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MSG-2 will advance long-term monitoring of Earth's energy balance
20 December 2005
| Based on GERB data, this sped-up animation shows the total sunlight and heat reflected, scattered or emitted back from the Earth during the diurnal cycle of 8 May 2003. The animation was produced by the RMIB. For more information and a more detailed version see http://gerb.oma.be/gerb/Animations/anim.html.
Credits: RMIB | |  |  | |
| | | | | MSG-2 and its payload adapter (ACU) moved onto the CCU-2 (payload transport container).
Credits: ESA/MSG Team | | | | |
| | | | | In addition to its sophisticated imaging radiometer, Meteosat Second Generation (MSG), is equipped with an instrument for climate research. The Geostationary Earth Radiation Budget (GERB) instrument helps environment experts study the radiation balance at the top of the atmosphere, its changes over a given period and its potential influence on the climate.
Credits: ESA/MSG Team | | | | |
| | | | | First GERB images taken on 12 December 2002 at 16.25 UTC, showing total radiances (left) and short wave radiances (right).
In addition to its sophisticated imaging radiometer, Meteosat Second Generation (MSG), the new European weather satellite, is equipped with an instrument for climate research. The GERB instrument will enable environment experts for the first time to study the radiation balance at the top of the atmosphere, its changes over a given period and its potential influence on the climate. The Earth Radiation Balance (ERB) is the balance between the radiation coming from the Sun and the outgoing reflected and scattered solar radiation, plus thermal infrared emissions, to space. It is an important indicator for global warming and the greenhouse effect of the atmosphere. With the GERB experiment, scientists look forward to gaining new insight into the complex processes of climate change.
The picture shows total radiances (left) and short wave radiances (right).
Credits: RAL (UK) | | | | |
| | | | | | Prof. John Harries of Imperial College, Principal Investigator for the GERB instruments flown aboard the MSG series | | | | |
| | | | | Performing measurements of surface to structure resistance of the Geostationary Earth Radiation Budget (GERB) instrument on the MSG-2 satellite
Credits: ESA/MSG Team | | | | |
| | | | | The second new weather satellite in the Meteosat Second Generation (MSG), is equipped with an extremely sophisticated imaging radiometer that can separate the incoming radiation into 12 (3 with the current Meteosat) different spectral bands. Each section, four of them in the visible and eight in the thermal infrared, delivers different information. They vary from visible images of weather systems during the day to cloud temperature at night; from surface temperature and water vapour to trace gas concentrations and dust particles in the atmosphere. MSG will deliver about twenty times as much information as its predecessor Meteosat, resulting in much more accurate short and medium-range forecasts. It also carries the Geostationary Earth Radiation Budget (GERB) sensor, measuring the planetary energy balance.
Credits: ESA-D. DUCROS | | | | |
| | | | About GERB
| GERB diagram
Credits: CLRC | | | | |
| | | | About MSG
| MSG-2 transfer to the S5 building at Europe's Spaceport
Credits: ESA/MSG Team | | | | |
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| | Meteosat Second Generation Related news Meteosat Second Generation-2: watch the launch liveRelated missions MSG overviewIn depth MSG-2 launch diaryRelated links Imperial College GERB homepageProf. John Harries homepageRAL GERB homepageRMIB GERB homepageOfficine GalileoEUMETSATEUMETSAT's MSG-2 website
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