Development of Processing System of the Direct-broadcast Data from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) on Aqua Satellite

We present a processing system for the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) sounding suite onboard Aqua satellite. With its unprecedented 2378 channels in IR bands, AIRS aims at achieving the sounding accuracy of radiosonde (1 K in 1-km layer for temperature and $10\%$ in 2-km layer for humidity). The core of the processor is the International MODIS/AIRS Processing Package (IMAPP) that performs the geometric and radiometric correction for generation of Level 1 brightness temperature and Level 2 geophysical parameters retrieval. The processor can produce automatically from received raw data to Level 2 geophysical parameters. As we process the direct-broadcast data almost for the first time among the AIRS direct-broadcast community, a special attention is paid to understand and verify the Level 2 products. This processor includes sub-systems, that is, the near real time validation system which made the comparison results with in-situ measurement data, and standard digital information system which carry out the data format conversion into GRIdded Binary II (GRIB II) standard format to promote active data communication between meteorological societies. This processing system is planned to encourage the application of geophysical parameters observed by AIRS to research the aqua cycle in the Korean peninsula.