Introduction The Remote Atmospheric and Ionospheric Detection System (RAIDS) is a satellite experiment designed to perform a comprehensive study of upper atmospheric airglow emissions. RAIDS observations will be used to develop and test techniques for remote sensing of the neutral atmosphere and ionosphere on a global scale. The RAIDS experiment consists of one limb-imaging and seven limb scanning optical sensors which sample the altitude interval 75-750 km and cover the wavelength interval of 500-8700 angstroms.

The RAIDS instrument.

The goal of the RAIDS experiment is to obtain a set of simultaneous airglow profiles at a number of wavelengths which will used to develop and evaluate techniques for neutral atmospheric and ionospheric remote sensing. The RAIDS instrumentation will aquire a global database of airglow intensities which will be used in conjunction with, and compared to, theoretical models of radiation transport, photochemistry and dynamics to examine in detail the relationships between atmospheric composition and airglow. The primary focus of RAIDS will be on the remote sensing of the ionosphere since there is considerable interest by the ionospheric and high frequency propagation communities in monitoring the ionosphere in real time on a global basis. The RAIDS experiment is a collaborative effort by NRL's Upper Atmospheric Physics and Thermospheric and Ionospheric Physics branches and the Aerospace Corporation. RAIDS is currently mounted in a flight box here at the Naval Research Lab.

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