Abstract's details
A first assessment of Sentinel-3B Microwave Radiometer: intercalibration and performance
CoAuthors
Event: 2018 Ocean Surface Topography Science Team Meeting
Session: Instrument Processing: Propagation, Wind Speed and Sea State Bias
Presentation type: Type Oral
Contribution: PDF file
Abstract:
Sentinel-3B was launched the 25 April 2018, two years after its twin Sentinel-3A. The pair of satellite will increase coverage and data delivery for Copernicus service. For routine operation, Sentinel-3 configuration is such that both satellites will fly with a 140° separation. But before that, during the commissioning phase of Sentinel-3B, a tandem phase of four months will be used where both satellites will be only 30s apart.
The two radiometers are identical in design and will fly on the same ground track separated by ~30s, meaning that the two instruments will see the same atmosphere at the same location. Thus the difference between any S3A and its corresponding S3B measurement is only due to instrumental aspects. This is a unique opportunity for intercalibration.
The two-channels microwave radiometer (23.8 and 36.5 GHz) on board the two missions is similar to the Envisat and ERS MWR sensors. It is combined to the altimeter in order to correct the altimeter range for the excess path delay (WTC for wet tropospheric correction) resulting from the presence of water vapor in the troposphere.
We will present here a first assessment of the S-3B MWR performances over ocean.
The in-flight calibration during the commissioning phase aims at providing quantitative information on the accuracy and the precision of the S-3B MWR measurements. The tandem phase will allow the intercalibration with Sentinel-3A. In addition, analyses based on a combination of comparisons to other instruments (AMR on Jason-2/3, AMSU-A on MetopA, AltiKa/MWR on SARAL) over Amazon forest and coldest ocean points will be carried out.
The two radiometers are identical in design and will fly on the same ground track separated by ~30s, meaning that the two instruments will see the same atmosphere at the same location. Thus the difference between any S3A and its corresponding S3B measurement is only due to instrumental aspects. This is a unique opportunity for intercalibration.
The two-channels microwave radiometer (23.8 and 36.5 GHz) on board the two missions is similar to the Envisat and ERS MWR sensors. It is combined to the altimeter in order to correct the altimeter range for the excess path delay (WTC for wet tropospheric correction) resulting from the presence of water vapor in the troposphere.
We will present here a first assessment of the S-3B MWR performances over ocean.
The in-flight calibration during the commissioning phase aims at providing quantitative information on the accuracy and the precision of the S-3B MWR measurements. The tandem phase will allow the intercalibration with Sentinel-3A. In addition, analyses based on a combination of comparisons to other instruments (AMR on Jason-2/3, AMSU-A on MetopA, AltiKa/MWR on SARAL) over Amazon forest and coldest ocean points will be carried out.