Unlike previous radiometers, the WindSat sensor takes observations during both the forward and aft looking scans. The feedhorns of each frequency channel trace out different arcs along the scan, therefore the Earth Incidence Angles (EIA) are different for each frequency band. All are fully polarimeteric except the 6.8 and 23.8 GHz channels that have only dual polarization. The radiometer operates in 5 discrete channels: 6.8, 10.7, 18.7, 23.8 and 37.0 GHz. The WindSat radiometer is well-calibrated and contains the lower frequency channels required for SST retrievals. This means the instrument passes over the equator at 6pm as it travels from south to north and at your location is measuring the surface near this time depending on your latitude. The local ascending node time is maintained at 6pm. WindSat operates on the Coriolis satellite which is in a near-polar orbit. Instrument Descriptionįor a detailed description of the WindSat instrument, see P.Gaiser, " The WindSat Spaceborne Polarimetric Microwave Radiometer: Sensor Description and Early Orbit Performance". In addition to wind speed and direction, the instrument can also measure sea surface temperature, soil moisture, ice and snow characteristics, water vapor, cloud liquid water, and rain rate. Prior to launch, the only instrument capable of measuring ocean wind vectors were scatterometers (active microwave sensors). WindSat was meant to demonstrate the capabilities of a fully polarimetric radiometer to measure the ocean surface wind vector from space. It was launched on Januaboard the Department of Defense Coriolis satellite. Navy and the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) Integrated Program Office (IPO). The WindSat Polarimetric Radiometer was developed by the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) Remote Sensing Division and the Naval Center for Space Technology for the U.S.
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