Concept information
Preferred term
ATSR
Definition
- The Along Track Scanning Radiometer and Microwave Sounder (ATSR) is one of the instruments carried on-board of the European Remote Sensing Satellites (ERS-1 and ERS-2) launched by the European Space Agency on 17 July 1991 and 20 April 1995. The ATSR incorporates two separate instruments: an advanced four- channel infrared radiometer (the ATSR-IRR, commonly called the ATSR) used for measuring sea surface temperature and cloud top temperatures, and a two-channel Microwave Sounder (the ATSR-MWR, commonly called the MWR) designed to measure total precipitable water vapour and the total liquid water content of the atmosphere. The ATSR-IRR images are in four co-registered infra-red channels in a 500 km wide swath. The viewing geometry involves a unique scanning technique where the surface is viewed at two angles, one close to the nadir (0 degree, nadir swath) and the other at 47 degrees (forward swath), within the space of two minutes (the time it takes the sub-satellite point to reach the along track point which is separated by approximately 800 km). These two swaths are produced by a scanning mirror with a rotation axis inclined 23.45 degrees from the vertical, resulting in a near-elliptical path on the Earth's surface. On-board calibration is carried out by incorporating two 'black bodies' into the instrument scan pattern. The IR sensors are kept to 80 K by an active cooling system to minimize the thermal noise component in the sensor signals. ATSR-IRR characteristics: ------------------------------------------------------------ Spectral channels: 1.6, 3.7, 11 and 12 microns Spatial resolution: 1 km x 1 km (nadir); 1.5 km x 2 km (forward) Swath width: 500 km Detector: single element InSb and HgCdTe Cooler: Stirling Cycle Cooler Radiometric precision: 0.1 K SST predicted accuracy: 0.5 K over a 50 kmx 50 km square with 80% cloud cover ------------------------------------------------------------ The ATSR was designed to provide the following: - global sea surface temperature, accurate to better than 0.5K (absolute) with a spatial resolution of 50 Km in conditions of up to 80% cloud cover - images of surface temperature, accurate to 0.1K (relative) with 1 km resolution and 500 km swath width - total water vapour content of the atmosphere - observations of clouds, aerosols, haze, land-ice and sea-ice surface emissivity - tropospheric range correction of the Radar Altimeter measurements to better than 5 cm The ATSR provides important information in scientific disciplines such as oceanography, climatology and meteorology. When combined with observations of cloud top temperatures, cloud cover, haze, aerosol and total water vapour content of the atmosphere, significant improvements may be expected in the accuracy of medium range weather forecasting. Also accurate sea surface temperatures can be of use to a number of commercial users, particularly those involved in fishing and the management of fishing areas. In the field of research, potential applications of the ATSR include distinguishing thin new ice from open water, identifying surface type, and the accumulation rate of land ice. Related URL: "http://earth.esa.int/atsr/" Reference online documentation: "http://earth.esa.int/services/esa_doc/doc_ats.html" For any query, please refer to: ESA/ESRIN Earth Observation Help Desk "http://earth.esa.int" E-mail: eohelp@esa.int Phone: +39 06 94180777 Fax: +39 06 94180292 Address: ESA/ESRIN Via G.Galilei 00044 Frascati Italy (en)
Broader concept
URI
https://gcmd.earthdata.nasa.gov/kms/concept/39ac1813-238f-4fa3-b0cb-fe08a7dcadc4
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