SSMIS

The Special Sensor Microwave Imager / Sounder (SSMI/S) is an eleven-channel, eight-frequency, linearly polarized passive microwave radiometer system. The instrument is flown on board the United States Air Force Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) F-16, F-17 and F-18 satellites, which became operational in November 2005, March 2008 and March 2010, respectively.[1] It is the successor to the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I).

Instrument characteristics

The SSMIS sensor is a passive conically scanning microwave radiometer that combines and extends the current imaging and sounding capabilities of three previously separate DMSP microwave sensors: the SSM/T-1 temperature sounder, the SSMI/T- 2 moisture sounder, and the SSM/I. The SSMIS instrument measures microwave energy at 24 discrete frequencies from 19 to 183 GHz with a swath width of 1700 km.[2] The first SSMIS was launched aboard the DMSP-16 satellite on 18 October 2003.


Table 1: Radiometric characteristics of the SSMIS [1].[3]

Frequency

(GHz)

 Polarization
 Along track

resolution (km)

 Cross-track

resolution (km)

 Spatial

Sampling (kmxkm)

 Instrument

Noise (K)
19.35 horizontal 73 47 45x74 0.35
19.35 vertical 73 47 45x74 0.35
22.235 vertical 73 47 45x74 0.45
37.0 horizontal 41 31 28x45 0.22
37.0 vertical 41 31 28x45 0.22
50.3 horizontal 17.6 27.3 37.5 0.34
52.8 horizontal 17.6 27.3 37.5 0.32
53.596 horizontal 17.6 27.3 37.5 0.33
54.4 horizontal 17.6 27.3 37.5 0.33
55.5 horizontal 17.6 27.3 37.5 0.34
57.29 right circular 17.6 27.3 37.5 0.41
59.4 right circular 17.6 27.3 37.5 0.40
63.283248 +/- 0.285271 right circular 17.6 27.3 75 2.7
60.792668 +/- 0.357892 right circular 17.6 27.3 75 2.7
60.792668 +/- 0.357892 +/- 0.002 right circular 17.6 27.3 75 1.9
60.792668 +/- 0.357892 +/- 0.0055 right circular 17.6 27.3 75 1.3
60.792668 +/- 0.357892 +/- 0.016 right circular 17.6 27.3 75 0.8
60.792668 +/- 0.357892 +/- 0.050 right circular 17.6 27.3 75 0.9
91.665 horizontal 14 13 13x16 0.19
91.665 vertical 14 13 13x16 0.19
150 horizontal 14 13 13x16 0.53
183.311 +- 1 horizontal 14 13 13x16 0.38
183.311 +- 3 horizontal 14 13 13x16 0.39
183.311 +- 6.6 horizontal 14 13 13x16 0.56

References

  1. ^ "Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) and Special Sensor Microwave Imager Sounder (SSMIS) Global Gridded Products". National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS), NOAA. http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/rsad/ssmi/gridded/index.php. Retrieved 24 December 2010. 
  2. ^ "SSMI and SSMIS Monitoring and Documentation". National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS), NOAA. http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/rsad/ssmi/swath/. Retrieved 24 December 2010. 
  3. ^ [Special Sensor Microwave Imager and Sounder (SSMIS) Antenna Brightness Temperature Data Record (TDR) Calibration and Validation User Manual"; NOAA/NESDIS; March, 2007 http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/rsad/ssmi/swath/star-ssmis-tdr-calval-user-manual.pdf (retrieved october 2011)]