A review of remote sensing techniques and related spectroscopy problems

Remote sensing based on quantitative spectroscopy is a powerful tool for precise measurements of atmospheric trace species concentrations, through the use of characteristic spectral signatures of the different molecular species and their associated vibration–rotation and electronic bands in the microwave, infrared, and UV-visible domains. A reliable retrieval of the concentration profiles requires a good characterisation of measurement and spectral fitting errors. This includes an accurate knowledge of spectroscopic parameters of all transition lines or absorption cross sections of interest since uncertainties lead to systematic retrieval errors