The implementation of operational atmospheric composition monitoring missions is foreseen in the context of the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) initiative. Sentinel-4 will address the geostationary observations and Sentinel-5 the low Earth orbit ones. The two missions are planned to be launched on-board Eumetsat’s Meteosat Third Generation (MTG) and Post-EPS satellites, respectively. This paper presents an overview of the GMES Sentinel- 4 mission, which has been assessed at Phase-0 level. It describes the key requirements and outlines the main aspects of the candidate implementation concepts available at completion of Phase-0. The paper will particularly focus on the observation mode, the estimated performance and the related technology developments.
The operational deployment of MSG-1 at the beginning of 2004, the first of a series of four Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) satellites, marks the start of a new era in Europe for the meteorological observations from the geostationary orbit. This new system shall be the backbone of the European operational meteorological services up to at least 2015. The time required for the definition and the development of new space systems as well as the approval process of such complex programs implies to plan well ahead for the future missions. EUMETSAT have initiated in 2001, with ESA support, a User Consultation Process aiming at preparing for a future operational geostationary meteorological satellite system in the post-MSG era, named Meteosat Third Generation (MTG). The first phase of the User Consultation Process was devoted to the definition and consolidation of end user requirements and priorities in the field of Nowcasting and Very Short Term Weather Forecasting (NWC), Medium/Short Range global and regional Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP), Climate and Air Composition Monitoring and to the definition of the relevant observation techniques.
After an initial post-MSG mission study (2003-2004) where preliminary instrument concepts were investigated allowing in the same time to consolidate the technical requirements for the overall system study, a MTG pre-phase A study has been performed for the overall system concept, architecture and programmatic aspects during 2004-2005 time frame.
This paper provides an overview of the outcome of the MTG sensor concept studies conducted in the frame of the pre-phase A. It namely focuses onto the Imaging and Sounding Missions, highlights the resulting instrument concepts, establishes the critical technologies and introduces the study steps towards the implementation of the MTG development programme.
The Imaging IR Limb Sounder (IRLS) is one of the two instruments planned on board of the candidate Earth Explorer Core Mission PREMIER. PREMIER stands for PRocess Exploration through Measurements of Infrared and Millimetre-wave Emitted Radiation. PREMIER went recently through the process of a feasibility study (Phase A) within the Earth Observation Envelope Program. Emerging from recent advanced instrument technologies IRLS shall, next to a millimetre-wave limb sounder (called STEAMR), explore the benefits of three-dimensional limb sounding with embedded cloud imaging capability. Such 3D imaging technology is expected to open a new era of limb sounding that will allow detailed studies of the link between atmospheric composition and climate, since it will map simultaneously fields of temperature and many trace gases in the mid/upper troposphere and stratosphere across a large vertical and horizontal field of view and with high vertical and horizontal resolution. PREMIER shall fly in a tandem formation looking backwards to METOP’s swath and thereby improve meteorological and environmental analyses.
An evidence-led scientific case for development of a space-based polar remote sensing platform at geostationary-like (GEO-like) altitudes is developed through methods including a data user survey. Whilst a GEO platform provides a nearstatic perspective, multiple platforms are required to provide circumferential coverage. Systems for achieving GEO-like polar observation likewise require multiple platforms however the perspective is non-stationery. A key choice is between designs that provide complete polar view from a single platform at any given instant, and designs where this is obtained by compositing partial views from multiple sensors. Users foresee an increased challenge in extracting geophysical information from composite images and consider the use of non-composited images advantageous. Users also find the placement of apogee over the pole to be preferable to the alternative scenarios. Thus, a clear majority of data users find the “Taranis” orbit concept to be better than a critical inclination orbit, due to the improved perspective offered. The geophysical products that would benefit from a GEO-like polar platform are mainly estimated from radiances in the visible/near infrared and thermal parts of the electromagnetic spectrum, which is consistent with currently proven technologies from GEO. Based on the survey results, needs analysis, and current technology proven from GEO, scientific and observation requirements are developed along with two instrument concepts with eight and four channels, based on Flexible Combined Imager heritage. It is found that an operational system could, mostly likely, be deployed from an Ariane 5 ES to a 16-hour orbit, while a proof-of-concept system could be deployed from a Soyuz launch to the same orbit.
