BackForwardInstrument:  MTVZA-OK (MW) 

Instrument details
Acronym MTVZA-OK (MW)
Full name Combined Microwave-Optical Imaging/Sounding Radiometer (MW component)
Purpose Multi-purpose MW imagery and temperature/humidity sounding, as well as sea-surface vector wind
Short description 22-frequency / 39 channels, including 54 and 183 GHz bands and multi-polarisation of three channels for wind speed and direction [see detailed characteristics below]
Background Part of a combined MW imaging radiometer and VIS/IR imager
Scanning Technique Conical, 55.4° viewing angle, 21 scan/min (19 km/scan), swath 2000 km
Resolution Ranging from 12 km at 183 GHz to 170 km at 6.9 GHz, consistent with an antenna diameter of 60 cm
Coverage / Cycle Global each day
Mass Power Data Rate

 

Providing Agency NSAU
Instrument Maturity Flown on an R&D satellite
Utilization Period: 2005 to 2006
Last update: 2019-11-14
Detailed characteristics

No.

Central frequency (GHz)

Bandwidth (MHz)

Polarisations

NEΔT

IFOV

Pixel

1

6.9

350

V, H

0.3

112x260 km

38x38 km

2

10.6

100

V, H, P,M

0.5

76x177 km

38x38 km

3

18.7

200

V, H.P.M. R, L

0.4

45x104 km

38x38 km

4

23.8

400

V, H

0.3

36x86 km

38x38 km

5

31.5

1000

V, H, P, M

0.3

30x69 km

38x38 km

6

36.7

1000

V, H

0.4

26x60 km

38x38 km

7

42

1000

V, H

0.4

22x53 km

38x38 km

8

48

1000

V, H

0.4

21x47 km

38x38 km

9

52.80

400

V

0.4

18x43 km

38x38 km

10

53.30

400

V

0.4

18x43 km

38x38 km

11

53.80

400

V

0.4

18x43 km

38x38 km

12

54.64

400

V

0.4

18x43 km

38x38 km

13

55.63

400

V

0.4

18x43 km

38x38 km

14

57.290344±0.3222±0.1

50

H

0.4

18x43 km

57x57 km

15

57.290344±0.3222±0.05

20

H

0.7

18x43 km

57x57 km

16

57.290344±0.3222±0.025

10

H

0.9

18x43 km

57x57 km

17

57.290344±0.3222±0.01

5

H

1.3

18x43 km

57x57 km

18

57.290344±0.3222±0.005

3

H

1.7

18x43 km

57x57 km

19

91.65

2000

V, H

0.6

12x28 km

19x19 km

20

183.31±7.0

1500

V

0.5

8x19 km

38x38 km

21

183.31±3.0

1000

V

0.6

8x19 km

38x38 km

22

183.31±1.0

500

V

0.8

8x19 km

38x38 km

Satellites this instrument is flying on

Note: a red tag indicates satellites no longer operational, a green tag indicates operational satellites, a blue tag indicates future satellites

Instrument classification
  • Earth observation instrument
  • Passive microwave radiometer
  • Conical scanning microwave radiometer
WIGOS Subcomponents
  • Subcomponent 1
  • MW imagery [in SSO]
  • MW imager [in SSO]
Mission objectives
Primary mission objectives
  • Precipitation intensity at surface (liquid or solid)
  • Sea surface temperature
  • Sea-ice cover
  • Wind speed (near surface)
  • Wind vector (near surface)
Evaluation of Measurements

The following list indicates which measurements can typically be retrieved from this category of instrument. To see a full Gap Analysis by Variable, click on the respective variable.

