The Big Picture: New IR Science Drivers, Key Observing Physics, and Proven Building Blocks Should Define the Next Generation US Sounding System.

Operational high spectral resolution infrared sounders (AIRS, IASI, CrIS) have had proven success, providing detailed temperature, water vapor, cloud, aerosol, trace gas, and surface property information, and are recognized as one of the most important data sources for global NWP. In the US, NOAA is defining its next generation sounding system. This is a short, big picture vision of what that US LEO and GEO infrared sounding system could be.