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U.S. Earth Observation/Environmental Satellites

•NOAA Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite System (GOESS) • NOAA Polar Operational Environmental Satellite System (POESS) •DOD Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) •NASA (EOS) Satellites

John “JC” Coffey February 2012

NOAA Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite System (GOESS) ♦ The system uses two satellites in geosynchronous orbits 19340 nm above the earth, one over the east coast of the US and one over the west coast providing overlapping continuous coverage of the US, Atlantic to the west coast of Africa, and eastern Pacific to 140 degrees west longitude ♦ Satellite instrumentation consists of an imager and sounder • The imager provides 1 channel of visible and 4 channels of infrared images with a scan rate for full earth disc of less than or equal to 26 minutes • The sounder provides temperature and moisture profiles of the atmosphere ♦ Data is continuously transmitted to ground terminals for processing and rebroadcast to primary weather service offices in the US and around the world and to the global research community

2 NOAA Polar Operational Environmental Satellite System (POESS) ♦ The system uses two satellites in sun synchronous, nearly polar orbits 470 nm above the earth. Each satellite provides global coverage every 14.1 hours. ♦ Satellite instrumentation includes an Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR), a High Resolution Infrared Radiation Sounder (HIRS), Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-A (AMSU-A) and Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-B (AMSU-B) • AVHRR provides visible and infrared images of the Earth and its atmosphere • HIRS provides data to calculate vertical temperature profiles from the Earth’s surface to an altitude of approximately 22 nm. • AMSU-A measures global atmospheric temperature profiles and information on atmospheric water • AMSU-B unit provides global data on humidity profiles ♦ Satellite data are transmitted to NOAA Command and Data Acquisition (CDA) stations for processing and distribution to users

3 DoD Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP)

♦ The system is currently using data from four satellites (3 day/night, 1 /dusk) in circular, sun synchronous, nearly polar orbits 450 nm above the earth with an of 101 minutes. Each satellite provides global coverage twice a day. ♦ Satellite instrumentation includes an Operational Linescan System (OLS); Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I); Special Sensor Microwave Water Vapor Sounder (SSM/T-2); Atmospheric Temperature profiler (SSM/T); Precipitating Electron and Ion Spectrometer (SSJ/4); Ion Scintillation Monitor (SSI/ES); and Magnetometer (SSM).

• OLS provides visible and infrared images used to monitor the global distribution of clouds and cloud top temperatures. • SSM/I data are used to derive ocean surface wind, area covered by ice, ice edge, precipitation, cloud liquid water, integrated water vapor, soil moisture, land surface temperature, snow cover, and sea surface temperature. • SSM/T provides atmospheric temperature profiles.

4 DoD Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) (Cont)

♦ Satellite instrumentation (Cont) • SSM/T-2 provides water vapor concentrations. • The space environment sensors (SSJ/4, SSI/ES, and SSM) record along-track plasma densities, velocities, composition, and drift. ♦ Satellite data are transmitted to command and readout stations and forwarded to the Air Force Weather Agency (AFWA) for processing and distribution to users and the National Geophysical Data Center’s Solar Terrestrial Physics Division Earth Observation Group (NGDC/STP/EOG) for archiving

5 NASA Earth Observing System (EOS)

♦ The NASA EOS includes the following NASA provided satellites: • Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) • • Quik (QuikScat) • • Active Cavity Radiometer Irradiance Monitor Satellite (ACRIMSAT) • /Earth Observing-1 (NMP/EO-1) • • Solar Radiation and Climate Experiment (SORCE) • • ESSP/CloudSat • National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) Preparatory Project (NPP) NASA Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM)

♦TRMM is a joint mission between NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). It was designed to monitor and study tropical rainfall and the associated release of energy that helps to power the global atmospheric circulation, shaping both weather and climate around the globe. ♦Satellite Instrumentation consists of: •Clouds and Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) − 3-channel radiometer measuring reflected solar radiation, emitted terrestrial radiation, and total radiation, will monitor the natural and anthropogenic effects on the Earth's total thermal radiation budget. •Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS) − Detects and locates lightning over the tropical region of the globe. The sensor provides information that could lead to future advanced lightning sensors capable of significantly improving weather “nowcasting.” NASA Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM)

♦Satellite Instrumentation (Cont): • Precipitation Radar (PR) − An electronically scanning radar, operating at 13.8 GHz that measures the 3-D rainfall distribution over both land and ocean, and defines the layer depth of the precipitation. • TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI) − Passive microwave sensor designed to provide quantitative rainfall information over a wide swath under the TRMM satellite. • Visible and Infrared Scanner (VIRS) − Five-channel visible/infrared radiometer that detects radiation at 1 visible, 2 near infrared and 2 thermal infrared wavelengths, allowing determination of cloud coverage, cloud top height and temperature, and precipitation indices. The central wavelengths for the VIRS channels are 0.63, 1.60, 3.75, 10.8, and 12.0 microns. All channels are in operation during the daytime, but only channels 3, 4 and 5 operate during the nighttime. NASA Landsat 7

