Superconducting sub-millimeter wave limb emission sounder SMILES

The main aims of the SMILES project are the development and use of superconducting mixers (superconductor-insulator-superconductor SIS technology) in a heterodyne sub-millimeter receiver for remote sensing of the atmosphere from space. The two frequency bands to be observed, 624.2-628.6 GHz and 649.3-653.1 GHz, are chosen such that the chemistry of the upper troposphere and the stratosphere, together with some climatological aspects, can be investigated. These frequency ranges allow the observation of a number of interesting species, such as ClO, BrO, HO/sub 2/, NO, SO/sub 2/, O/sub 3/, HCl, HOCl, HN0/sub 3/, N/sub 2/0, H/sub 2/0/sub 2/ and 0/sup 18/0. A simulated spectrum is shown.