BackForwardInstrument:  MOLI lidar 

Instrument details
Acronym MOLI lidar
Full name Multi-footprint Observation Lidar and Imager - Lidar componemt
Purpose Mapping of the canopy for biomass evaluation
Short description Two-beam lidar to implement two parallel paths separated by 50 m centred on the sub-satellite track, Wavelength 1064 nm, pulse repetition frequency 150 Hz, energy 20 mJ
Background New development, to provide continuity to ISS GEDI. Coupled to an imager.
Scanning Technique Each lidar provides a sample at 50 m intervals along one track, separated by 50 m from the parallel track. By analysing triangular triplets of samples it is possible to measure the slope of the canopy surface
Resolution 25 m
Coverage / Cycle Yearly coverage of the ISS belt limited to */- 51.6°
Mass Power Data Rate

 

Providing Agency JAXA
Instrument Maturity Flown on an R&D satellite
Utilization Period: 2027 to 2028
Last update: 2021-08-30
Detailed characteristics
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
  • Active and radio-occultation sensor
  • Lidar (Doppler lidar, backscatter lidar, lidar Dial, lidar altimeter)
WIGOS Subcomponents
  • Subcomponent 2
  • Lidar (single wavelength) (in addition to radar missions mentioned in Component 1)
  • Lidar (Altimeter - for surface)
  • Subcomponent 3
  • Radar and lidar for vegetation mapping
  • Multi-footprint lidar altimeter for vegetation mapping
Mission objectives
Primary mission objectives
  • Biomass
  • Coastal sea level (tide)
  • Glacier topography
  • Land surface topography
  • Ocean dynamic topography
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
Aerosol column burden3 - highCloud sensitive.Opportunity information from lidar altimeter
Aerosol mass mixing ratio3 - highCloud sensitive.Opportunity information from lidar altimeter
Aerosol Optical Depth3 - highCloud sensitive.Opportunity information from lidar altimeter
Biomass*1 - primaryCloud sensitive.. Index only.. Infrequent coverage.Specifically designed for canopy mapping
Cloud drop effective radius5 - marginalLow-density cloud only.. Infrequent coverage.Opportunity information from multi-beam lidar altimeter. Mapping capability.
Cloud ice5 - marginalLow-density cloud only.. Infrequent coverage.Opportunity information from multi-beam lidar altimeter. Mapping capability.
Cloud ice Total Column5 - marginalLow-density cloud only.. Infrequent coverage.Opportunity information from multi-beam lidar altimeter. Mapping capability.
Cloud ice effective radius5 - marginalLow-density cloud only.. Infrequent coverage.Opportunity information from multi-beam lidar altimeter. Mapping capability.
Cloud liquid water (CLW)5 - marginalLow-density cloud only.. Infrequent coverage.Opportunity information from multi-beam lidar altimeter. Mapping capability.
Cloud liquid water (CLW) total column5 - marginalLow-density cloud only.. Infrequent coverage.Opportunity information from multi-beam lidar altimeter. Mapping capability.
Cloud optical depth1 - primaryLow-density cloud only.. Infrequent coverage.Opportunity information from multi-beam lidar altimeter. Mapping capability.
Cloud top height1 - primaryInfrequent coverage.Opportunity information from multi-beam lidar altimeter. Mapping capability.
Coastal sea level (tide)*4 - fairCloud sensitive.. Infrequent coverage.Opportunity information from multi-beam lidar altimeter (for canopy mapping)
Freezing level height in clouds5 - marginalLow-density cloud only.. Infrequent coverage.Opportunity information from multi-beam lidar altimeter. Detected as discontinuity. Mapping capability
Geoid2 - very highLong time series needed.Geoid derived from multi-temporal analysis of lidar altimetry data
Glacier topography*1 - primaryCloud sensitive.. Long time for mapping.Mainly designed for canopy. Mapping capability
Gravity field4 - fairPartial information (geoid).Gravity field derived from multi-temporal analysis of lidar altimetry data
Height of the top of PBL2 - very highCloud sensitive.. Infrequent coverage.Opportunity information from lidar altimeter. PBL top detected as discontinuity. Mapping capability
Height of the tropopause3 - highCloud sensitive.. Infrequent coverage.Opportunity information from from lidar altimeter. Tropopause height detected as discontinuity. Mapping capability
Land surface topography*1 - primaryCloud sensitive.. Long time for mapping.Mainly designed for canopy. Mapping capability
Melting layer depth in clouds3 - highLow-density cloud only.. Infrequent coverage.Opportunity information from lidar altimeter. Detected as discontinuity. Mapping capability
Ocean dynamic topography*4 - fairCloud sensitive.. Infrequent coverage.. Long time for mapping.Opportunity information from multi-beam lidar altimeter (for canopy mapping)
PSC occurrence1 - primaryInfrequent coverage.NIR lidar altimeter, multi-beam. Mapping capability
Aerosol volcanic ash3 - highCloud sensitive.Opportunity information from lidar altimeter
Aerosol volcanic ash Total Column3 - highCloud sensitive.Opportunity information from lidar altimeter