♦ Landsat 7 provides data for and Geographic Information System (GIS) science and applications around the world. ♦ The United States Geological Survey (USGS) is responsible for operating the satellite, distributing the data, and maintaining an archive of Landsat 7 and other remotely sensed data. ♦ The satellite instrumentation consists of the Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) • The ETM+ sensor has the seven spectral bands of the original TM: Six acquire Earth reflectance data, one acquires Earth temperature data. The ETM+ also adds a 15-m panchromatic band to obtain higher spatial resolution and improves the spatial resolution of the Earth temperature band to 60-m. NASA Quik Scatterometer (QuikScat)

♦ QuikScat acquires accurate, high-resolution, continuous, all-weather measurements of global (land, ice, and ocean) radar cross-sections and near-surface vector winds over the ice-free global oceans. The wind measurements are used for research investigations as well as in operational weather prediction. Radar cross-sections from land and ice-covered regions are used for vegetation classification/monitoring, cryospheric investigations, and operational ice-edge and iceberg detection and monitoring. ♦ Antenna ceased rotating in November 2009: still providing useful data through cross calibration with other satellites. ♦ The satellite instrument is a Microwave Radar called SeaWinds NASA Terra

♦ Terra provides global data on the state of the atmosphere, land, and oceans, as well as their interactions with solar radiation and with one another. ♦ The satellite contains the following instruments: • Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) − Provides detailed maps of land surface temperature, reflectance, and elevation. • Clouds and Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) − 3-channel radiometer measuring reflected solar radiation, emitted terrestrial radiation, and total radiation, will monitor the natural and anthropogenic effects on the Earth's total thermal radiation budget. • Multiangle Imaging Spectroradiometer (MISR) − Viewing the sunlit Earth simultaneously at nine widely-spaced angles, MISR provides radiometrically and geometrically calibrated images in four spectral bands at each of the angles. NASA Terra (Cont)

♦ The satellite instruments (Cont): • Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) − Provides high radiometric sensitivity (12 bit) in 36 spectral bands ranging in wavelength from 0.4 µm to 14.4 µm. The responses are custom tailored to the individual needs of the user community and provide exceptionally low out-of-band response. Two bands are imaged at a nominal resolution of 250 m at nadir, with five bands at 500 m, and the remaining 29 bands at 1 km. A ±55-degree scanning pattern at the EOS orbit of 705 km achieves a 2,330-km swath and provides global coverage every one to two days. • Measurements of Pollution in the Troposphere (MOPITT) − Using gas correlation spectroscopy, the sensor measures emitted and reflected radiance from the Earth in three spectral bands. Its specific focus is on the distribution, transport, sources, and sinks of carbon monoxide and methane in the troposphere. NASA Active Cavity Radiometer Irradiance Monitor Satellite (ACRIMSAT) ♦ The purpose of ACRIMSAT is to study Total Solar Irradiance (TSI). ♦ The satellite contains the Active Cavity Radiometer Irradiance Monitor. NASA New Millennium Program/Earth Observing-1 (NMP/EO-1)

♦ EO-1 is a technology validation / demonstration mission designed to demonstrate new technologies and strategies for improved Earth observations. The satellite contains three observing instruments supported by a variety of newly developed space technologies. ♦ Satellite instrumentation consists of: • Advanced Land Imager (ALI) − Demonstrates multispectral imaging capability for future Landsat technology. • Hyperion − Hyperspectral imaging with 220 unique spectral channels. • Linear Etalon Imaging Spectral Array (LEISA) Atmospheric Corrector (LAC) − The Linear Etalon Imaging Spectral Array/Atmospheric Corrector (LEISA/AC) is an infrared camera. Images from the AC can be used to remove the effects of the atmosphere from surface pictures obtained by instruments such as the Advanced Land Imager (ALI) on EO-1 and Landsat. NASA Aqua

♦ Aqua is a major international Earth Science satellite mission named for the large amount of information it collects about water in the Earth system. The water variables being measured include almost all elements of the water cycle and involve water in its liquid, solid, and vapor forms. Additional variables include radiative energy fluxes, aerosols, vegetation cover on the land, phytoplankton and dissolved organic matter in the oceans, and air, land, and water temperatures. ♦ Satellite instrumentation consists of the following:

• Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) − AIRS is a cross-track scanning instrument. Its scan mirror rotates around an axis along the line of flight and directs infrared energy from the Earth into the instrument. As the spacecraft moves along, this mirror sweeps the ground creating a scan 'swath' that extends roughly 800 km on either side of the . Within the AIRS instrument the infrared energy is separated into wavelengths. The term "sounder" in the instrument's name refers to the fact that temperature and water vapor are measured as functions of height. AIRS also measures clouds, abundances of trace components in the atmosphere including ozone, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, methane, and sulfur dioxide, and detects suspended dust particles. NASA Aqua (Cont)

♦ Satellite instrumentation (Cont): • Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for the Earth Observing System (AMSR-E) − The AMSR-E is a conically scanning total power passive microwave radiometer sensing microwave radiation (brightness temperatures) at 12 channels and 6 frequencies ranging from 6.9 to 89.0 GHz. Horizontally and vertically polarized radiation are measured separately at each frequency. • Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-A (AMSU-A) − The AMSU-A is a multi-channel microwave temperature/humidity sounder that measures global atmospheric temperature profiles and provides information on atmospheric water in all of it's forms. Information from AMSU-A in the presence of clouds is used to correct the infrared measurements for the effects of clouds. • Clouds and Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) − 3-channel radiometer measuring reflected solar radiation, emitted terrestrial radiation, and total radiation, will monitor the natural and anthropogenic effects on the Earth's total thermal radiation budget.

