| Description: | Under certain conditions, the observed atmospheric radiance at the lowest level (near the
surface) is contaminated by air from inside the optical trailer. This is a result of an
inadequate seal between the AERI front-end (outside) and back-end (inside the optical
trailer), which let inside air penetrate into the first ~1 m of the AERI optical path. This
primarily affects the 540-700 cm-1 region, and retrievals and temperature and water
vapor. The result is an artifact in the amplitude of the atmospheric radiance that closely
mirrors the temperature fluctuations inside the optical trailer, specifically oscillations
with a period of 10-15 mins. |