**Table 1:** Summary of the initial scientific requirements and top level specifications for AMBER.
Scientific topic	Spectral	Spectral	Minimum K	Maximum	Imaging
	coverage	resolution^a	band magnitude	visibility error^b	(closure phase)
Key programs
Young stellar objects	J, H, K, lines	medium	9	10^-2	$\fbox{yes}$
AGN dust tori	K	low	$\fbox{11}$	10^-2	yes
Extrasolar planets	$\fbox{$J+H+K$ }$	low	5	$\fbox{$10^{-4}$ }$	no^c
General programs
Stellar structure	lines	$\fbox{high}$	2	10^-4	yes
Circumstellar envelopes	J, H, K	medium	4	10^-2	yes
Binary	K	low	9	10^-3	yes
QSO and AGN BLR	J, H, K, lines	medium	11	10^-2	no

^a At the time when it was specified, low spectral resolution meant about 35, medium resolution about 1000 and high resolution at least 10000. ^b Error on either visibility amplitude (in normalized visibility units) or differential phase (in radians). ^c As phase is likely to be more critical for ESP than simultaneous J+H+K observations.

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