ESA - Eduspace EN - Global Change - The MERIS sensor and the Globcover Project

The MERIS sensor and the Globcover Project


MERIS

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a) The MERIS sensor

The MEdium Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MERIS) is one of Envisat’s 10 instruments. It operates in the solar reflective spectral range. Fifteen spectral bands with a spatial resolution of 300 metres can be selected by ground command.

MERIS was designed to acquire data over the Earth whenever illumination conditions are suitable. The instrument's 68.5° field of view around nadir covers a swath width of 1150 km.

MERIS’s primary mission is to measure the sea colour of the oceans and coastal areas. As a secondary mission it is also capable of estimating:

Cloud type, top height, and albedo

Top and bottom indices of atmosphere vegetation

Photosynthetically available radiation

Surface pressure

Water vapour total column content for all surfaces

Aerosol load over land

Vegetation indices

Fractional Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (FAPAR)

MERIS measures the reflected solar radiation from the Earth's surface and clouds in the visible and near-infrared spectral regions. Consequently, observation is nominally limited to the day side of the Earth.

No. Band centre (nm) Band width (nm) Applications
1 412.5 10 Yellow substance and detritus pigments
2 442.5 10 Chlorophyll absorption maximum
3 490 10 Chlorophyll and other pigments
4 510 10 Suspended sediment, red tides
5 560 10 Chlorophyll absorption minimum
6 620 10 Suspended sediment
7 665 10 Chlorophyll absorption & fluorescence reference
8 681 7.5 Chlorophyll fluorescence peak
9 708.75 10 Fluorescence reference, atmosphere corrections
10 753.75 7.5 Vegetation, cloud, O2 absorption band reference
11 760.625 3.75 O2 R- branch absorption band
12 778.75 15 Atmosphere corrections
13 865 20 Atmosphere corrections
14 885 10 Vegetation, water vapour reference
15 900 10 Water vapour

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Last update: 16 April 2013


Vegetation in South America
Background
•	Vegetation in South America (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Eduspace_Global_EN/SEM94FNW91H_0.html)

•	Main Ecosystems (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Eduspace_Global_EN/SEMF5FNW91H_0.html)

•	Vegetation Indices (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Eduspace_Global_EN/SEMC6FNW91H_0.html)

•	SPOT VEGETATION imagery (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Eduspace_Global_EN/SEM6CFNW91H_0.html)

Exercises
•	Exercise 1: NDVI - Vegetation from space (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Eduspace_Global_EN/SEM3ZINW91H_0.html)

•	Exercise 2 : NDVI Animation (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Eduspace_Global_EN/SEMY3JNW91H_0.html)

•	Exercise 3: NDVI dynamics by biogeographical zones (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Eduspace_Global_EN/SEM6EJNW91H_0.html)

Related links
•	MERIS product handbook (http://envisat.esa.int)

•	MIRAVI (http://www.esa.int/miravi)