The microwave radiometer aboard ERS-1.1. Characteristics and performances

Author

Bernard, René ; Le Cornec, A. ; Eymard, Laurence ; Tabary, Luc

Author_Institution

Centre de Recherche en Phys. de l´´Environ., Issy les Moulineaux, France

Volume

31

Issue

6

fYear

1993

fDate

11/1/1993 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

1186

Lastpage

1198

Abstract

The microwave radiometer onboard ERS-1 has two channels at 23.8 and 35.6 GHz. It is a nadir pointing sensor, which is aimed at the correction of the altimeter tropospheric path delay. The characteristics of the instrument are described, and its performance is established from ground calibration results. Using early data obtained after launch, the in-flight engineering calibration is presented, showing that the radiometer behavior is nominal. The gain stability permits noise reduction, and the radiometer performance appears to be as good as specified

Keywords

artificial satellites; geophysical equipment; geophysical techniques; microwave detectors; radiometers; remote sensing; remote sensing by radar; 23.8 GHz; 36.5 GHz; EHF; ERS-1; SHF; atmosphere; calibration; geophysics; instrument; land surface; measurement technique; microwave radiometer; microwave radiometry; mm wave; nadir pointing sensor; satellite remote sensing; tropospheric path delay; Atmospheric measurements; Electronic equipment testing; Ice surface; Instruments; Land surface; Microwave radiometry; Ocean temperature; Satellite broadcasting; Sea measurements; Sea surface;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Geoscience and Remote Sensing, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0196-2892

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/36.317444

Filename

317444