High resolution Michelson interferometer for airborne infrared astronomical observations.  1: Concept and performance. 
A Michelson interferometer has been built for use with the 91-cm telescope on NASA's Gerard P. Kuiper Airborne Observatory primarily to measure ir line emission from H 11 regions.  Operation is in the rapid scan mode, and the achievable resolution is 0.02 cm(-1) in the wavelength range from 10 micro to around 300 micro.  A minicomputer is used to provide on-line spectrum displays and to control and monitor the instrument performance.  The design and use of the instrument is discussed, and a comparison is made between the theoretical performance and that actually achieved on the first flights when measurements of line emission from the Orion nebula and from the atmosphere were made.