ADEOS-II Data Users Handbook 4th Edition March 2009 Global environment change has become a worldwide concern in recent years. In order to clarify these environmental changes, the Advanced Earth Observing Satellite (ADEOS-II, renamed “Midori II” after launch) has been developed for the purpose of monitoring the Earth environment using remote sensing technology from space. Midori II carries mission instruments that are particularly dedicated to clarify the water energy cycle and the carbon cycle, and is expected to be utilized for international climate change research programs. Midori II was launched by an H-IIA rocket in December 2002 from Tanegashima Space Center of NASDA (reorganized to JAXA in October 2003), and is in a circular orbit of altitude 803 km, inclination angle 98.7 degree and period 101 min. After launch, seven mission instruments on Midori II operated until October 2003 (GLI, AMSR, SeaWinds, ILAS-II, POLDER, DCS, and TEDA). Observing data by these mission instruments has been received at JAXA/EOC, NASA ground stations at Alaska SAR Facility and Wallops Flight Facility, and Kiruna station of Sweden Space Corporation. AMSR and GLI observation data received at foreign ground stations was transmitted to JAXA/EOC and processed to the various products. JAXA had conducted calibration and validation of these AMSR and GLI observation data for about one year. As the result, the AMSR and GLI level 1 product was available to distribute to public users since December 2003, and higher level products were available since November 2004. After that, JAXA continues to improve product processing algorithm. As of March 2009, the latest version of AMSR products is version 2 for level 1 and version 6 for higher level products. And the latest version of GLI level 1 and higher level products is version 2. The purpose of this handbook is to provide users with the necessary information for proper utilization of AMSR and GLI products. We hope many kinds of products from not only AMSR and GLI but also all the mission instruments on Midori II as described in this handbook can contribute to studies on global environment change monitoring, preservation and so on. March 2009 Earth Observation Research Center Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency ADEOS-II DATA USERS HANDBOOK ADEOS-II Data Users Handbook Table of Contents 1 Introduction..............................................................................................................................1-1 1.1 Purpose................................................................................................................................1-1 1.2 Scope....................................................................................................................................1-1 1.3 ADEOS-II Mission Operation Overview .............................................................................1-2 2 ADEOS-II Satellite Overview...................................................................................................2-1 2.1 Satellite System....................................................................................................................2-1 2.2 Mission Instruments.............................................................................................................2-4 2.2.1 AMSR ...........................................................................................................................2-4 2.2.2 GLI ...............................................................................................................................2-6 2.2.3 ILAS-II..........................................................................................................................2-9 2.2.4 SeaWinds....................................................................................................................2-10 2.2.5 POLDER ....................................................................................................................2-11 2.2.6 DCS ............................................................................................................................2-12 2.2.7 TEDA..........................................................................................................................2-13 2.3 ADEOS-II Mission Operation Overview (as Reference) ...................................................2-14 2.3.1 Mission Operation Pattern.........................................................................................2-14 2.3.2 MDR Operation Pattern.............................................................................................2-15 2.3.3 ODR Operation Pattern.............................................................................................2-15 2.3.4 Data Transmission Pattern........................................................................................2-16 2.4 Orbit/Attitude Control Operation (as Reference)..............................................................2-18 2.4.1 Orbit Control Operation............................................................................................2-18 2.4.2 Attitude Control Operation........................................................................................2-19 2.5 Data Relay Satellite...........................................................................................................2-21 3 ADEOS-II Ground Segment Overview.....................................................................................3-1 3.1 ADEOS-II Ground Segment Overall....................................................................................3-1 4 ADEOS-II Mission Operation Phase .......................................................................................4-1 4.1 Satellite Operation Phase Definitions .................................................................................4-1 4.2 Ground Segment Operation Phase Definitions ...................................................................4-2 5 ADEOS-II Data Product ..........................................................................................................5-1 5.1 AMSR...................................................................................................................................5-1 5.1.1 Scene Definitions..........................................................................................................5-1 5.1.2 Standard Product Definition........................................................................................5-3 5.1.2.1 Level 1 Product.....................................................................................................5-3 5.1.2.2 Higher Level Product...........................................................................................5-3 5.1.3 Level 1 Processing Algorithm ......................................................................................5-5 5.1.3.1 Editing ..................................................................................................................5-5 5.1.3.2 Level 1A Processing.............................................................................................5-8 5.1.3.3 Level 1B Processing...........................................................................................5-14 5.1.3.4 Level 1B Map Processing...................................................................................5-16 5.1.4 Higher Level Processing Algorithm...........................................................................5-17 5.1.4.1 Level 2 Processing..............................................................................................5-17 5.1.4.1.1 Water Vapor................................................................................................5-17 5.1.4.1.2 Cloud Liquid Water.....................................................................................5-20 i Table of Contents 5.1.4.1.3 Precipitation ...............................................................................................5-21 5.1.4.1.4 Sea Surface Wind Speed..............................................................................5-23 5.1.4.1.5 Sea Surface Temperature............................................................................5-23 5.1.4.1.6 Snow Depth.................................................................................................5-25 5.1.4.1.7 Sea Ice Concentration.................................................................................5-27 5.1.4.1.8 Soil Moisture...............................................................................................5-28 5.1.4.2 Level 2 Map Processing .....................................................................................5-30 5.1.4.3 Level 3 Processing..............................................................................................5-30 5.1.5 Product Format..........................................................................................................5-30 5.2 GLI.....................................................................................................................................5-31 5.2.1 Processing Unit Definitions.......................................................................................5-31 5.2.2 Standard Product Definitions....................................................................................5-37 5.2.2.1 Level 1 Products.................................................................................................5-37 5.2.2.2 Higher Level Products........................................................................................5-39