Extended Abstract (356K)7.1
First results from AMSR-E on NASA's Aqua satellite (Invited Presentation)
Roy W. Spencer, University of Alabama, Huntsville, AL
The Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for EOS (AMSR-E) was provided by NASDA and launched on NASA’s Aqua satellite on 4 May 2002. AMSR-E is now providing good data from all 20 channels, with the highest spatial resolution yet achieved from space, at dual polarized frequencies ranging from 6.9 GHz to 89 GHz. The radiometer is externally calibrated, similar to the SSM/I instruments, which allows long term stability in the measurements of brightness temperature (Tb). It has a larger (1.6 m) diameter antenna than SSM/I (0.6 m), and includes dual polarized channels at 6.9 GHz and 10.7 GHz, frequencies the SSM/Is lacked. AMSR-E also includes the first dual-polarized channels near the 22.235 GHz water vapor line, which should allow improvements in water vapor measurements over the ocean.
Presented at the conference will be examples of Tb imagery and geophysical retrievals of global sea surface temperature (even through clouds), soil moisture, precipitation over land and ocean, integrated water vapor, cloud water, and surface wind speed over the ocean, sea ice and snow cover parameters, as well as any new geophysical signatures that are discovered as a result of the AMSR-E design improvements.
Supplementary URL: http://www.ghcc.msfc.nasa.gov/AMSR
Session 7, New Technology, Methods and Future Sensors
Thursday, 13 February 2003, 1:30 PM-3:00 PM
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