BackForwardInstrument:  MWRI-1 

Instrument details
Acronym MWRI-1
Full name Micro-Wave Radiation Imager 1
Purpose Multi-purpose imagery with emphasis on precipitation
Short description
  • 6 frequencies, 12 channels [see detailed characteristics below]
  • Calibration monitoring here
Background

New development. Operations on FY-3A stopped in 2010
Scanning Technique

Conical: 53.1° zenith angle, swath 1400 km - Scan rate: 35.3 scan/min = 11.2 km/scan
Resolution Changing with frequency, consistent with an antenna diameter of  90 cm
Coverage / Cycle Global coverage once/day
Mass 175 kg Power 125 W Data Rate 100 kbps

 

Providing Agency CMA
Instrument Maturity Flown on operational programme
Utilization Period: 2008 to 2024
Last update: 2024-09-09
Detailed characteristics
Central frequency (GHz) Bandwidth (MHz) Polarisations NEΔT IFOV Pixel
10.65 180 V, H 0.5 K 51 x 85 km 40 x11.2 km
18.7 200 V, H 0.5 K 30 x 50 km 40 x11.2 km
23.8 400 V, H 0.8 K 27 x45 km 20 x11.2 km
36.5 900 V, H 0.5 K 18 x30 km 20 x11.2 km
89 4600 V, H 1.0 K   9 x15 km 10 x11.2 km
150 3000 V, H 1.3 K 7.5 x12 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 precipitation4 - fairPoor time sampling.. Time sampling to be interpolated by GEO.MW channels around 10, 19, 23, 37 and 90 GHz
Cloud liquid water (CLW)3 - highNo specific limitation.MW channels around 37 and 90 GHz
Cloud liquid water (CLW) total column3 - highNo specific limitation.MW channels around 37 and 90 GHz
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
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