Title of
Paper: HAMSR - The High
Altitude MMIC Sounding Radiometer
Principal
Author: Mr.
Bjorn Lambrigtsen
Abstract: The High Altitude MMIC Sounding
Radiometer (HAMSR), recently developed under ESTO sponsorship, represents the
next generation of microwave atmospheric sounders. It is the world’s first
sounder to use Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit (MMIC) receivers and
incorporates other miniature solid state components as well. HAMSR is therefore
lightweight, compact and sensitive. It combines, in a single package,
functionality previously requiring several separate instruments, and provides
temperature, humidity and cloud liquid water sounding, with a common field of
view. It also implements dual-band temperature sounding, which makes it
possible to determine scattering and estimate rain rates – important for
investigation of storms and severe weather. Due to miniaturization it can be
accommodated on even small platforms, such as pilot-less aircraft. HAMSR is
intended to demonstrate and validate the new technology and other advanced
design concepts as well as to support scientific missions, such as field
experiments and satellite validation campaigns. It has been selected for
participation in the August-September 2001 CAMEX-4 field campaign, which is
part of a multi-agency effort to investigate hurricanes and the
"land-fall" problem. On that mission HAMSR will be flown on the NASA
ER-2 high altitude aircraft and will provide fundamental atmospheric parameters
to CAMEX science investigators. HAMSR is essentially an implementation of the
microwave segment of IMAS, a proposed next-generation infrared-microwave
sounding system, and uses technology and components developed under that
program. The HAMSR measurement characteristics are very similar to those of
ATMS, a next-generation satellite microwave sounder also derived from IMAS and
currently under development. HAMSR is therefore well suited as a technology
testbed and validation system for ATMS as well as similar future developments.