The Imaging IR Limb Sounder (IRLS) is one of the two instruments planned on board of the candidate Earth Explorer
Core Mission PREMIER. PREMIER stands for PRocess Exploration through Measurements of Infrared and Millimetrewave
Emitted Radiation and is presently under feasibility study by ESA. Emerging from recent enhanced detector and
processing technologies IRLS shall, next to a millimetre-wave limb sounder, explore the benefits of three-dimensional
limb sounding with embedded cloud imaging capability. Such 3d imaging technology is expected to open a new era of
limb sounding that will allow detailed studies of the link between atmospheric composition and climate, since it will map
simultaneously fields of temperature and many trace gases in the mid/upper troposphere and stratosphere across a large
vertical and horizontal field of view and with relatively high vertical and horizontal resolution. PREMIER shall fly in
tandem formation looking backwards to METOP's swath and thereby explore the benefit of 3-dimensional information
for meteorological/environmental analyses and climate forcing investigations.
As currently planned and if implemented, IRLS will cover a total horizontal field of about 360 km and observe the limb
at altitudes between 4 and 52 km. The vertical spatial sampling distance (SSD) will be well below 1 km. It will be run in
two different exclusive modes to address scientific questions about atmospheric dynamics and chemistry at spectral
samplings of ~1.2 cm-1 and ~0.2 cm-1, respectively. In such configuration IRLS will be composed of an imaging array
with about 1800 macro pixels or sub-samples, thereby allowing cloud imaging and rejection at sufficient spatial
resolution.
We will present an overview of the instrument requirements as derived from the scientific requirements, the present
status of the mission, and we will give an overview of the currently identified technology needs and instrument
predevelopments.
replace the current satellite system in the 2020 timeframe and contribute to the Joint Polar System to be set up with
NOAA. Through consultation with users and application experts, requirements have been defined for a range of
candidate missions mainly in support of operational meteorology and climate monitoring. A number of on-board
instruments, satellite platforms and ground support infrastructure are under study in coordination with ESA, NOAA,
DLR and CNES. The satellites will fly in a sun synchronous, low earth orbit at 817 km altitude and 09:30 descending
equatorial crossing time, providing observations with global coverage every 12 to 24 hours depending on instrument.
The instruments exploit a range of techniques including multi spectral imaging, atmospheric sounding in the optical and
microwave spectral domains, radio occultation sounding, scatterometry and microwave imaging. The raw instrument
data will be broadcast directly by the satellites, as well as being stored on board for their transmission, in sets spanning
up to a full orbit, to polar ground stations. These data will be collected at EUMETSAT facilities and processed to obtain
calibrated and geo-located measurements, and records of well defined geophysical variables. The data will be distributed
to the users in near real time and archived together with the data of other EUMETSAT satellite systems, making
available long term records also suitable for climate monitoring. Feasibility studies for the space and ground systems will
be done until early 2012 with the main objective to select the baseline configuration for preliminary definition,
development and operation programmes to be proposed and coordinated within the involved organisations.
Implementation of operational atmospheric composition monitoring missions is foreseen in the context of the Global
Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) initiative. Sentinel-4 will address the geostationary and Sentinel-5 the
low Earth orbiting part. The two missions are planned to be launched respectively on-board EUMETSAT's METEOSAT
Third Generation (MTG) and Post-EPS satellites. Furthermore, a precursor for Sentinel-5 is needed to bridge between
the current research missions (ENVISAT, EOS Aura) and Sentinel-5.
This paper presents an overview of the GMES Sentinels-4 and -5 (precursor) missions, which have been assessed at
Phase-0 level. It will describe the targetted services and key requirements, and outline the main aspects of the candidate
implementation concepts now available at completion of Phase-0. It mainly focuses onto the Sentinel-5 precursor
mission and the Sentinel-4 mission, highlights the resulting instrument concepts and establishes the critical technologies
identified at completion of Phase-0.