NASA Aqua (Cont)

♦ Satellite instrumentation (Cont): • Humidity Sounder for Brazil (HSB) − The HSB is a humidity sounder providing supplementary water vapor and liquid data to be used in the cloud clearing process. • Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) − Provides high radiometric sensitivity (12 bit) in 36 spectral bands ranging in wavelength from 0.4 µm to 14.4 µm. The responses are custom tailored to the individual needs of the user community and provide exceptionally low out-of-band response. Two bands are imaged at a nominal resolution of 250 m at nadir, with five bands at 500 m, and the remaining 29 bands at 1 km. A ±55-degree scanning pattern at the EOS orbit of 705 km achieves a 2,330-km swath and provides global coverage every one to two days.

NASA Solar Radiation and Climate Experiment (SORCE)

♦ SORCE observations are improving our understanding of the Sun by generating new inquiry regarding how and why solar variability occurs and how it affects our atmosphere and climate. ♦ The satellite contains the following instruments: • Spectral Irradiance Monitor (SIM) • Solar Stellar Irradiance Comparison Experiment (SOLSTICE) • Total Irradiance Monitor (TIM) • XUV Photometer System (XPS) NASA Aura

♦ Aura's four instruments study the atmosphere's chemistry and dynamics. These measurements indicate ozone trends, air-quality changes, and their linkage to climate change. They also provide accurate data for predictive models and useful information for local and national agency decision-support systems. ♦ Satellite instrumentation consists of: • High-Resolution Dynamics Limb Sounder (HIRDLS) − HIRDLS is an infrared limb-scanning radiometer designed to sound the upper troposphere, stratosphere, and mesosphere to determine: temperature; the concentrations of O3, H2O, CH4, N2O, NO2, HNO3, N2O5, CFC11, CFC12, ClONO2, and aerosols; and the locations of polar stratospheric clouds and cloud tops. • (MLS) − MLS experiments measure naturally-occurring microwave thermal emission from the limb (edge) of Earth's atmosphere to remotely sense vertical profiles of atmospheric gases, temperature, pressure, and cloud ice. NASA Aura (Cont)

♦ Satellite instrumentation (Cont): • Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) − OMI is a nadir-viewing wide-field-imaging spectrometer, giving daily global coverage that measures the key air quality components such as NO2, SO2, BrO, OClO, and aerosol characteristics. • Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES) − TES is a spectrometer that measures the infrared-light energy (radiance) emitted by Earth's surface and by gases and particles in Earth's atmosphere as a means of identifying the substances. TES has very high spectral resolution, which gives it the ability to pinpoint the wavelengths at which the substances are emitting. This enables precise identification of the substances, and also provides information about their location in the atmosphere. NASA ESSP/CloudSat

♦ CloudSat is studying clouds in detail to better characterize the role they play in regulating Earth's climate. CloudSat is providing the first direct, global survey of the vertical structure and overlap of cloud systems and their liquid and ice-water contents. ♦ Satellite instrumentation consists of the Cloud Profiling Radar (CPR). • The CPR is a 94-GHz nadir-looking radar which measures the power backscattered by clouds as a function of distance from the radar. NASA National Polar-orbiting Operational Satellite System (NPOESS) Preparatory Project (NPP)

♦ NPP is the first of a new generation of Earth observing research satellites. It was launched on October 28, 2011 and is undergoing system and instrumentation checkout. ♦ Satellite Instrumentation consists of the following: • Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS) − 22-channel passive microwave radiometer, to create global models of temperature and moisture profiles that meteorologists will enter into models. • Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS) − Michelson interferometer, will monitor characteristics of the atmosphere, such as moisture and pressure that will be used to produce improvements in both short-and- long term weather forecasting. • Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite (OMPS) − OMPS incorporates an advanced nadir-viewing sensor and a highly innovative limb- viewing sensor and will continue the long-term continuous data record of ozone measurements from space. NASA National Polar-orbiting Operational Satellite System (NPOESS) Preparatory Project (NPP) (Cont)

♦ Satellite Instrumentation (Cont): • Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) − VIIRS has a 22-band radiometer similar to the MODIS instrument. It will collect visible and infrared views of Earth's dynamic surface processes, such as wildfires, land changes, and ice movement. VIIRS will also measure atmospheric and oceanic properties, including clouds and sea surface temperature. • Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) − 3-channel radiometer measuring reflected solar radiation, emitted terrestrial radiation, and total radiation, will monitor the natural and anthropogenic effects on the Earth's total thermal radiation budget. ♦ The NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP) represents a first step in building the next-generation polar-orbiting environmental satellite system. This next-generation system was previously called the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) and is now called the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS).