Measurement characteristics of an airborne microwave temperature profiler (MTP)

Abstract

The microwave temperature profiler (MTP), an airborne passive microwave radiometer, measures radiances, recorded as counts and calibrated to brightness temperatures, in order to estimate temperature profiles around flight altitude. From these data, quantities such as potential temperature gradients and static stability, indicating the state of the atmosphere, can be derived and used to assess important dynamical processes (e.g., gravity waves or stability assessments). DLR has acquired a copy of the MTP from NASA–JPL, which was designed as a wing-canister instrument and is deployed on the German High Altitude Long range research aircraft (HALO). For this instrument a thorough analysis of instrument characteristics has been made in order to correctly determine the accuracy and precision of MTP measurements.