Microwave radiometer-spectrometer MIRS in the space experiment “Convergence”

This paper presents a description of the concept of the MIcrowave Radiometer-Spectrometer (MIRS), which is currently being developed by the staff of the Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IKI) with the assistance of leading Russian organizations in the field of space instrumentation. This conical scan instrument measures natural microwave emission coming from the ocean-atmosphere system in the 10-220 GHz frequency range. The data obtained will be used to reconstruct the profiles of the temperature and humidity of the atmosphere, the vector of the surface wind velocity in the ocean, the intensity of precipitation, the integral vapor content and the water content of clouds. It is planned that this set of parameters will allow investigating the causes of the occurrence and development of such dangerous atmospheric phenomena as tropical hurricanes and cyclones. This is the main goal of the “Convergence” space experiment, which is to be held on the Russian segment of the International Space Station (ISS).