BackForwardInstrument:  TMS (Tomorrow) 

Instrument details
Acronym TMS (Tomorrow)
Full name Tomorrow Microwave Sounder
Purpose To provide frequent all-weather temperature and humidity profiles
Short description

12 microwave channels total split into 1) 7 channels in the O2 118 GHz band, 2) 3 channels in the H2O 183 GHz band, 3) 2 window channel at 91 and 205 GHz respectively [see details below]

Background

New development similar to TROPICS.

Scanning Technique

Cross-track, swath width 2250 km

Resolution Varies with channel (see table below)
Coverage / Cycle
Mass Power Data Rate

 

Providing Agency Tomorrow.io
Instrument Maturity Flown on an R&D satellite
Utilization Period: 2024 to 2027
Last update: 2024-08-26
Detailed characteristics

No.

Central frequency

Bandwidth

NE∆T

Nadir IFOV

1

91.655 ± 1.4 GHz

2000 MHz

0.55 K

30 km

2

118.75 ± 3.5 GHz

1000 MHz

0.93 K

25 km

3

118.75 ± 2.625 GHz

750 MHz

0.95 K

25 km

4

118.75 ± 1.875 GHz

750 MHz

0.88 K

25 km

5

118.75 ± 1.25 GHz

500 MHz

0.95 K

25 km

6

118.75 ± 0.75 GHz

500 MHz

0.95 K

25 km

7

118.75 ± 0.375 GHz

250 MHz

1.21 K

25 km

8

118.75 ± 0.125 GHz

250 MHz

1.16 K

25 km

9

184.41 GHz

2000 MHz

0.79 K

15 km

10

186.51 GHz

2000 MHz

0.73 K

15 km

11

190.31 GHz

2000 MHz

0.69 K

15 km

12

204.8 GHz

2000 MHz

0.75 K

15 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
  • Cross-track, special or non-scanning microwave radiometer
WIGOS Subcomponents
  • Subcomponent 2
  • Constellation of high-temporal frequency MW sounding
  • Constellation of high-temporal frequency MW sounders
Mission objectives
Primary mission objectives
  • Atmospheric temperature
  • Cloud liquid water (CLW) total column
  • Integrated Water Vapour (IWV)
  • Precipitation intensity at surface (liquid or solid)
  • Specific humidity
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
Atmospheric temperature*2 - very highCoarse vertical resolution.. Inaccurate in low troposphere.Many MW channels in the 118 GHz band. Nearly all-weather sounding
Cloud drop effective radius5 - marginalHighly indirect.MW channels around 90 GHz, and in 183 GHz band
Cloud ice1 - primaryNo specific limitation.Channels above 200 GHz have more sensitivity to ice cloud
Cloud ice Total Column1 - primaryNo specific limitation.Channels above 200 GHz have more sensitivity to ice cloud
Cloud ice effective radius3 - highNo specific limitation.MW channels around 90 GHz, and in 183 GHz band
Cloud liquid water (CLW)3 - highNo specific limitation.MW channels around 90 GHz, and in 183 GHz band
Cloud liquid water (CLW) total column*3 - highNo specific limitation.MW channels around 90 GHz, and in 183 GHz band
Downward long-wave irradiance at Earth surface5 - marginalHighly indirect.MW channels in 118 and 183 GHz bands to account for downward cloud radiation
Precipitation intensity at surface (liquid or solid)*4 - fairNo specific limitation.MW channels in the 118 and 183 GHz bands. Suitable for solid and, to a less extent, liquid precipitation over sea and land, Insensitive to surface emissivity
Specific humidity*2 - very highCoarse vertical resolution.MW channels in the 183 GHz band, and 118 GHz for temperature and ice water corrections
Integrated Water Vapour (IWV)*2 - very highNo specific limitation.MW channels in the water vapour band around 183 GHz
Upward long-wave irradiance at Earth surface5 - marginalHighly indirect.MW channels is the 118 and 183 GHz bands to infer the impact of clouds on the upward LW radiation