Abstract
Atmospheric gases have characteristic emission or absorption structures in millimeter-to submillimeter-wave range. Using the spectral features, various atmospheric soundings are in practical use; global monitoring of atmospheric temperature pro-files in the altitude range from 0 to 40 km is possible by using the bands of oxygen molacules in 50-60 GHz range or near 118.750 GHz. Monitoring of water vapor profiles in the troposphere is possible by using several bands near 183.310 GHz water vapor resonance and in 90-150 GHz range. Monitor-ing of upper-atmospheric ozone, water vapor, andmany trace gases, e.g. CIO originating in Freon gases, is possible by using ground-based short-millimeter-wave systems and satellite-borne or balloon-borne limb sounders operating in submillimeter-wave range. This report surveys these applications of millimeter-and submillimeter-wave sensors for atmospheric sounding.
