A microwave limb sounder (MLS) to measure trace gases in the upper atmosphere by comparing spectral noise content of limb soundings with the spectral noise content of cold space utilizes an offset Cassegrain antenna system and a tiltable input mirror to alternately look out at the limb and up at cold space at an elevation angle of about 22°. The mirror can also be tilted to look at a black body calibration target. Reflection from the mirror is directed into a radiometer the head of which functions as a diplexer to combine the input radiation and a local oscillator (klystron) beam. The radiometer head is comprised of a Fabry- Perot resonator consisting of two Fabry-Perot cavities spaced a number of half wavelengths apart. Incoming radiation received on one side is reflected and rotated 90° in polarization by the resonator so that it will be reflected by an input grid into a mixer, while the klystron beam received on the other side is also reflected and rotated 90°, but not without passing some energy to be reflected by the input grid into the mixer.
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