BackForwardInstrument:  SEVIRI 

Instrument details
Acronym SEVIRI
Full name Spinning Enhanced Visible Infra-Red Imager
Type of Instrument 01. Moderate-resolution optical imager
Purpose Multi-purpose imagery and wind derivation by tracking clouds and water vapour features
Short description 12 channels (11 narrow-bandwidth, 1 high-resolution broad-bandwidth VIS) [see detailed characteristics below]
Background New development
Scanning Technique Mechanical, spinning satellite, E-W continuous, S-N stepping
Resolution 4.8 km IFOV, 3 km sampling for narrow channels; 1.6 km IFOV, 1 km sampling for broad VIS channel
Coverage / Cycle Full disk every 15 min.  Limited areas in correspondingly shorter time intervals
Mass 260 kg Power 150 W Data Rate 3.26 Mbps

 

Providing Agency EUMETSAT
Utilization Period: 2002-08-28 to ≥2022
Last update: 2012-09-13
Detailed characteristics
Central wavelength Spectral interval (99 % encircled energy) SNR or NEΔT @ specified input
N/A (broad bandwidth channel) 0.6 - 0.9 µm 4.3 @ 1 % albedo
0.635 µm 0.56 - 0.71 µm 10.1 @ 1 % albedo
0.81 µm 0.74 - 0.88 µm 7.28 @ 1 % albedo
1.64 µm 1.50 - 1.78 µm 3 @ 1 % albedo
3.92 µm 3.48 - 4.36 µm 0.35 K @ 300 K
6.25 µm 5.35 - 7.15 µm 0.75 K @ 250 K
7.35 µm 6.85 - 7.85 µm 0.75 K @ 250 K
8.70 µm 8.30 - 9.10 µm 0.28 K @ 300 K
9.66 µm 9.38 - 9.94 µm 1.50 K @ 255 K
10.8 µm 9.80 - 11.8 µm 0.25 K @ 300 K
12.0 µm 11.0 - 13.0 µm 0.37 K @ 300 K
13.4 µm 12.4 - 14.4 µm 1.80 K @ 270 K
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

Contribution to Space Capabilities

The instrument contributes to the following Capabilities, as identified in the "Vision for the GOS in 2025" and the Implementation Plan for the Evolution of Global Observing Systems:

Tentative 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.
Variable Relevance for measuring this Variable Operational Limitations Processing maturity
Land surface temperature 2-High Clouds Consolidated methodology
Cloud top temperature 2-High No specific limitation Consolidated methodology
Short-wave cloud reflectance 2-High No specific limitation Consolidated methodology
Cloud cover 2-High No specific limitation Consolidated methodology
Cloud type 2-High No specific limitation Consolidated methodology
Aerosol volcanic ash 2-High Clouds Consolidated methodology
Wind (horizontal) 2-High Tracers needed Consolidated methodology
Cloud top height 2-High No specific limitation Consolidated methodology
Snow cover 3-Medium Clouds Consolidated methodology
Earth surface albedo 3-Medium Clouds Consolidated methodology
Aerosol Optical Depth 3-Medium Clouds Consolidated methodology
Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) 3-Medium Clouds Consolidated methodology
Sea surface temperature 3-Medium Clouds Consolidated methodology
Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) 3-Medium Clouds Consolidated methodology
Soil moisture at surface 4-Useful Index only. Clouds Consolidated methodology
Aerosol mass mixing ratio 4-Useful Clouds Consolidated methodology
Fire radiative power 4-Useful Clouds Consolidated methodology
Upward long-wave irradiance at TOA 4-Useful No specific limitation Consolidated methodology
Fire temperature 4-Useful Clouds Consolidated methodology
Upward long-wave irradiance at Earth surface 4-Useful Clouds Heavily model-dependent
Long-wave Earth surface emissivity 4-Useful Clouds Consolidated methodology
Downward short-wave irradiance at Earth surface 4-Useful Clouds Heavily model-dependent
Cloud drop effective radius 4-Useful At cloud top Consolidated methodology
Leaf Area Index (LAI) 4-Useful Clouds Consolidated methodology
Downward long-wave irradiance at Earth surface 4-Useful Clouds Heavily model-dependent
Specific humidity 4-Useful Total column only. Clouds Consolidated methodology
Cloud optical depth 4-Useful Cloud not too dense Consolidated methodology
Sea-ice cover 4-Useful Clouds Consolidated methodology
Cloud ice effective radius 4-Useful At cloud top Consolidated methodology
Fire fractional cover 4-Useful Clouds Consolidated methodology
Upward short-wave irradiance at TOA 4-Useful No specific limitation Consolidated methodology
Fraction of Absorbed PAR (FAPAR) 5-Marginal Clouds Consolidated methodology
Aerosol type 5-Marginal Clouds Heavily dependent on external info
Earth surface short-wave bidirectional reflectance 5-Marginal Clouds Heavily model-dependent
Aerosol effective radius 5-Marginal Clouds Heavily model-dependent