BackForwardInstrument:  MWRI-2 

Instrument details
Acronym MWRI-2
Full name Micro-Wave Radiation Imager 2
Purpose Multi-purpose microwave imagery
Short description
  • 13 frequencies, 22 channels [see detailed characteristics below]
  • Calibration monitoring here
Background

Development from MWRI-1 first embarked on FY-3F

Scanning Technique

Conical: 53°/50° zenith angle, swath 1400 km - Scan rate: 1.8 s

Resolution Changing with frequency, consistent with an antenna diameter of 180 cm
Coverage / Cycle Global coverage twice/day
Mass 220 kg Power 170 W Data Rate 400

 

Providing Agency CMA
Instrument Maturity Flown on operational programme
Utilization Period: 2023 to 2032
Last update: 2024-09-09
Detailed characteristics

Central frequency (GHz) Bandwidth (MHz) Polarisations NEΔT IFOV Pixel
10.65 180 V, H 0.5 K 27 x 45 km 4 x 14 km
18.7 200 V, H 0.5 K 18 x 30 km 4 x 14 km
23.8 400 V, H 0.5 K 17 x 29 km 4 x 14 km
36.5 900 V, H 0.5 K 11 x 18 km 4 x 14 km
50.3 400 V, H 0.5 K 9 x 14 km 4 x 14 km
52.61 400 V, H 0.5 K 9 x 14 km 4 x 14 km
53.24 400 V, H 0.5 K 9 x 14 km 4 x 14 km
53.75 400 V, H 0.5 K 9 x 14 km 4 x 14 km
89 3000 V, H 0.5 K 7 x11 km 4 x 14 km
118.7503±3.2 2 x 500 V 0.8 K 6 x 10 km 4 x 14 km
118.7503±2.1 2 x 400 V 0.8 K 6 x 10 km 4 x 14 km
118.7503±1.4 2 x 400 V 0.8 K 6 x 10 km 4 x 14 km
118.7503±1.2 2 x 400 V 0.8 K 6 x 10 km 4 x 14 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 microwave radiometer
  • Conical scanning microwave radiometer
WIGOS Subcomponents
  • Subcomponent 1
  • MW imagery [in SSO]
  • MW imager [in SSO]
Mission objectives
Primary mission objectives
  • Atmospheric temperature
  • Cloud liquid water (CLW) total column
  • Integrated Water Vapour (IWV)
  • Precipitation (liquid or solid)
  • Sea-ice cover
  • Wind speed (near surface)
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 - fairPoor time sampling.. Time sampling to be interpolated by GEO.MW channels around 10, 19, 23, 37 and 90 GHz
Atmospheric temperature*3 - highCoarse vertical resolution.54 and 118 GHz bands. Nearly all-weather sounding
Cloud liquid water (CLW)3 - highNo specific limitation.MW channels around 37 and 90 GHz
Cloud liquid water (CLW) total column*3 - highNo specific limitation.MW channels around 37 and 90 GHz
Freezing level height in clouds3 - highNo specific limitation.MW channels in the 54 and 118 GHz bands. Inference from the temperature profile
Land surface temperature5 - marginalCoarse spatial resolution.MW channels around 10 GHz
Long-wave Earth surface emissivity4 - fairLong time series needed.MW channels around 10, 19, 37 and 90 GHz. Emissivity across this MW range inferred by statistical analysis
Melting layer depth in clouds3 - highNo specific limitation.MW channels in the 54 and 118 GHz bands. Inference from the temperature profile
Precipitation intensity at surface (liquid or solid)4 - fairNo specific limitation.MW channels around 10, 19, 23, 37 and 90 GHz, to cover sea and land, heavy and light precipitation
Sea surface temperature5 - marginalWarm temperature only.MW channels around 10 GHz
Sea-ice cover*3 - highNo specific limitation.MW channels around 10, 19, 37 and 90 GHz
Sea-ice type4 - fairNo specific limitation.MW channels around 10, 19, 37 and 90 GHz. Type interpreted as age/roughness
Snow cover3 - highCoarse spatial resolution.MW channels around 19, 37 and 90 GHz. Higher frequencies less sensitive to emissivity from ground under snow
Snow status (wet/dry)2 - very highCoarse spatial resolution.MW channels around 19, 37 and 90 GHz. Higher frequencies less sensitive to emissivity from ground under snow
Snow water equivalent2 - very highCoarse spatial resolution.. Ground stations network needed.MW channels around 19, 37 and 90 GHz. Higher frequencies less sensitive to emissivity from ground under snow
Soil moisture at surface3 - highCoarse spatial resolution.. Strongly affected by vegetation.MW channels around 10 GHz
Integrated Water Vapour (IWV)*3 - highOver sea only.MW channel(s) in the water vapour band around 23 GHz
Wind speed (near surface)*3 - highOver sea only.MW channels around 10, 19 and 37 GHz