Instrument Table

Agency
Mission Name
Mission Status
Instrument Name
Instrument Status
Applications
Type
Spatial Resolution Best
Technology
Data Access
Waveband
InstrumentAgencyMissionsStatusTypeMeasurements &
applications
Technical characteristics
ASCAT
Advanced Scatterometer
EUMETSAT (ESA)Current: Metop-B, Metop-C
Future: -
Complete: Metop-A
OperationalScatterometersMeasures wind speed and direction over ocean, soil moisture, sea ice cover, sea ice type, snow cover and snow parameters and vegetation parameters
Waveband:Microwave: C Band, 5.256 GHz
MW, C-Band
Spatial resolution:Hi-res mode: 25 - 37 km, Nominal mode: 50 km
Best resolution: 25000 m
Swath width:Continuous; 2 x 500 km swath width
Accuracy:Wind speeds in range 4 - 24 m/s: 2 m/s and direction accuracy of 20 deg
Data Access:Open Access
Data Format:Native, BUFR
Scatterometer (Oceansat-3)
Scatterometer (Oceansat-3)
ISROCurrent: OCEANSAT-3
Future: -
Complete: -
OperationalScatterometersOcean surface wind measurements, continuity to ocean vector wind
Waveband:13.515 GHz
MW
Spatial resolution:25 km
Best resolution: 25000 m
Swath width:1440 km
Accuracy:
Data Access:Open Access
Data Format:
WindRAD
Wind Radar
NSMC-CMA (CNSA)Current: FY-3E
Future: FY-3J
Complete: -
OperationalScatterometersMeasures sea-surface wind vector.
Waveband:C and Ku band.
Ku-Band, C-Band
Spatial resolution:25 × 0.5km (C band), 10 × 0.5km (Ku band)
Best resolution: 10000 m
Swath width:Conical scanning with incidence angles 36-45° (C-band) and 37-43° (Ku-band). Swath > 1200 km.
Accuracy:
Data Access:Open Access
Data Format:L-1 data: HDF 5.0