The paper briefs on the current status of EUMETSAT's programmes and plans. The mandatory programmes (geostationary (Meteosat) and polar orbiting (EUMETSAT Polar System) are discussed at the beginning. Status and plans of EUMETSAT’s optional, and third party programmes will be briefed, in particular Copernicus Jason-3, Jason-CS and Sentinel-3. Jason-CS A will be launched in 2020. The follow on programmes of the mandatory programmes, Meteosat Third Generation (MTG) and EPS Second Generation (EPS-SG) will be presented as well as EUMETSAT’s contribution to Copernicus.
This Paper provides an overview on the first results of the Metop-C satellite, third and last part of the series of three Metop-satellites of the EUMETSAT Polar System (EPS). EPS is the European contribution to the Polar Meteorological Satellite Observing System. It forms a part of the Initial Joint Polar System (IJPS), formed with NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). The Metop-C satellite, launched on the 7 November 2018 from the Guyana Space Centre in Kourou, and is finalizing its commissioning activities. The Metop satellites were developed in co-operation with the European Space Agency (ESA). Seven meteorological instruments (among 10) are embarked on Metop-C satellites (eight on Metop-A and –B where the HIRS/4 instrument was embarked as well). These are the IASI (Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer), developed by CNES in co-operation with EUMETSAT, the AVHRR (Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer) and AMSU-A (Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-A) instruments, provided by NOAA, the Microwave Humidity Sounder (MHS), developed by EUMETSAT and the GRAS (GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) Receiver for Atmospheric Sounding) instrument, the GOME-2 (Global Ozone Monitoring .-2) instrument and ASCAT (Advanced Scatterometer), developed by ESA as part of the space segment. Metop instrument data – in particular the sounding instruments - provide an essential contribution to global operational Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP). Climate monitoring and atmospheric composition monitoring and ocean and cryosphere observations are further application areas supported by Metop instrument data. Results from the commissioning phase and first application impacts will be presented. After its successful commissioning, there will be three Metop-satellites in orbit for about three years.
EUMETSAT operates geostationary and sun-synchronous polar orbiting satellites through mandatory programmes in order to provide space observations for operational meteorology and climate monitoring. Optional programmes providing observations for altimetry and oceanography complement these mandatory programmes. The User community can access data and products from partner agencies through EUMETSAT third party programmes. The current fleet of EUMETSAT’s operational geostationary spacecraft is composed of the four satellites of the Second Generation of Meteosat (MSG), Meteosat-8, Meteosat-9, Meteosat-10 and Meteosat-11. Meteosat-11 is currently the the prime operational satellite. Meteosat-8 contributes to the IODC service. The EUMETSAT Polar System (EPS) provides data from sun-synchronous polar orbit since 2016. The current operational satellites, Metop-B, launched in September 2012 and the prime satellite, and Metop-A, the first of the series, in orbit since October 2006 were complemented in November 2018 by the third and last of this series of three satellites, Metop-C. These satellites are part of the Initial Joint Polar System (IJPS) together with the US. In the frame of an optional programme Jason-2 and Jason-3, continue to provide altimetry data. The Jason-CS mission will assure continuity for altimetry. To assure continuity in the mandatory missions. Development of Meteosat Third Generation (MTG) is ongoing and will assure the continuity of the mandatory geostationary mission. The development of the second generation of the EUMETSAT Polar System (EPS-SG) is further continuing. In the frame of the Copernicus Programme EUMETSAT operates the Sentinel-3A satellite and provides operational marine products. Sentinel-3B, a second satellite, is scheduled was launched in the first half of 2018 and is coming to the end of its commissioning phase.
Remote sensing observations provide an essential data contribution for operational meteorology, climate and environmental monitoring. They support public and private decision making and generate important socio-economic benefits. EUMETSAT is providing a European contribution to such operational services since more than 30 years. This talk will address the current and future geostationary Meteosat and polar EPS/Metop meteorological programmes, as well the optional programmes such as Jason and the third-party services with data and products from partners agencies. Finally, the contributions to the European Union’s Copernicus Programme will also be addressed.
EUMETSAT is providing space observations for operational meteorology and climate monitoring, operating geostationary and sun-synchronous polar orbiting satellites through mandatory programmes. Optional programmes provide complementary observations for altimetry and oceanography. Data and products from partner agencies’ satellites are made available by to the user community through EUMETSAT third party programmes. EUMETSAT’s current fleet of operational geostationary spacecraft comprises the four satellites of the Second Generation of Meteosat (MSG), Meteosat-8, Meteosat-9, Meteosat-10 and Meteosat-11. Meteosat-11 was being taken out of in orbit storage and become the prime satellite in early 2018. Meteosat-8 continues to contribute to the IODC service. The EUMETSAT Polar System (EPS) provides data from sun-synchronous polar orbit with currently two satellites: Metop-B, launched in September 2012 and currently the prime satellite, and Metop-A, the first of the series, in orbit since October 2006. The third of the series of three satellites, Metop-C is planned to be launched in November 2018. These satellites are part of the Initial Joint Polar System (IJPS) together with the US. EUMETSAT’s first optional programme continues to provide data from the Jason-2 and Jason-3 satellites. To assure continuity in the mandatory missions the development of Meteosat Third Generation (MTG) is ongoing. The EPS-SG (EPS Second generation) programme is also under full development. In the frame of the Copernicus Programme EUMETSAT operates the Sentinel-3A satellite and provides operational marine products. Sentinel-3B, a second satellite, was launched in April 2018 and is currently under commissioning.