Note: table can be sorted by clicking on the column headers
Note: * Primary mission objective.
VariableRelevance for measuring this variableOperational limitationsExplanation
Accumulated precipitation (over 24 h)3 - highPoor time sampling.. Time sampling to be interpolated by GEO.MW channels around 10, 19, 23, 37 and 90 GHz and in 54 and 183 GHz bands
Atmospheric temperature2 - very highCoarse vertical resolution.Many MW channels in the 54 GHz band. Nearly all-weather sounding
Biomass3 - highIndex only.. Coarse spatial resolution.Derived from differential effect of vegetation across MW frequencies around 7, 10 and 19 GHz
Cloud ice3 - highNo specific limitation.MW channels around 37 and 90 GHz, and in bands 54 and 183 GHz
Cloud ice Total Column3 - highNo specific limitation.MW channels around 37 and 90 GHz, and in bands 54 and 183 GHz
Cloud ice effective radius2 - very highNo specific limitation.MW channels around 37 and 90 GHz, and in bands 54 and 183 GHz
Cloud liquid water (CLW)2 - very highNo specific limitation.MW channels around 37 and 90 GHz, and in bands 54 and 183 GHz
Cloud liquid water (CLW) total column2 - very highNo specific limitation.MW channels around 37 and 90 GHz, and in bands 54 and 183 GHz
Downward long-wave irradiance at Earth surface5 - marginalHighly indirect.MW channels in bands 54 and 183 GHz to account for downward cloud radiation
Freezing level height in clouds3 - highNo specific limitation.MW channels in the 54 GHz band. Inference from the temperature profile
Land surface temperature5 - marginalCoarse spatial resolution.MW channels with more frequencies around 7 and 10 GHz to reduce sensitivity to radio-frequency interferences
Long-wave Earth surface emissivity3 - highLong time series needed.MW channels around 7, 10, 19, 37 and 90 GHz. Emissivity across this MW range inferred by statistical analysis
Melting layer depth in clouds3 - highNo specific limitation.MW channels in the 54 GHz band. Inference from the temperature profile
Precipitation intensity at surface (liquid or solid)*3 - highNo specific limitation.MW channels around 10, 19, 23, 37 and 90 GHz, and in bands 54 and 183 GHz (for atmospheric structure). To cover sea and land, heavy and light precipitation
Sea surface temperature*2 - very highNo specific limitation.MW channels with more frequencies around 7 and 10 GHz to reduce sensitivity to radio-frequency interferences
Snow cover3 - highCoarse spatial resolution.MW channels around 19, 37 and 90 GHz. Higher frequencies less sensitive to emissivity from ground under snow
Snow status (wet/dry)2 - very highCoarse spatial resolution.MW channels around 19, 37 and 90 GHz. Higher frequencies less sensitive to emissivity from ground under snow
Snow water equivalent2 - very highCoarse spatial resolution.. Ground stations network needed.MW channels around 19, 37 and 90 GHz. Higher frequencies less sensitive to emissivity from ground under snow
Soil moisture (in the roots region)4 - fairCoarse spatial resolution.. Affected by vegetation.MW channels around 7 GHz. Assimilation process required
Soil moisture at surface3 - highCoarse spatial resolution.. Affected by vegetation.MW channels around 7 and 10 GHz
Specific humidity2 - very highCoarse vertical resolution.MW channels in the 183 GHz band, and 54 GHz for temperature and liquid water corrections
Integrated Water Vapour (IWV)1 - primaryNo specific limitation.MW channel(s) in the water vapour bands around 23 and 183 GHz
Upward long-wave irradiance at Earth surface5 - marginalHighly indirect.MW channels is the 54 and 183 GHz bands to infer the impact of clouds on the upward LW radiation
Wind speed (near surface)*2 - very highOver sea only.MW channels around 7, 10, 19 and 37 GHz
Wind vector (near surface)*3 - highOver sea only.MW channels for 3 or 4 Stokes parameters at frequencies around 10, 19 and 37 GHz
Cloud drop effective radius5 - marginalHighly indirect.MW channels around 37 and 90 GHz, and in bands 54 and 183 GHz
Sea-ice cover*3 - highNo specific limitation.MW channels around 7, 10, 19, 37 and 90 GHz
Sea-ice type4 - fairNo specific limitation.MW channels around 7, 10, 19, 37 and 90 GHz. Type interpreted as age/roughness