Biomass | 3 - high | Index only.. Coarse spatial resolution. | Derived from differential effect of vegetation across MW frequencies around 7, 10 and 19 GHz |
Cloud liquid water (CLW) | 3 - high | No specific limitation. | MW channels around 37 GHz |
Cloud liquid water (CLW) total column | 3 - high | No specific limitation. | MW channels around 37 GHz |
Land surface temperature | 5 - marginal | Coarse spatial resolution. | MW channels with more frequencies around 7 and 10 GHz to reduce sensitivity to radio-frequency interferences |
Long-wave Earth surface emissivity | 3 - high | Long time series needed. | MW channels around 7, 10, 19 and 37 GHz. Emissivity across this MW range inferred by statistical analysis |
Sea surface temperature* | 2 - very high | No specific limitation. | MW channels with more frequencies around 7 and 10 GHz to reduce sensitivity to radio-frequency interferences |
Snow cover | 2 - very high | Coarse spatial resolution. | MW channels around 19 and 37 GHz with high resolution closer to the scale of snow fields |
Snow status (wet/dry) | 1 - primary | Coarse spatial resolution. | MW channels around 19 and 37 GHz with high resolution closer to the scale of snow fields |
Snow water equivalent | 1 - primary | Coarse spatial resolution.. Ground stations network needed. | MW channels around 19 and 37 GHz with high resolution closer to the scale of snow fields |
Soil moisture (in the roots region)* | 1 - primary | Coarse spatial resolution. | MW channels around 1.4 GHz |
Soil moisture at surface* | 1 - primary | Coarse spatial resolution. | MW channels around 1.4 GHz |
Wind speed (near surface)* | 2 - very high | Over sea only. | MW channels around 7, 10, 19 and 37 GHz |
Wind vector (near surface)* | 3 - high | Over sea only. | MW channels for 3 or 4 Stokes parameters at frequencies around 10, 19 and 37 GHz |
Sea surface salinity* | 1 - primary | No specific limitation. | MW polarimetric L-band radiometer (1.4 GHz) |
Sea-ice cover* | 2 - very high | No specific limitation. | MW channels around 7, 10, 19 and 37 GHz, with high spatial resolution for accurate contour detection |
Sea-ice type* | 5 - marginal | No specific limitation. | MW channels around 7, 10, 19 and 37 GHz. Type interpreted as age/roughness |