Nimbus 4 michelson interferometer.

The Michelson interferometer, IRIS-D, flown on Nimbus 4 in April 1970 is an improved version of the interferometer, IRIS-B, flown on Nimbus 3 a year earlier. Thermal emission spectra of the earth are being recorded between 400 cm(-1) and 1600 cm(-1) with a nominal spectral resolution of 2.8 cm(-1) and a noise equivalent radiance between approximately 0.5 and 1 erg sec(-1) cm(-2) ster(-1) cm. This paper describes the design and performance of the IRIS-D and concentrates on the design differences that exist between the interferometers flown on Nimbus 3 and 4. The performance is demonstrated by examples of spectra obtained while in earth orbit.