Universal InfraRed Airborne Spectrometer (UNIRAS)

Water vapour, ice cloud and surface emissivity measurements

To date there have been very few measurements made of the upwelling infrared radiation spectrum at wavelengths longer than 15 microns, within the far-infrared.  Of those that do exist, the majority were obtained by a previous instrument operated by the FAAM Airborne Laboratory, known as the Tropospheric Airborne Fourier Transform Spectrometer (TAFTS) and have been used to provide insight into atmospheric spectroscopy and the radiative effect of key climate variables such as cirrus cloud, upper tropospheric water vapour and high latitude surface emissivity.  Universal InfraRed Airborne Spectrometer (UNIRAS) will be the successor to TAFTS, employing state-of-the-art technology to extend the spectral coverage to 6.25-100 microns and improve measurement accuracy.  As well as providing a world-leading measurement capability in its own right, UNIRAS can serve as a demonstrator for the forthcoming Far-infrared Outgoing Radiation Understanding and Monitoring (FORUM) mission, ESA’s 9th Earth Explorer and play a role in defining future space mission concepts.

Project Contact: Dr Jonathan E Murray

Institution: Imperial College London

Email: j.murray@imperial.ac.uk