| Instrument | Agency | Missions | Status | Type | Measurements &
applications | Technical characteristics |
AOS-Sky Polarimeter
Atmosphere Observing System-Sky Polarimeter | NASA | Current: -
Future: AOS-Sky
Complete: - | Proposed | Multiple direction/polarisation radiometers | Measurement of aerosol optical depth, aerosol absorption optical depth, and aerosols fine-mode effective radius, along with cloud bow techniques for characterization of cloud-top proerties |
| Waveband: | UV, 350-390 nm; VIS, 410-750 nm; Hyperangle, 660-870 nm; water vapor, ~940 nm; SWIR Cirrus, ~1380 nm; VNIR-SWIR, 870-1570 nm
UV, VIS, NIR, SWIR |
| Spatial resolution: | 0.5 km at nadir, <1 km at swath edge
Best resolution: 500 m |
| Swath width: | <300 km |
| Accuracy: | |
| Data Access: | Open Access |
| Data Format: | TBD |
|
HARP2
Hyper-Angular Rainbow Polarimeter | NASA (UMD) | Current: PACE
Future: -
Complete: - | Operational | Multiple direction/polarisation radiometers | Polarimeter for measuring aerosol optical properties, clouds and aerosol types. |
| Waveband: | 440, 550, 670 & 870nm bands
NIR |
| Spatial resolution: | 3.0 km
Best resolution: 3000 m |
| Swath width: | Wide swath ±47°. |
| Accuracy: | |
| Data Access: | Open Access |
| Data Format: | netCDF |
|
MIRAS (SMOS)
Microwave Imaging Radiometer using Aperture Synthesis (MIRAS) | ESA (CNES) | Current: SMOS
Future: -
Complete: - | Operational | Imaging multi-spectral radiometers (passive microwave) and multiple direction/polarisation radiometers | Objective is to meassure sea surface salinity and soil moisture in support of climate, meteorology, hydrology, and oceanography applications. New applications include Soil freeze/thaw, ocean severe winds, sea ice thickness, vegetation optical depth and solar flux. |
| Waveband: | L-Band 1.41 GHz
MW, L-Band |
| Spatial resolution: | 33 - 50 km depending on the position in the swath - resampled to 15 km grid
Best resolution: 5000 m |
| Swath width: | Hexagon shape, nominal width 1050 km allowing a 3 day revisit time at the equator |
| Accuracy: | 2.6 K absolute accuracy, RMS 1.6-4 K depending on the scene and the position within the swath |
| Data Access: | Open Access |
| Data Format: | |
|
MISR
Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer | NASA | Current: Terra
Future: -
Complete: - | Operational | Multiple direction/polarisation radiometers | Measurements of global surface albedo, aerosol and vegetation properties. Also provides multi-angle bidirectional data (1% angle-to-angle accuracy) for cloud cover and reflectances at the surface and aerosol opacities. Global and local modes. |
| Waveband: | VIS: 0.44 µm, 0.56 µm, 0.67 µm, NIR: 0.86 µm
UV, VIS, NIR |
| Spatial resolution: | 275 m, 550 m or 1.1 km, Summation modes available on selected cameras/bands: 1 x 1, 2 x 2, 4 x 4, 1 x 4. 1 pixel = 275 x 275 m
Best resolution: 275 m |
| Swath width: | 380 km common overlap of all 9 cameras |
| Accuracy: | 0.03% hemispherical albedo, 10% aerosol opacity, 1-2% angle to angle accuracy in bidirectional reflectance |
| Data Access: | Open Access |
| Data Format: | HDF-EOS |
|
POLSAC
Polarisation Sensor for Aerosol & Cloud | ISRO | Current: -
Future: G20 Satellite
Complete: - | Being developed | Multiple direction/polarisation radiometers | Characterisation of aerosols & clouds |
| Waveband: | 12 VNIR-SWIR Spectral Bands, 3 Polarization Channels
NIR, SWIR |
| Spatial resolution: | 2 km
Best resolution: 2000 m |
| Swath width: | 1400 km |
| Accuracy: | |
| Data Access: | Open Access |
| Data Format: | TBD |
|
SPEXone
Spectro-Polarimeter for Exploration | NSO, SRON (NASA) | Current: PACE
Future: -
Complete: - | Operational | Multiple direction/polarisation radiometers | Polarimeter for measuring aerosol optical properties, clouds and aerosol types. Multi-angle spectro-polarimetry by spectral modulation technology. Distribution and detailed micro-phyiscal properties of atmospheric aerosol. Direct and indirect aerosol radiative forcing and their impact on climate. A second instance of this instrument is in development. |
| Waveband: | 385 to 770nm at 2nm bands
VIS |
| Spatial resolution: | 2.5 km
Best resolution: 2500 m |
| Swath width: | Narrow swath ±4.5°; 100 km; global coverage: 1 month. |
| Accuracy: | Polarimetric: 0.003; Radiometric: 0.02 |
| Data Access: | Open Access |
| Data Format: | |
|