SCIENTIFIC PREPARATIONS FOR AEOLUS AND AEOLUS FOLLOW-ON

In spring 2010 the ESA Core Explorer Atmospheric Dynamics Mission, ADM-Aeolus is due for launch. Scientific preparations are being made in the area of campaigns, Cal/Val, and the development of an End-to-End simulator, E2S, L1 and L2 wind profile processor. In this manuscript the focus will be on Aeolus performance in relation to atmospheric heterogeneities. Both in terms of processing and in terms of the distribution of vertical range gates (vertical processing levels) the characteristics of the atmosphere play an important role. High-resolution radiosondes, space lidar (CALIPSO), ECMWF model data and ground based measurement data sets are collocated to yield the combined optical and dynamical properties of the atmosphere that are relevant for Aeolus. The Aeolus mission will last three years. Studies have been conducted to develop user requirements for an Aeolus follow-on mission. From these studies wind profile coverage appears important rather than the measurement perspective in the extratropics, while in the tropics both the zonal and the meridional perspectives are important as well as wind profile coverage. A complement of a side- and back-looking Aeolus type instrument would fulfil the stated requirements.