SSMIS and WindSat data processing at Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center

Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center (FNMOC) is the Navy's operational satellite data processing hub for passive microwave sensors. This paper provides an overview of FNMOC's present and planned operational satellite processing capabilities, with focus on the recently launched WindSat and SSMIS sensors.

WindSat is a conically scanning passive microwave sensor that was launched on 6 January 2003 aboard the Coriolis satellite mission managed by the Naval Research Laboratory. It is a “proof-of-concept” design for the CMIS instrument that will fly aboard the NPOESS platform, and performs fore (900 km swath) and aft (350 km swath) looks at 10.7, 18.7. 23.8, and 37 GHz, and fore looks at 6.8 GHz. Pixel sizes range from 8 km at 37 GHz to 44 km at 6.8 GHz. The 6.8 and 23.8 GHz channels are dual polarized (measuring vertical and horizontal polarizations), while the remaining channels measure radiation at 6 polarizations (plus/minus 45, left/right circular, vertical, and horizontal).

SSMIS is the last in a series of passive microwave instruments that have been part of the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP). The first SSMIS instrument, aboard DMSP Satellite F16, was launched on 18 Oct 2003. The SSMIS integrates an imager, temperature sounder, and moisture sounder into a single conically scanning unit. It provides an upper air temperature sounding capability up to 70 km. The instrument measures microwave energy at 24 discrete frequencies from 19 to 183 GHz with a swath width of 1700 km.