The upwelling microwave-to-submillimeter wave brightness temperature observed from above the Earth's atmosphere is sensitive to parameters such as pressure, temperature, water vapor, and hydrometeor content, and this sensitivity has been successfully used for passive vertical sounding of temperature and water vapor profiles. To determine optimal satellite observation strategies for future passive microwave instruments operating at frequencies above those now used, a study of the potential clear-air vertical sounding capabilities of all significant microwave oxygen and water vapor absorption lines in the frequency range from approximately 10 to 1000 GHz has been performed. The study is based on a second-order statistical climatological model covering four seasons, three latitudinal zones, and altitudes up to ~70 km. The climatological model was developed by comparing data from three sources: the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite Halogen Occultation Experiment (UARS HALOE) instrument, the TIROS Operational Vertical Sounder (TOVS) Initial Guess Retrieval radiosonde set, and the NOAA advanced microwave sounder unit (AMSU) radiosonde set. The Liebe MPM87 absorption model is used for water vapor and oxygen absorption and considers the effects of ozone and isotope absorption. Variations in the vertical sounding capabilities due to statistical variations of water vapor and temperature with latitude and season around each line are considered, and useful channel sets for geostationary microwave vertical sounding are suggested. ¿ 2000 American Geophysical Union