OSCAR

Each instrument is assigned with a 5-step rating, evaluated as a blend of several elements such as the uncertainty, the vertical resolution, and the frequency and spatial resolution of the retrieved measurement in comparison with the space-time variability of the geophysical parameter.  For this particular Variable, the rating is driven by:

• the vertical resolution allowed by the sensing technique (lidar, radio-occultation, IR spectrometry).

RATING CRITERIA:

1

• Multi-beam backscatter lidar
• Cluster of radio-occultation sounders

2

• Nadir-pointing backscatter lidar
• Radio-occultation sounder tracking >=2 GNSS systems in setting and/or rising phase

3

• Nadir-pointing lidar altimeter
• Radio-occultation sounder tracking <2 GNSS systems in setting and/or rising phase
• High-resolution cross-nadir spectrometer in MWIR and TIR

4

• Medium-resolution cross-nadir spectrometer in MWIR and TIR
• High-resolution non-scanning spectrometer in MWIR and TIR

5

• Medium-resolution cross-nadir spectrometer in TIR only