A numerical experiment is performed to retrieve the vertical profiles of the atmospheric temperature from the simulated brightness temperatures observed by a 6-channel 5 mm radiometer which operates in the same way as a part of the future satellite-based Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU). The surface air temperature can modify the normal Empirical Othogonal Function (EOF) inversion method,resulting in statistically an improvement of about 1 K in retrievals below 500 hPa According to the error statistics in 120 profile retrievals in Nanjing, the vertical distribution of root mean square(RMS) differences between retrievals and radiosondes has a maximum of 3.0 K at about 150 hPa and a peak of 2.3 K at 850 hPa, and the unbiased RMS differences at these two levels are 2.4 and 2.2 K respectively. The average at 14 pressure Ievels below 30 hPa is 2.2 K for RMS and 1.8 K for unbiased RMS.