CEOS EO HANDBOOK – MISSION SUMMARY - PolSIR -
Full Name Polarized Submillimeter Ice-cloud Radiometer Status Approved
Mission Agencies NASA Launch Date Jan 2027
Mission Links EOL Date Jan 2029
EO Portal Info NORAD Catalog #
International Designator
Orbit Type Inclined, non-sun-synchronous Orbit Period 94 minutes
Orbit Sense Ascending Orbit Inclination 52 deg
Orbit Altitude 475 km Orbit Longitude
Orbit LST 1899-12-30T03:30:00.000Z Repeat Cycle
Objectives and Applications The goal of the PolSIR mission is to better characterize and understand the diurnal variability of tropical and sub-tropical ice clouds. PolSIR will provide key observational constraints on ice properties in climate models and enable modelers to develop more accurate cloud parameterizations. The science and application objectives are to: (1) Constrain the seasonally influenced diurnal cycle amplitude, form, and timing of the ice water path (IWP) and particle diameter in tropical and sub-tropical ice clouds. (2) Determine the diurnal variability of ice clouds in the convective outflow areas and understand relation to deep convection. (3) Determine the relationship between shortwave and longwave radiative fluxes and the diurnal variability of ice clouds. (4) Enable improvement of climate models by providing novel observations of the diurnal cycle of ice clouds, ultimately leading to improved climate modeling skills and increased fidelity of climate forecasts in support of critical decision-making.
Mission Measurements
Mission Instruments
PolSIR - Polarized Submillimeter Ice-cloud Radiometer
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