BackForwardInstrument:  MWRI (HY-2) 

Instrument details
Acronym MWRI (HY-2)
Full name Microwave Radiometer Imager
Purpose All-weather sea-surface temperature and wind, and total-column water vapour
Short description 5 frequencies, 9 channels [see detailed characteristics below]
Background New development
Scanning Technique Conical, 55° zenith angle, swath 1600 km
Resolution Corresponding to an antenna diameter of about 1.2 m (see table).
Coverage / Cycle Daily global coverage
Mass Power Data Rate

 

Providing Agency NSOAS
Instrument Maturity Backed by strong heritage
Utilization Period: 2011 to 2031
Last update: 2023-02-08
Detailed characteristics
Central frequency (GHz) Bandwidth (MHz) Polarisations NEΔT IFOV Pixel
6.6 350 V, H 0.5 K 80 x120 km ….. x …. km
10.7 250 V, H 0.5 K 50 x75 km ….. x …. km
18.7 250 V, H 0.5 K 30 x45 km ….. x …. km
23.8 400 V 0.5 K 24 x40 km ….. x …. km
37.0 1000 V, H 0.8 K 15 x22 km ….. x …. 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 for surface temperature
  • MW imager for surface temperature
Mission objectives
Primary mission objectives
  • Sea surface temperature
  • 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 precipitation5 - marginalPoor time sampling.. Time sampling to be interpolated by GEO.MW channels around 10, 19, 23 and 37 GHz
Biomass3 - highIndex only.. Coarse spatial resolution.Derived from differential effect of vegetation across MW frequencies around 7, 10 and 19 GHz
Cloud liquid water (CLW)3 - highNo specific limitation.MW channels around 37 GHz
Cloud liquid water (CLW) total column3 - highNo specific limitation.MW channels around 37 GHz
Land surface temperature5 - marginalCoarse spatial resolution.MW channels around 7 and 10 GHz
Long-wave Earth surface emissivity3 - highLong time series needed.MW channels around 7, 10, 19 and 37 GHz. Emissivity across this MW range inferred by statistical analysis
Precipitation intensity at surface (liquid or solid)5 - marginalInaccurate over land.MW channels around 10, 19, 23, and 37 GHz; 10 GHz very important for heavy precipitation over the sea
Sea surface temperature*3 - highNo specific limitation.MW channels around 7 and 10 GHz
Snow cover3 - highCoarse spatial resolution.MW channels around 19 and 37 GHz
Snow status (wet/dry)2 - very highCoarse spatial resolution.MW channels around 19 and 37 GHz
Snow water equivalent2 - very highCoarse spatial resolution.. Ground stations network needed.MW channels around 19 and 37 GHz
Soil moisture (in the roots region)4 - fairCoarse spatial resolution.. Affected by vegetation.MW channels around 7 GHz. Assimilation process required
Soil moisture at surface3 - highCoarse spatial resolution.. Affected by vegetation.MW channels around 7 and 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)*2 - very highOver sea only.MW channels around 7, 10, 19 and 37 GHz
Sea-ice cover*4 - fairNo specific limitation.MW channels around 7, 10, 19 and 37 GHz
Sea-ice type5 - marginalNo specific limitation.MW channels around 7, 10, 19 and 37 GHz. Type interpreted as age/roughness