Remote Sensing of the Atmosphere from Satellite Platforms

作为第三个太空国家，加拿大有利用卫星进行测量以进一步了解科学知识的悠久传统。这项发现基金提案的总体目标与技术研究和软件基础设施开发有关，以保持加拿大在卫星平台遥感大气领域的世界领先地位。我们希望以加拿大的传统和专业知识为基础，开发一个卫星任务概念，以便：

As the third nation in space Canada has a long tradition of making measurements from satellites to further scientific knowledge. The overarching objective of this Discovery Grant proposal is related to research into techniques and the development of software infrastructure to maintain Canada's position as a world leader in the field of remote sensing the atmosphere from satellite platforms. We want to build on Canadian heritage and expertise to develop a satellite mission concept to: - improve our understanding of atmospheric processes taking place near the tropopause around 15 km above the surface of the earth; - monitor and help us understand how our atmosphere is changing; and - forecast important quantities such as air quality and weather. Our group at the University of Saskatchewan has, with funding from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), developed prototype versions of four different optical instruments that have been tested extensively on high altitude balloons and high flying aircraft platforms. Over the past twenty five years we have also developed a sophisticated suite of software tools to analyze data collected by these instruments. This software can also be used as a simulator system to aid in the design process required to transition the four developmental instruments to fully space qualified versions. The short term objectives of this proposal that will help us achieve our long term goal are to: - develop and implement a fully documented simulator system to aid in instrument design; - enhance computational models that simulate signals seen by space based optical instruments; and - use these software tools to design the optimal satellite mission that will use existing Canadian technology to provide scientists, and the general public, with valuable information related to our atmosphere and its continued change.