Since the launch of the second Metop platform in September 2012, two IASI (Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometers) instruments are flying on the same orbit, overflying the same area with 50 minutes delay. This provides a unique opportunity to perform multiple inter-comparisons and cross-monitoring. To do so, different methodologies have been implemented to provide complementary results giving qualitative and quantitative information on the instruments in terms of radiometric and spectral inter-calibration. This includes in particular comparisons between IASI and other infrared instruments. In this paper we will present an overview of the comparison that have been performed between IASI and the High-resolution Infrared Sounder (HIRS) flying on the same platform as well as comparisons with the Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS) flying on Suomi-NPP. This monitoring which, besides giving confidence on the intercalibration of both IASI, provides a way to detect the slightest differences between IASI and other infrared multispectral instruments.
The mandate of EUMETSAT is providing space observations for operational meteorology and climate monitoring. EUMETSAT operates geostationary and sun-synchronous polar orbiting satellites through mandatory programmes. Optional programmes provide further observations for altimetry and oceanography. EUMETSAT makes available data from partner agencies’ satellites to the user community through third party programmes. The current fleet of operational geostationary spacecraft comprises Meteosat-7, which is the last satellite of the first generation and the four satellites of the Second Generation of Meteosat (MSG), Meteosat-8, Meteosat-9, Meteosat-10 and Meteosat-11. The EUMETSAT Polar System (EPS) provides data from sun-synchronous polar orbit with currently two satellites: Metop-B, the second of a series of three satellites, launched in September 2012 and currently the prime satellite, and Metop-A, the first of the series, in orbit since October 2006. These satellites are part of the Initial Joint Polar System (IJPS) together with the US. EUMETSAT’s first optional programme continues to provide data from the Jason-2 satellite since summer 2008. The follow on satellite Jason-3 was successfully launched and commissioned in 2016 and is now providing the reference altimetry mission. To assure continuity in the mandatory missions the development of Meteosat Third Generation (MTG) is ongoing. The EPS-SG EPS Second generation) programme is now under full development. In the frame of the Copernicus Programme EUMETSAT operates the Sentinel-3A satellite, which was launched in February 2016. EUMETSAT is providing operational marine products from the Sentinel-3A satellite. Sentinel-3B, is scheduled to be launched early 2018.
The Meteosat Third Generation (MTG) series of future European geostationary meteorological satellites consists of two types of satellites, the imaging satellites (MTG-I) and the sounding satellites (MTG-S). The Infrared Sounder (IRS) is one of the two instruments hosted on board the MTG-S satellites. The scope of the IRS mission is to provide the user community with information on time evolution of humidity and temperature distribution, as function of latitude, longitude and altitude. Regarding time and space sampling, the entire Earth disk will be covered, with particular focus on Europe, which will be revisited every 30 minutes. This paper presents a synthetic overview of the mission and the instrument, and will go through the level 1 processing chain which takes instrument raw data to obtain spectrally and radiometrically calibrated and geolocalised radiances, called level 1b products. A discussion will be presented around the radiances uniformisation in space, spectral range and time and its impact for the users community.
EUMETSAT is providing space based observations for operational meteorology and climate monitoring. The observations are measured by geostationary and sun-synchronous polar orbiting satellites in the frame of mandatory programmes. In the frame of optional programmes further observations for altimetry and oceanography are collected and disseminated. In the frame of third party programmes, EUMETSAT makes available data from other agencies’ satellites to the user community. Since summer 2015 MSG-4 complements the current operational fleet of operational geostationary spacecraft, Meteosat-7, which is the last satellite of the first generation and the three satellites of the Second Generation of Meteosat, Meteosat-8, Meteosat-9 and Meteosat-10. MSG-4 became Meteosat-11 and was stored in orbit after successful commissioning. Two satellites of the EUMETSAT Polar System (EPS) provide data from sunsynchronous polar orbit. Metop-B, the second of a series of three satellites, launched in September 2012 and Metop-A, the first of the series, in orbit since October 2006 provide operational services. The satellites belong to the Initial Joint Polar System (IJPS) with the US. EUMETSAT’s first optional programme continues to provide data from the Jason-2 satellite since summer 2008. As follow on the Jason-3 satellite was launched in January 2016 and is currently in commissioning. To assure continuity development of Meteosat Third Generation (MTG) is ongoing. The EPS-SG programme was fully approved in summer 2015. In the frame of the Copernicus Programme (formerly GMES (Global Monitoring for Environment and Security)) EUMETSAT will operate the marine part of the Sentinel-3 satellite. It was launched in February 2016 and is currently under commissioning.
