CEOS EO HANDBOOK – INSTRUMENT SUMMARY - IMAGER -
Full Name Imager/MTSAT Status No longer operational
Instrument Agencies JMA Maturity High Heritage - Operational
Instrument Type Imaging multi-spectral radiometers (vis/IR) Geometry Earth disk scanning
Instrument Technology Multi-purpose imaging Vis/IR radiometer Sampling Imaging
Data Access Open Access Data Format LRIT/HRIT
Measurements and Applications Measures cloud cover, cloud motion, cloud height, water vapour, rainfall, sea surface temperature and Earth radiation.
Resolution Summary Visible: 1 km, TIR: 4 km
[Best Resolution: 1000m]
Swath Summary Full Earth disk every hour
[Max Swath: 8 km]
Accuracy Summary
Waveband Summary VIS - SWIR: 0.55 - 0.80 µm, MWIR - TIR: 3.5 - 4 µm, 6.5 - 7 µm, 10.3 - 11.3 µm, 11.5 - 12.5 µm
VIS (~0.40 µm - ~0.75 µm)
MWIR (~3.0 µm - ~6.0 µm)
TIR (~6.0 µm - ~15.0 µm)
Instrument Measurements
Measurements Overview
CategoryParameter
Atmospheric Humidity FieldsWater vapour imagery
Atmospheric WindsWind profile (horizontal)
Cloud type, amount and cloud top temperatureCloud imagery
Cloud type
Cloud top height
Liquid water and precipitation ratePrecipitation index (daily cumulative)
Surface temperature (ocean)Sea surface temperature
Thematic Links Global Climate Observing System Essential Climate Variables (GCOS ECVs)
ECVDescriptionProduct(s)ECV Inventory 3.0 Record(s)
Sea Surface Temperature click here click here search ECV Inventory records
Water Vapour (upper air) click here click here search ECV Inventory records
Wind speed and direction (upper-air) click here click here search ECV Inventory records
Instrument Missions
MTSAT-1 - Multi-functional Transport Satellite (1999 - 1999)
MTSAT-2 - Multi-functional Transport Satellite-2 (2006 - 2017)
MTSAT-3 - Multi-functional Transport Satellite (2013 - 2018)