BackForwardInstrument:  MTVZA 

Instrument details
Acronym MTVZA
Full name Imaging/Sounding Microwave Radiometer
Purpose Multi-purpose imager with temperature/humidity sounding channels for improved precipitation
Short description 20-frequency / 26-channels, band 54 and 183 GHz [see detailed characteristics below]
Background New development
Scanning Technique Conical: 53.3° viewing angle, swath 1500 km – Scan rate: 24.9 scan/min = 15.8 km/scan
Resolution From 10 km at 183 GHz to 200 km at 10.6 GHz; consistent with an antenna diameter of 65 cm
Coverage / Cycle Near-global coverage twice/day
Mass 80 kg Power 80 W Data Rate 35 kbps

 

Providing Agency Roscosmos
Instrument Maturity Flown on operational programme
Utilization Period: 2002 to 2006
Last update: 2019-11-14
Detailed characteristics

No.

Central frequency (GHz)

Bandwidth (MHz)

Polarisation

NEΔT

IFOV

Pixel

1

18.7

800

V

0.4 K

52 x160 km

32 x32 km

2

18.7

800

H

0.4 K

52 x160 km

32 x32 km

3

22.238

1600

V

0.3 K

42 x94 km

32 x32 km

4

33.0

2000

V

0.3 K

35 x76 km

32 x32 km

5

33.0

2000

H

0.3 K

35 x76 km

32 x32 km

6

36.5

2000

V

0.3 K

30 x67 km

32 x32 km

7

36.5

2000

H

0.3 K

30 x67 km

32 x32 km

8

42.0

2000

V

0.4 K

26 x60 km

32 x32 km

9

42.0

2000

H

0.4 K

26 x60 km

32 x32 km

10

48.0

2000

V

0.4 K

24 x43 km

32 x32 km

11

48.0

2000

H

0.4 K

24 x43 km

32 x32 km

12

52.80

400

V

0.4 K

21 x48 km

48 x48 km

13

53.30

400

V

0.4 K

21 x48 km

48 x48 km

14

53.80

400

V

0.4 K

21 x48 km

48 x48 km

15

54.64

400

V

0.4 K

21 x48 km

48 x48 km

16

55.63

400

V

0.4 K

21 x48 km

48 x48 km

22

57.290344±0.3222±0.1

50

H

0.4 K

21 x48 km

48 x48 km

23

57.290344±0.3222±0.05

20

H

0.7 K

21 x48 km

48 x48 km

24

57.290344±0.3222±0.025

10

H

0.9 K

21 x48 km

48 x48 km

25

57.290344±0.3222±0.01

5

H

1.3 K

21 x48 km

48 x48 km

26

57.290344±0.3222±0.005

3

H

1.7 K

21 x48 km

48 x48 km

17

91.655

3000

V

0.6 K

14 x30 km

16 x16 km

18

91.655

3000

H

0.6 K

14 x30 km

16 x16 km

19

183.31 ± 7.0

1500

V

0.5 K

9 x21 km

32 x32 km

20

183.31 ± 3.0

1000

V

0.6 K

9 x21 km

32 x32 km

21

183.31 ± 1.0

500

V

0.8 K

9 x21 km

32 x32 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
  • Precipitation intensity at surface (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 precipitation (over 24 h)3 - highPoor time sampling.. Time sampling to be interpolated by GEO.MW channels around 19, 23, 37 and 90 GHz, and in 54 and 183 GHz bands
Atmospheric temperature2 - very highCoarse vertical resolution.Many MW channels in the 54 GHz band. Nearly all-weather sounding
Cloud ice3 - highNo specific limitation.MW channels around 37 and 90 GHz, and in bands 54 and 183 GHz
Cloud ice Total Column3 - highNo specific limitation.MW channels around 37 and 90 GHz, and in bands 54 and 183 GHz
Cloud ice effective radius2 - very highNo specific limitation.MW channels around 37 and 90 GHz, and in bands 54 and 183 GHz
Cloud liquid water (CLW)2 - very highNo specific limitation.MW channels around 37 and 90 GHz, and in bands 54 and 183 GHz
Cloud liquid water (CLW) total column2 - very highNo specific limitation.MW channels around 37 and 90 GHz, and in bands 54 and 183 GHz
Downward long-wave irradiance at Earth surface5 - marginalHighly indirect.MW channels in bands 54 and 183 GHz to account for downward cloud radiation
Freezing level height in clouds3 - highNo specific limitation.MW channels in the 54 GHz band. Inference from the temperature profile
Long-wave Earth surface emissivity5 - marginalLong time series needed.MW channels around 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 GHz band. Inference from the temperature profile
Precipitation intensity at surface (liquid or solid)*3 - highNo specific limitation.MW channels around 19, 23, 37 and 90 GHz; and in bands 54 and 183 GHz, insensitive to surface emissivity and providing information on atmospheric structure
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
Specific humidity2 - very highCoarse vertical resolution.MW channels in the 183 GHz band, and 54 GHz for temperature and liquid water corrections
Integrated Water Vapour (IWV)1 - primaryNo specific limitation.MW channel(s) in the water vapour bands around 23 and 183 GHz
Upward long-wave irradiance at Earth surface5 - marginalHighly indirect.MW channels is the 54 and 183 GHz bands to infer the impact of clouds on the upward LW radiation
Wind speed (near surface)*4 - fairOver sea only.MW channels around 19 and 37 GHz
Cloud drop effective radius5 - marginalHighly indirect.MW channels around 37 and 90 GHz, and in bands 54 and 183 GHz
Sea-ice cover*3 - highNo specific limitation.MW channels around 19, 37 and 90 GHz
Sea-ice type4 - fairNo specific limitation.MW channels around 19, 37 and 90 GHz. Type interpreted as age/roughness