| Acronym | Meaning |
| GIFTS | Geosynchronous Imaging Fourier Transform Spectrometer |
| IRIS | Infrared Radiation Interferometer Spectrometer (1960s) |
| LIDAR | LIght Detection And Ranging |
| MSL | Mean Sea Level |
| ECMWF | European Centre For Medium-range Weather Forecasts |
| C | Centigrade |
| AIRS | Atmospheric InfraRed Sounder (EOS) |
| EM | ElectroMagnetic |
| XBSS | X-ray Background Survey Spectrometer |
| HZ | Hertz |