CEOS EO HANDBOOK – INSTRUMENT SUMMARY - AMSU-A -
Full Name Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-A Status Operational
Instrument Agencies NOAA, UKSA Maturity High Heritage - Operational
Instrument Type Atmospheric temperature and humidity sounders Geometry Cross-track scanning
Instrument Technology Absorption-band MW radiometer/spectrometer Sampling Sounding
Data Access Open Access Data Format Native, BUFR
Measurements and Applications All-weather night-day temperature sounding to an altitude of 45 km.
Resolution Summary 48 km
[Best Resolution: 48000m]
Swath Summary 2054 km
[Max Swath: 2054 km]
Accuracy Summary Temperature profile: 2 K, humidity: 3 kg/m2, ice & snow cover: 10%
Waveband Summary Microwave: 15 channels, 23.8 - 89.0 GHz
MW (~0.1 cm - ~100 cm)
Instrument Measurements
Measurements Overview
CategoryParameter
Atmospheric Humidity FieldsAtmospheric specific humidity (TC)
Atmospheric Temperature FieldsAtmospheric temperature (LT, HT, LS, HS&M, TC)
Height of tropopause
Temperature of tropopause
Cloud particle properties and profileCloud liquid water (TC)
Cloud type, amount and cloud top temperatureCloud type
Liquid water and precipitation ratePrecipitation intensity at the surface (liquid or solid)
Ocean surface windsWind speed over sea surface (horizontal)
Radiation budgetLong-wave Earth surface emissivity
Sea ice cover, edge and thicknessSea-ice cover
Snow cover, edge and depthSnow cover
Snow water equivalent
Soil moistureSoil moisture at the surface
Surface temperature (land)Land surface temperature
Thematic Links Global Climate Observing System Essential Climate Variables (GCOS ECVs)
ECVDescriptionProduct(s)ECV Inventory 3.0 Record(s)
Cloud Properties click here click here NOAA Climate Data Records (CDR) of AMSU-...
Land Surface Temperature click here click here NOAA Climate Data Records (CDR) of AMSU-...
Precipitation click here click here NOAA Climate Data Records (CDR) of AMSU-...
Sea Ice click here click here NOAA Climate Data Records (CDR) of AMSU-...
Snow click here click here NOAA Climate Data Records (CDR) of AMSU-...
NOAA Climate Data Records (CDR) of AMSU-...
Soil Moisture click here click here search ECV Inventory records
Temperature (upper-air) click here click here search ECV Inventory records
Water Vapour (upper air) click here click here NOAA Climate Data Records (CDR) of AMSU-...
Instrument Missions
NOAA-15 - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - 15 (1998 - 2018)
NOAA-16 - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - 16 (2000 - 2014)
NOAA-17 - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - 17 (2002 - 2013)
NOAA-18 - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - 18 (2005 - 2025)
Metop-A - Meteorological Operational Polar Satellite - A (2006 - 2021)
NOAA-19 - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - 19 (2009 - 2024)
Metop-B - Meteorological Operational Polar Satellite - B (2012 - 2027)
Metop-C - Meteorological Operational Polar Satellite - C (2018 - 2027)