Validation of SABER temperature measurements using ground-based instruments

The sounding of the atmosphere using broadband emission radiometry (SABER) instrument is one of four instruments mounted on the thermosphere ionosphere mesosphere energetics and dynamics (TIMED) satellite. SABER sounds the MLTI (the mesosphere and lower thermosphere/ionosphere) region of the earth's atmosphere by measuring infrared limb emission. The instrument measures accurate values of atmospheric limb radiance that are ground processed to retrieve temperature, ozone, water vapor, carbon dioxide, and key parameters describing the energetics of the high atmosphere. SABER results are being used to study the chemistry and dynamics of the mesosphere and the effects on the atmosphere due to major solar storm events. The temperature data from SABER measurements is plotted against temperature measurements collected from several ground based instruments for the purpose of verifying the SABER data. These ground based instruments are located all over the world, including e.g. Boulder, Colorado; Mauna Loa, Hawaii; and parts of Russia. The ground based instruments used for validation of SABER temperatures have already undergone scrutiny and error analyses, and are used as a benchmark to validate data collected from SABER. Furthermore, nitric oxide measurements collected during is period of heightened solar activity is used to create global plots to illustrate the changing atmosphere as the Sun's radiation interacts with the Earth's atmosphere. These solar activity global plots illustrate the effects on the atmosphere as a result of solar flares, solar storms, and other solar activities