Abstract:

The Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS), to be launched in the early 1990's, is to provide a global data set required to understand the mechanisms controlling upper atmosphere structure and processes, as well as the response of the upper atmosphere to natural and human perturbations.

The High Resolution Doppler Imager (HRDI) is the primary instrument for measuring the dynamics of the stratosphere and mesophere. The goal of HRDI is to measure wind velocities in the stratophere and mesophere during the day and the mesophere and the thermosphere at night with an accuracy of 5m/sec. HRDI will determine winds by measuring Doppler shifts of atmosphere absorption and emission features. Line of sight winds will be taken in two directions, thus allowing the wind vector to be formed.

This paper overviews the HRDI instument. The basis of the measuremnet is explained, as is an outline of the instrument. This instrument is a model of a future generation of dynamics monitors which will be flown on the Earth Observing System (EOS).