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Odin is a small, low-cost satellite with a combined astronomical and aeronomical mission. The mission is divided on an equal basis between astronomy and aeronomy. The aeronomy objectives can be divided into four main subjects: stratospheric ozone chemistry, mesospheric ozone chemistry, the summer mesopause region, and the coupling between atmospheric regions. The primary instrument on Odin is the millimetre and sub-millimetre radiometer (SMR), which is used both for astronomy and aeronomy. It is the first satellite to use sub-millimetre frequencies for limb-sounding mode. Odin is also equipped with an optical spectrometer (OSIRIS). This paper is the third of a three-part series and describes the choices of observing modes and the expected performance of the SMR instrument for the aeronomy mission. The relevant frequencies are identified and the exact selection of lines is made. This is followed by a detailed simulation study to determine the achievable altitude coverage together with the corresponding vertical resolution for each retrievable species. An indication of the expected uncertainties is also given, showing, for example, a high-sensitivity to mesospheric water vapour and stratospheric chlorine monoxide. However, a complete analysis of observation uncertainties must await launch and the completion of the validation programme. PACS Nos.: 42.68A, 07.07D, 07.57K

This paper presents the first algorithm developed to retrieve atmospheric vertical profiles of trace gases from calibrated spectra measured by the sub-millimetre radiometer (SMR) onboard the Odin satellite. An estimation of atmospheric profiles is obtained by means of an inversion of the spectra using the Optimal Estimation Method. Great attention is paid to the study of the simultaneous retrieval of several species and nonlinearity effects. The measurement response is defined to give the altitude domain of a good retrieval. Main sources of measurement and forward model errors are characterized and separated into two categories: the fixed errors and the variable errors. We define a standard retrieval strategy that can be applied to theoretically investigate any frequency band of any observing Odin mode. For each frequency band, two categories of species are defined: the target species, i.e., the main species to be retrieved, and the interfering species, i.e., molecules emitting an interfering radiance in the observed band. The standard code is based upon an inversion of spectra using a linearized forward model and simultaneously estimates target species and interfering species. As an example, inversions of synthetic noise-free spectra of ozone and chlorine monoxide within an autocorrelator band ranging from 501.18 to 501.58 GHz are shown to behave as expected in the middle stratosphere and in the lower mesosphere. The error analysis shows retrieval limitations in the lower stratosphere that are mainly induced by the high sensitivity of the retrieval to parameters such as tangent height, accuracy in the vertical profile of the interfering species, and spectral parameters of both target lines and interfering lines. PACS Nos.: 42.68Ay, 07.07Df, 07.57Kp

Odin is a 250 kg class satellite built in co-operation between Sweden, Canada, France, and Finland and launched in February 2001. It carries two instruments: a 4-band sub-millimetre radiometer used for both astronomy and atmospheric science and an optical spectrometer and infrared imaging system for purely atmospheric observations. As part of the joint mission Odin will observe the atmospheric limb for 50% of the observation time producing profiles of many species of interest in the middle atmosphere with a vertical resolution of 1–2 km. These species include, among others, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, chlorine monoxide, nitric acid, water vapour, and nitrous oxide. An overview of the mission and the planned measurements is given. PACS Nos.: 42.68Mj, 94.10Dy, 95.55Fw