In atmospheric Fourier transform spectroscopy so-called microwindows a
re usually analyzed for retrieval of trace constituents rather than th
e spectrum as a whole. These microwindows, which are sets of consecuti
ve spectral grid points, contain one or more prominent transitions of
the target species, whereas it is desirable for the signal of interfer
ing species to be minimum. An objective, quantitative method is presen
ted to optimize the microwindow boundaries with respect to random erro
rs, signal of interfering species, other parameter and systematic erro
rs and to select optimum microwindows with respect to their associated
retrieval errors. Case studies for N2O microwindows are performed for
a spaceborne Limb emission experiment to assess the dependence of the
optimum microwindow width on the retrieval concept. (C) 1998 Optical
Society of America. OCIS codes: 300.0300, 280.0280, 300.6300, 300.6340
, 010.1280, 000.4430.