Instruments - AMSU-A2

About AMSU-A2


AMSU-A2 instrument
 
AMSU-A2 instrument
 
 
The Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit – A2 (AMSU-A2) is one of the complement of American instruments provided by NOAA to fly on MetOp-A, -B and –C.
 
The AMSU-A2 measures scene radiance in the microwave spectrum. The data from this instrument is used in conjunction with the High-resolution Infrared Sounder (HIRS) instrument to calculate the global atmospheric temperature and humidity profiles from the Earth's surface to the upper stratosphere, at approximately 2-millibar pressure altitude (48 km). The data is used to provide precipitation and surface measurements including snow cover, sea-ice concentration and soil moisture.
  
 
 The instrument is a cross-track scanning total-power radiometer and is divided into two separate modules:

  • AMSU Module A-1 with channels 3 to 15
  • AMSU Module A-2 with channels 1 and 2

Each module operates and interfaces with the spacecraft independently. Often both instrument modules are presented under the generic name of AMSU-A. AMSU-A1 and -2 were developed by Northrop Grumman (formerly Aerojet), Los Angeles, USA.
 
 
 The AMSU-A instrument has an IFOV of 3.3° at the half-power points providing a nominal spatial resolution at nadir of 48 km (29.8 mi). The antenna provides a cross-track scan, scanning ± 48.3° from nadir with a total of 30 Earth fields-of-view per scan line. The instrument completes one scan every 8 seconds. The footprint (resolution at nadir) is 50 km. The swath width is approximately 2000 km.

Courtesy NOAA-L brochure, NOAA Observation of the Earth and its Environment – Survey of Missions and Sensors by: Dr H.J. Kramer
 
 
  
Last update: 28 June 2006


In depth

 •  Channels (http://www.esa.int/esaLP/ESACXHVTYWC_LPmetop_0.html)
 •  Components (http://www.esa.int/esaLP/ESAYPIVTYWC_LPmetop_0.html)
 •  Products (http://www.esa.int/esaLP/ESAF1IVTYWC_LPmetop_0.html)

MetOp's other instruments

 •  A/DCS (http://www.esa.int/esaLP/SEM3JGG23IE_LPmetop_0.html)
 •  AMSU-A1 (http://www.esa.int/esaLP/SEMAHGG23IE_LPmetop_0.html)
 •  ASCAT (http://www.esa.int/esaLP/SEMBWEG23IE_LPmetop_0.html)
 •  AVHRR (http://www.esa.int/esaLP/SEM9VEG23IE_LPmetop_0.html)
 •  GOME-2 (http://www.esa.int/esaLP/SEMTTEG23IE_LPmetop_0.html)
 •  GRAS (http://www.esa.int/esaLP/SEMTSEG23IE_LPmetop_0.html)
 •  HIRS (http://www.esa.int/esaLP/SEMUREG23IE_LPmetop_0.html)
 •  IASI (http://www.esa.int/esaLP/SEMNQEG23IE_LPmetop_0.html)
 •  MHS (http://www.esa.int/esaLP/SEM7ADG23IE_LPmetop_0.html)
 •  SARP-3 (http://www.esa.int/esaLP/SEMV4DG23IE_LPmetop_0.html)
 •  SARR (http://www.esa.int/esaLP/SEMU2DG23IE_LPmetop_0.html)
 •  SEM (http://www.esa.int/esaLP/SEMD1DG23IE_LPmetop_0.html)