BackForwardInstrument:  MSU-GS 

Instrument details
Acronym MSU-GS
Full name Electro-L Imager
Purpose Multi-purpose imagery and wind derivation by tracking clouds and water vapour features
Short description 10 VIS/NIR/MWIR/TIR channels [see detailed characteristics below]
Background New development
Scanning Technique Mechanical, 3-axis stabilised satellite, E-W continuous, S-N stepping
Resolution 4.0 km for λ > 5 µm, 1.0 km for λ < 5 µm [see table]
Coverage / Cycle Full disk every 15-30 min.
Mass 106 kg Power 150 W Data Rate 15 Mbps

 

Providing Agency Roscosmos
Instrument Maturity Flown on operational programme
Utilization Period: 2012 to 2043
Last update: 2021-06-02
Detailed characteristics

Central wavelength

Spectral interval

SNR or NEΔT @ specified input

IFOV

0.57 ≤

0.50 - 0.65 µm

500 @ 100 % albedo

1 km

0.72 µm

0.65 - 0.80 µm

500 @ 100 % albedo

1 km

0.86 µm

0.80 - 0.90 µm

500 @ 100 % albedo

1 km

3.75 µm

3.50 - 4.00 µm

0.23 K @ 300 K

1 km

6.35 µm

5.70 - 7.00 µm

0.11 K @ 300 K

4 km

8.00 µm

7.50 - 8.50 µm

0.08 K @ 300 K

4 km

8.70 µm

8.20 - 9.20 µm

0.25 K @ 300 K

4 km

9.70 µm

9.20 - 10.2 µm

0.20 K @ 300 K

4 km

10.7 µm

10.2 - 11.2 µm

0.17 K @ 300 K

4 km

11.7 µm

11.2 - 12.5 µm

0.17 K @ 300 K

4 km
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
  • Subcomponent 1
  • Multi-spectral VIS/IR imagery With rapid repeat cycles [in GEO]
  • Multi-spectral VIS/IR imager with rapid repeat cycles [in GEO]
Mission objectives
Primary mission objectives
  • Cloud cover
  • Cloud optical depth
  • Cloud top height
  • Cloud top temperature
  • Cloud type
  • Integrated Water Vapour (IWV)
  • Wind (horizontal)
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
Accumulated precipitation4 - fairConvective precipitation dominant.. Calibration by MW needed.TIR channel(s) in the 10-13 micrometers range. Frequent sampling (GEO) is essential for accumulated precipitation.
Biomass5 - marginalCloud sensitive.. Index only.. Daylight only.VIS and NIR channels. Biomass inferred from NDVI
Cloud cover*2 - very highNo specific limitation.VIS, NIR, MWIR and TIR channels
Cloud drop effective radius3 - highAt cloud top.. Daylight only.VIS, NIR and MWIR channels (for differentiation)
Cloud ice effective radius3 - highAt cloud top.. Daylight only.VIS, NIR and MWIR channels (for differentiation)
Cloud optical depth*4 - fairLow-density cloud only.. Daylight only.VIS and NIR channels
Cloud top height*3 - highNo 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 highNo specific limitation.TIR channels in window and water vapour band (for emissivity)
Cloud type*2 - very highNo specific limitation.VIS, NIR, MWIR and TIR channels
Downward short-wave irradiance at Earth surface5 - marginalCloud sensitive.. Highly indirect.VIS and NIR channels
Downward long-wave irradiance at Earth surface4 - fairCloud sensitive.. Highly indirect.MWIR and TIR channels including the water vapour band
Earth surface short-wave bidirectional reflectance4 - fairCloud sensitive.VIS and NIR channels with changing solar incidence angles as daylight progresses
Fire fractional cover4 - fairCloud sensitive.. Coarse spatial resolution.VIS, MWIR and TIR channels. Frequent sampling (GEO) enables early detection
Fire radiative power2 - very highCloud sensitive.. Coarse spatial resolution.MWIR and TIR channels. Frequent sampling (GEO) enables early detection
Fire temperature2 - very highCloud sensitive.. Coarse spatial resolution.MWIR and TIR channels. Frequent sampling (GEO) enables early detection
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)4 - fairCloud sensitive.. Daylight only.VIS and NIR channels. LAI inferred from NDVI
Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI)3 - highCloud sensitive.VIS and NIR channels
O3 Total Column5 - marginalCloud sensitive.TIR channel(s). Ozone lines in band around 9.7 micrometers. Frequent sampling (GEO) enables monitoring diurnal variations
Precipitation intensity at surface (liquid or solid)3 - highConvective precipitation dominant.. Calibration by MW needed.TIR channel(s) in the 11 micrometers window. Frequent sampling (GEO) consistent with precipitation temporal variability
Sea surface temperature2 - very highCloud sensitive.MWIR and TIR window channels around 3.7 and 11 micrometers (cloud impact reduction, water vapour correction)
Short-wave cloud reflectance5 - marginalNo specific limitation.VIS and NIR channels
Snow cover4 - fairCloud sensitive.. Daylight only.VIS and NIR channels. Frequent sampling (GEO) improves probability of cloud-free views
Soil moisture at surface4 - fairCloud sensitive.. Index only.VIS, NIR, MWIR and TIR channels. Soil moisture inferred from differential brightness and thermal inertia, that are accurately measured by frequent sampling (GEO)
Specific humidity3 - highCloud sensitive.. Coarse vertical resolution.. Middle troposphere only.TIR channels in the water vapour band around 6.3 micrometers
Integrated Water Vapour (IWV)*2 - very highCloud sensitive.TIR channels around 6.3 micrometers and in the 11 micrometers split window
Upward short-wave irradiance at TOA5 - marginalSpectral interpolation needed.VIS and NIR channels with changing solar incidence angles as daylight progresses
Upward long-wave irradiance at TOA5 - marginalSpectral 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 surface4 - fairCloud 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 ash5 - marginalCloud sensitive.. Daylight only.VIS and NIR channels
Aerosol volcanic ash Total Column1 - primaryCloud sensitive.TIR channel(s). Frequent sampling (GEO) enables early detection of ash plumes
Wind (horizontal)*3 - highCloud 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