Stratospheric Wind Interferometer For Transport Studies
The Stratospheric Wind Interferometer For Transport studies (SWIFT) is a satellite instrument designed to perform infrared (9µm) imaging of thermal emissions with a cryogenically cooled HgCdTe array detector to measure ozone winds and concentrations in the 20- 45km altitude range with an accuracy of about 5 m/s. It simultaneously provides co-located ozone density profiles.
SWIFT was originally proposed to the European Space Agency (ESA) in response to the first call for ideas for Earth Explorer Opportunity Missions and, with the support of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), was subsequently selected by the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) for possible deployment on NASDA's first Global Change Observation Mission (GCOM-A1) scheduled for launch in 2007.
In collaboration with York University, COM DEV developed this instrument from the initial concepts, and has now completed the Phase B Preliminary Design. The goal is to improve the accuracy of prediction for long term climate change and global warming. SWIFT will also allow study of the link between dynamics and chemistry that occurs through transport of chemical species.