns.
AtmoSat will be operated jointly by Jülich Research Centre (FZJ), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and Helmholtz Centre Potsdam (GFZ) on the basis of a co-operational agreement.