EUMETSAT supports operational meteorology and climate monitoring with its mandatory programmes, in the geostationary and polar sun-synchronous orbits. Optional programmes support further tasks like altimetry and oceanography. Satellite data from other agencies’ satellites which are of interest to the user community are provided through third party programmes. This paper provides an overview over current EUMETSAT programmes, and the status and plans of future systems. This includes the mandatory geostationary and polar systems, as well as third party and Oceanography missions. Programmes currently under development are the Meteosat Third Generation and EPS Second Generation programmes and also the Oceanography missions related to Jason and Copernicus. Related services are addressed as well.
EUMETSAT’s mandate comprises the support of operational meteorology and climate monitoring. These goals are pursued with mandatory programmes, in the geostationary and sun-synchronous polar orbits. In the frame of optional programmes further tasks like altimetry and oceanography are supported. In the frame of third party programmes, EUMETSAT provides data from other agencies’ satellites to the user community. This paper provides an overview over the current and future geostationary and polar systems, as well as on third party and Oceanography missions. This includes an overview on the Meteosat Third Generation and EPS Second Generation programmes and also the Oceanography missions related to Jason and Copernicus. Finally related services are addressed.
The EUMETSAT Polar System is EUMETSAT’s contribution to the Global Meteorological Satellite Observing System in the polar sun-synchronous orbit and serves, in the frame of the Initial Joint Polar System (IJPS) with the United States, the mid-morning orbit. The space segment is composed of the Metop satellites, of which Metop-A is in orbit since 2006, providing a wealth of Earth Observation data, amongst them data for Atmospheric Sounding, cloud and surface monitoring, ocean observation, including ocean winds, atmospheric composition monitoring. The launch of Metop-B on the 17 September 2013 into the same mid-morning orbit (9:30 LST equator crossing time, descending node, phased 48 min. apart from Metop-A) at 820 km assures the continuity of the system. A third Metop satellite (Metop-C), scheduled for launch early 2018, will assure mission duration of at least 15 years. This paper discusses the status of the EUMETSAT Polar System (EPS) and in particular presents the results from Metop-B commissioning and the actual status of products. Metop-B is out of its commissioning at the time of the conference and is providing its service as the prime satellite together with Metop-A, which is healthy and continues its successful service.
Since October 2006 EUMETSAT is flying the first operational European meteorological polar orbiting satellite
Metop-A as the morning orbit part of the Initial Joint Polar System (IJPS) with the U.S. Metop-A is the first of a
series of three in the frame of the EUMETSAT Polar System and carries a payload of eight meteorological
instruments which provide inter alia sounding information for numerical weather prediction, ocean surface
information, information on ozone and atmospheric chemistry. Most of the planned products are now operational. In
addition, so called Day-2 products are developed or have already been developed. Such products include Soil
Moisture from the Advanced Scatterometer ASCAT, a Vegetation index from the AVHRR imager and polar cap
winds from AVHRR.
About two years after the launch the first of these products have become operational: The soil moisture. The paper
will discuss the first delivered Day-2 products and outline future development aspects. Future Day-2 products address
improved radio occultation with the GRAS instrument and synergistic use of instruments for trace gas observations.
The EUMETSAT Polar System (EPS) is the European contribution to the joint European/US operational polar satellite
system (Initial Joint Polar System (IJPS)). It serves the mid-morning (AM) orbit, whereas the US part continues to serve
the afternoon (PM) orbit. The satellites of this new polar system are the Metop (Meteorological operational Satellite)
satellites, jointly developed with ESA. They deliver high-resolution sounding and also high-resolution imagery in global
coverage. Three Metop spacecraft are foreseen for a sun synchronous orbit in the 9:30 AM equator crossing (descending
node). They provide polar data from October 2006 onwards, when the first Metop satellite was launched. The EPS
programme is planned to cover 14 years of operation. This paper gives an overview on the EPS mission, the products
and services provided to users, and shows first results obtained from Metop-A during the commissioning and initial
operations phase. All programme components support operational meteorology and climate monitoring, and hence
provide a contribution to Global Earth System Monitoring.
Results are presented of the analyses of the 3D structure of the atmosphere with TOVS sounding data for two atmospheric situations over Europe. Both situations include the occurrence of thunderstorms. The retrieval methods used are the International TOVS Retrieval Package (ITPP-4) and the Improved Initialization Inversion (`3I-2') algorithm. These methods are applied to locally received real-time direct readout HRPT data. Both methods show meso scale phenomena in the temperature fields, represented by the thicknesses 500/1000. Radiosonde observations, as well as model analyses, do not show this phenomenon. The synoptic structure of the temperature field as well as the humidity field is comparable with all methods. Thus it can be concluded that there may be additional information in satellite derived atmospheric data, also on a scale at about meso-alpha/meso-beta. Statistics show that the structures of the fields are comparable at 98 - 99% correlation coefficient. This result can be improved by not using cloudy retrieval boxes. Collocations with radiosondes show a good agreement within the troposphere, thus a good simulation of stabilities can be expected by satellite data.
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