About ARGOS
About HIRAAS
Infobase
News
Mission Status
Collaborating
User Support
Latest Data
| |
Introduction
  
The High Resolution Airglow and Aurora Spectroscopy (HIRAAS) experiment is a
suite of three ultraviolet (UV) spectrographs aboard the Advanced Research and
Global Observation Satellite (ARGOS) for studying the Earth's upper atmosphere
and ionosphere. The HIRAAS experiment was developed and built by Naval
Research Laboratory for the US Air Force Space Test Program to demonstrate
advanced techniques in atmospheric remote sensing.
The ARGOS spacecraft was successfully launched from Vandenberg AFB on
February 23, 1999 into a sun-synchronous 840 km polar orbit. The nominal
mission lifetime is one year, with possible extensions for up to three
years. During the mission HIRAAS will gather over 900 multi-wavelength
atmospheric altitude profiles per day, at the forefront a new era in UV global
remote sensing of the thermosphere and ionosphere.
Experiment Objectives
Exploration
 | Use high spectral resolution (<0.1 nm) techniques to measure
thermospheric temperature, electron temperature, and Doppler shifts of
precipitating ions. |
| Perform a high spectral resolution EUV survey of airglow spectra. |
| Use high spatial resolution observations to study upper atmospheric
phenomena such as gravity waves , ionospheric irregularites, and ionospheric
depletions. |
| Build a continuous high-quality data set of UV airglow observations to
facilitate studies of upper atmosphere climatology and space weather. |
Innovation
| Demonstrate discrete inverse theory techniques to retrieve atmospheric and
ionospheric density profiles. |
| Demonstrate advanced remote sensing techniques, including daytime electron
density retrievals using high spectral resolution OII 83.4 nm limb scans. |
| Demonstrate 2-D retrievals of thermospheric and ionospheric densities from
UV remote sensing. |
| Develop synergistic observation techniques combining UV remote sensing
with radio tomography, UV imaging, and X-ray occultation. |
Validation
| Electron density comparisons using simultaneous observations among ARGOS
experiments HIRAAS, GIMI, CERTO, and EUVIP. |
| Electron density comparison using simultaneous observations with other
satellite systems, such as COSMIC, STRV-1D, and DMSP, SNOE, UARS, and TIMED. |
| Electron density comparisons with ground-based observations such as
incoherent scattered radar, radio tomography, and imaging. |
| Neutral density comparisons against satellite drag observations |
Who we are
The Thermospheric and Ionospheric Physics Section (7623) is in the
X-ray
Astronomy Branch of the Space Science Division at
Naval Research Laboratory,
Washington, DC. We focus on the development of instruments and techniques
for improved measurement and understanding of the coupled
thermosphere-ionosphere system.
The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) is the Navy's corporate laboratory. NRL
conducts a broadly-based multidisciplinary program of scientific research and
advanced technological development directed toward maritime applications of new and
improved materials, techniques, equipment, system, and ocean, atmospheric, and
space sciences and related technologies.
Contact Information
Principal Investigators
| Dr. R. P. McCoy, Code 321SR, Office of Naval Research |
| Dr. K. F. Dymond, Code 7623, Naval Research Laboratory |
- Postal address
- Naval Research Laboratory, Code 7623, Washington DC 20375
- Electronic mail
- General Information: webmaster@tira.nrl.navy.mil
|
