Envisat Mwr Cal/val and First Preliminary Results
Abstract
The Envisat satellite will be launched on March 1, 2002. It will carry on-board a large number of sensors among which a two-frequency Microwave Radiometer (MWR). The Envisat MWR has evolved from the instruments previously flown on ERS-1 and ERS-2. For Envisat the design of the MWR had to be modified in some areas com- pared to its ERS predecessors to comply with the different platform and mission re- quirements. The structure is a new design using CFRP technology having the old deployable antenna replaced by non-deployable one fully integrated into the instru- ment structure. The main objective of the microwave radiometer (MWR) is the mea- surement of the integrated atmospheric water vapour column and cloud liquid water content, as correction terms for the radar altimeter signal. In addition, MWR mea- surement data are useful for the determination of surface emissivity and soil moisture over land, for surface energy budget investigations to support atmospheric studies, and for ice characterization. The Envisat MWR Calibration and Validation approach will be presented along with a status of the instrument, the first results on the sensor behaviour after switch-on and on the quality of its products (brightness temperatures and geophysical quantities) from comparisons with ERS-2 data products and ECMWF fields.
- Publication:
-
EGS General Assembly Conference Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- 2002
- Bibcode:
- 2002EGSGA..27..278F