| Accumulated precipitation | 3 - high | Calibration by MW needed.. Convective precipitation dominant. | TIR channels in the 11 micrometers window, and SWIR and the MWIR 3.7 window channel for cloud microphysics. Frequent sampling (GEO) is essential for accumulated precipitation |
| Cloud cover* | 2 - very high | No specific limitation. | VIS, SWIR, MWIR and TIR channels |
| Cloud drop effective radius | 3 - high | At cloud top.. Daylight only. | VIS, SWIR and MWIR channels (for differentiation) |
| Cloud ice effective radius | 3 - high | At cloud top.. Daylight only. | VIS, SWIR and MWIR channels (for differentiation) |
| Cloud top height* | 3 - high | No specific limitation. | TIR channels in window and water vapour band (for emissivity) to estimate cloud top height from its temperature |
| Cloud top temperature* | 2 - very high | No specific limitation. | TIR channels in window and water vapour band (for emissivity) |
| Cloud type* | 2 - very high | No specific limitation. | VIS, SWIR, MWIR and TIR channels |
| Downward long-wave irradiance at Earth surface | 4 - fair | Cloud sensitive.. Highly indirect. | MWIR and TIR channels including the water vapour band |
| Fire fractional cover | 4 - fair | Cloud sensitive.. Coarse spatial resolution. | VIS, MWIR and TIR channels. Frequent sampling (GEO) enables early detection |
| Fire radiative power | 2 - very high | Cloud sensitive.. Coarse spatial resolution. | MWIR and TIR channels. Frequent sampling (GEO) enables early detection |
| Fire temperature | 2 - very high | Cloud sensitive.. Coarse spatial resolution. | MWIR and TIR channels. Frequent sampling (GEO) enables early detection |
| Land surface temperature | 3 - high | Cloud sensitive. | MWIR and TIR window channels (high sensitivity to high temperature, cloud impact reduction, water vapour correction) |
| Leaf Area Index (LAI) | 3 - high | Cloud sensitive.. Daylight only. | VIS and SWIR channels |
| Precipitation intensity at surface (liquid or solid) | 3 - high | Convective precipitation dominant.. Calibration by MW needed. | TIR channels in the 11 micrometers window, and SWIR and the MWIR 3.7 window channel for cloud microphysics. Frequent sampling (GEO) consistent with precipitation temporal variability |
| Sea surface temperature | 2 - very high | Cloud sensitive. | MWIR and TIR window channels around 3.7 and 11 micrometers (cloud impact reduction, water vapour correction) |
| Snow cover | 2 - very high | Cloud sensitive.. Daylight only. | VIS and SWIR channels enabling screening snow from clouds. Frequent sampling (GEO) improves probability of cloud-free views |
| Soil moisture at surface | 4 - fair | Cloud sensitive.. Index only. | VIS, SWIR, MWIR and TIR channels. Soil moisture inferred from differential brightness and thermal inertia |
| Integrated Water Vapour (IWV)* | 2 - very high | Cloud sensitive. | TIR channels around 6.3 micrometers and in the 11 micrometers split window |
| Upward long-wave irradiance at TOA | 5 - marginal | Spectral interpolation needed. | MWIR and TIR channels in windows around 3.7 and 11 micrometers, and in the water vapour band around 6.3 micrometers |
| Upward long-wave irradiance at Earth surface | 4 - fair | Cloud sensitive.. Highly indirect. | MWIR and TIR channels in windows around 3.7 and 11 micrometers, and in the water vapour band around 6.3 micrometers |
| Aerosol volcanic ash | 5 - marginal | Cloud sensitive.. Daylight only. | VIS and SWIR channels |
| Aerosol volcanic ash Total Column | 1 - primary | Cloud sensitive. | TIR channel(s). Frequent sampling (GEO) enables early detection of ash plumes |
| Wind (horizontal)* | 3 - high | Cloud or water vapour tracers needed. | VIS channel(s) and TIR channels around 6.3 and 11 micrometers. Frequent sampling (GEO) enables inference from cloud or water vapour pathces motion |
Instrument: IMAGER (INSAT)