Cloud Optical Depth Measurement Instruments

Measurement Definition: Impact of the cloud water column on radiation propagation - Physical unit: [ dimensionless ] - Accuracy unit: [ % ].

Thematic Links
InstrumentStatus/
Accuracy
Instrument DescriptionMeasurement TechnologyTimeline
ABIOperationalDetects clouds, cloud properties, water vapour, land and sea surface temperatures, dust, aerosols, volcanic ash, fires, total ozone, snow and ice cover, vegetation index.n/a
AMIOperationalContinuous monitoring capability for the near real-time generation of high-resolution meteorological products and long-term change analysis of land/sea surface temperature and cloud coverage.n/a
ATLASOperationalProvide date on ice sheet height and sea ice thickness, land altitude, aerosol height distributions, cloud height and boundary layer height.n/a
EPICOperationalDiurnal measurements of ozone, sulfur dioxide, UV surface radiation, clouds, aerosols and vegetation.n/a
FCIOperationalMeasurements of cloud cover, cloud top height, precipitation, cloud motion, vegetation, radiation fluxes, convection, air mass analysis, cirrus cloud discrimination, tropopause monitoring, stability monitoring, total ozone and sea surface temperature.n/a
MODISOperationalData on biological and physical processes on the surface of the Earth and in the lower atmosphere, and on global dynamics. Surface temperatures of land and ocean, chlorophyll fluorescence, land cover measurements, cloud cover (day and night).n/a
OLCIOperationalMarine and land services.n/a
SGLIOperational
+/-100 %
Medium resolution multi-spectral imaging of land, ocean and atmosphere. SGLI-VNR is an optical sensor capable of multi-channel nadir observation at wavelengths from near-UV to NIR and forward or backward polarization observation at red and near infrared wavelengths (Push-broom scanning). SGLI-IRS is an optical sensor capable of multi-channel nadir observation at wavelengths from SWIR to TIR wavelengths (Cross-track scanning).n/a
VIIRSOperationalGlobal observations of land, ocean, and atmosphere parameters: cloud/weather imagery, sea-surface temperature, ocean colour, land surface vegetation indices.n/a
CPR (EarthCARE)Being developedMeasurement of cloud properties, light precipitation, vertical motion.n/a
GXIBeing developedDetects clouds, cloud properties, water vapour, land and sea surface temperatures, dust, aerosols, volcanic ash, fires, total ozone, snow and ice cover, vegetation index.n/a
METimageBeing developedOperational multi spectral imager for meteorological EPS-SG VIS/IR Imaging Mission (VII): imagery data for global and regional NWP, NWC, and climate monitoring with information on LST, SST, clouds coverage, height and micro-physics, land surfaces (vegetation, snow/ice, fire), water vapour column, aerosol and atmospheric motion vectors. Provides collocated cloud mask, height & characterisation as well as intra-pixel heterogeneity to other EPS-SG missions (with larger footprint).n/a
UVN (Sentinel-4)Being developedSupporting atmospheric composition and air quality monitoring services.n/a
ATLIDApprovedDerivation of cloud and aerosol properties - Measurement of molecular and particle backscatter in Rayleigh, co-polar and cross-polar Mie channels.Atmospheric lidar
MSI (EarthCARE)ApprovedObservation of cloud properties and aerosol (aerosols to be confirmed).n/a
ALADIN-2ProposedGlobal wind profiles (single line-of-sight) for an improved weather prediction.n/a