ESA - Living Planet Programme - MetOp - About MHS

MetOp at a glance

Overview Why we need MetOp Facts & figures History

Satellite

About the spacecraft Payload Module Service Module

Instruments

Overview Technical summary

Launch

Launch sequence Launcher

Mission operations

Operations Orbit

Resources

Publications General links Glossary Acronym list

Multimedia

MetOp images MetOp videos MetOp animations Help

Services

Calendar Subscribe

Article Images

About MHS

Back to article

Download:

HI-RES WMV (Size: 404 kb)

Carried on MetOp, the Microwave Humidity Sounder (MHS) is a compact five-channel microwave radiometer that scans through the atmosphere to measure upwelling microwave radiation from the Earth at specific frequency bands. Since humidity in the atmosphere attenuate microwave radiation emitted from the surface of the Earth, it is possible, from the observations made by MHS, to derive a detailed picture of atmospheric humidity where the different channels relate to different altitudes. Temperature at the surface of the Earth can also be determined.

Credits: ESA - AOES Medialab

Back to article

Download:

HI RES JPG (Size: 289 kb)

The prime role of the MHS is to provide global data on the atmospheric water-vapour profile, as an essential input to the overall meteorological models used by the major Meteorological Offices around the world.

Credits: ESA

Back to article

Download:

HI RES JPG (Size: 96 kb)

MHS Channel and frequency graph.

Back to article

Download:

HI RES JPG (Size: 460 kb)

MHS mechanical design

Back to article

Microwave Humidity Sounder Protocol Conversion Unit (MPU)

Download:

HI RES JPG (Size: 36 kb)

MHS's Microwave Humidity Sounder Protocol Conversion Unit (MPU). The red covers on the connectors, are ‘dust caps’, which are fitted temporarily when there are no external harness connectors fitted.

Last update: 29 June 2006

In depth

Description Performance Products Calibration/validation