BackForwardInstrument:  MERSI-RM 

Instrument details
Acronym MERSI-RM
Full name MERSI-Rainfall Measurement
Purpose Multi-purpose imagery to support cloud and precipitation observations with PMR.
Short description 8-channel VIS/IR radiometer [see details in table below]
Background Simplified version of MERSI for the Rainfall Mission
Scanning Technique Cross-track: 4096 samples, swath 2900 km
Resolution 500 m at s.s.p.
Coverage / Cycle Global coverage once/day (VIS/NIR/SWIR channels), twice/day (MWIR/TIR).
Mass Power Data Rate

 

Providing Agency CMA
Instrument Maturity Flown on operational programme
Utilization Period: 2023 to 2032
Last update: 2023-11-13
Detailed characteristics

Center wavelength

Bandwidth

SNR or NEΔT @ specified input

IFOV at s.s.p.

650 nm

50 nm

150 @ 22 W m-2 sr-1 μm-1

500 m

865 nm

50 nm

150 @ 25 W m-2 sr-1 μm-1

500 m

940 nm

50 nm

150 @ 15.0 W m-2 sr-1 μm-1

500 m

1380 nm

30 nm

150 @ 6 W m-2 sr-1 μm-1

500 m

1640 nm

50 nm

340 @ 7.3 W m-2 sr-1 μm-1

500 m

3.80 μm

0.18 μm

0.15 K @ 300 K

500 m

10.8 μm

1.0 μm

0.10 K @ 300 K

500 m

12.0 μm

1.0 μm

0.10 K @ 300 K

500 m
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

Instrument classification
  • Earth observation instrument
  • Passive optical radiometer or spectrometer
  • Moderate resolution optical imager
WIGOS Subcomponents No WIGOS subcomponents have been defined.
Mission objectives
Primary mission objectives
  • Biomass
  • Cloud cover
  • Cloud optical depth
  • Cloud top height
  • Cloud top temperature
  • Cloud type
  • Integrated Water Vapour (IWV)
  • Leaf Area Index (LAI)
  • Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI)
  • Sea surface temperature
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
Note: * Primary mission objective.
VariableRelevance for measuring this variableOperational limitationsExplanation
Biomass*4 - fairCloud sensitive.. Index only.. Daylight only.VIS, NIR and SWIR channels. Biomass inferred from NDVI and LAI
Cloud cover*1 - primaryNo specific limitation.VIS, NIR, SWIR, MWIR and TIR channels
Cloud drop effective radius3 - highAt cloud top.. Daylight only.VIS, NIR, SWIR and MWIR channels (for differentiation)
Cloud ice effective radius3 - highAt cloud top.. Daylight only.VIS, NIR, SWIR and MWIR channels (for differentiation)
Cloud optical depth*3 - highLow-density cloud only.. Daylight only.VIS, NIR and SWIR channels
Cloud top height*4 - fairNo specific limitation.TIR window channels to estimate cloud top height from its temperature
Cloud top temperature*4 - fairNo specific limitation.TIR window channels
Cloud type*1 - primaryNo specific limitation.VIS, NIR, SWIR, MWIR and TIR channels
Downward short-wave irradiance at Earth surface3 - highCloud sensitive.. Highly indirect.VIS, NIR and SWIR channels
Fire fractional cover4 - fairCloud sensitive.. Coarse spatial resolution.VIS, MWIR and TIR channels
Fire radiative power2 - very highCloud sensitive.. Coarse spatial resolution.MWIR and TIR channels
Fire temperature2 - very highCloud sensitive.. Coarse spatial resolution.MWIR and TIR channels
Land surface temperature3 - highCloud sensitive.MWIR and TIR window channels (high sensitivity to high temperature, cloud impact reduction, water vapour correction)
Leaf Area Index (LAI)*2 - very highCloud sensitive.. Daylight only.VIS, NIR and SWIR channels
Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI)*3 - highCloud sensitive.VIS and NIR channels
Sea surface temperature*2 - very highCloud sensitive.MWIR and TIR window channels around 3.7 and 11 micrometers (cloud impact reduction, water vapour correction)
Short-wave cloud reflectance4 - fairNo specific limitation.VIS, NIR and SWIR channels
Snow cover2 - very highCloud sensitive.. Daylight only.VIS, NIR and SWIR channels, enabling screening snow from clouds
Soil moisture at surface4 - fairCloud sensitive.. Index only.VIS, SWIR, MWIR and TIR channels. Soil moisture inferred from differential brightness and thermal inertia
Integrated Water Vapour (IWV)*4 - fairCloud sensitive.. Low troposphere dominant.TIR channels in the 11 micrometers split window
Upward short-wave irradiance at TOA5 - marginalSpectral interpolation needed.. Information on BRDF needed.VIS, NIR and SWIR channels
Aerosol volcanic ash5 - marginalCloud sensitive.. Daylight only.VIS, NIR and SWIR channels
Aerosol volcanic ash Total Column5 - marginalCloud sensitive.. Daylight only.VIS, NIR and SWIR channels
Wind (horizontal)5 - marginalLimited to high latitudes.. Cloud or water vapour tracers needed.TIR channel(s) around 11 micrometers window