A new call for Core Earth Explorer Ideas was released by the European Space Agency in March 2005. The Call focused
on the global carbon and water cycles, atmospheric chemistry and climate, as well as the human element as a cross
cutting issue. The proposals were peer reviewed by scientific panels, and also appraised technically and
programmatically by ESA. This paper describes the Earth Explorer cycle and gives an overview of the six candidate
missions selected for assessment studies.
The Living Planet Programme of the European Space Agency encompasses a science-driven strategy for monitoring the
Earth from space. The Earth Explorer missions are defined, developed and operated in close cooperation with the science
community and focus on the key components of the Earth System: the atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere
and the Earth's interior. The emphasis of these missions is on providing data to advance our understanding of these
individual components, their interaction with each other and the impacts that human activities have on natural Earth
processes.
By involving the science community from the beginning and introducing a peer-reviewed selection process, this ongoing
user-driven approach has given the Earth science community an efficient tool in their endeavor to better
understand and monitor our planet. So far, this process has resulted in six missions currently under development: GOCE,
Cryosat, ADM Aeolus, SMOS, Swarm and EarthCARE.
The third cycle of Earth Explorers Core Missions was started in 2005 to select the seventh Earth Explorer mission due to
launch in 2014/2015. At present there are six candidate missions being assessed at pre-phase A level. These missions
were chosen to enter the assessment phase as a result of the Call for Core Mission ideas released by ESA in 2005, which
resulted in 24 proposals out of which six candidates were selected:
- BIOMASS - global measurements of forest biomass and extent;
- TRAQ - (TRopospheric composition and Air Quality) - Air quality monitoring and long-range transport of air
pollutants;
- PREMIER - (PRocess Exploration through Measurements of Infrared and millimetre-wave Emitted Radiation)
Understanding the processes that link trace gases, radiation, chemistry and climate in the atmosphere;
- FLEX - (FLuorescence EXplorer) - Observation of global photosynthesis through the measurement of fluorescence;
- A-SCOPE - (Advanced Space Carbon and Climate Observation of Planet Earth) - Improving the understanding of
the global carbon cycle and regional carbon dioxide fluxes;
- CoReH2O - (Cold Regions Hydrology High-resolution Observatory) - Detailed observations of key snow, ice and
water cycle characteristics.
This paper presents an overview of the six candidate missions, describing the scientific objectives and outlining the main
aspects of the candidate implementation concept currently under evaluation.
As part of its activities to prepare for a long-term program in Earth Observation, the European Space Agency is carrying out studies with the objective to provide a background for and pave the way towards the definition of a spaceborne lidar system to monitor greenhouse gases and also atmospheric pressure and temperature. The Agency has initiated system and instrument studies to assess the potential to overcome the principle limitations of the existing passive sounding concepts by a Laser based instrument measuring the CO2 column/profile and extending the range of applications to the monitoring of greenhouse gases as CH4, N2O, ozone and also pressure and temperature profiles. The performance assessment results of such sensors and preliminary instrument concepts are discussed in this paper
The operational deployment of MSG-1 at the beginning of 2004, the first of a series of four Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) satellites, marks the start of a new era in Europe for the meteorological observations from the geostationary orbit. This new system shall be the backbone of the European operational meteorological services up to at least 2015. The time required for the definition and the development of new space systems as well as the approval process of such complex programs implies anyhow to plan well ahead for the future missions. EUMETSAT have initiated in 2001, with ESA support, a User Consultation Process aiming at preparing for a future operational geostationary meteorological satellite system in the post-MSG era, named Meteosat Third Generation (MTG). The first phase of the User Consultation Process was devoted to the definition and consolidation of end user requirements and priorities in the field of Nowcasting and Very Short Term Weather Forecasting (NWC), Medium/Short Range global and regional Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP), Climate and Air Composition Monitoring and to the definition of the relevant observation techniques. The following missions have been analysed and preliminary concepts studied: High Resolution Fast Imagery Mission (successor to MSG SEVIRI HRV mission); Full Disk High Spectral Resolution Imagery Mission (successor to the mission of other MSG-SEVIRI channels); Lightning Imagery Mission; IR Sounding Mission; UV-VIS-NIR Sounding Mission. After an initial post-MSG mission study (2003-2004) where preliminary instrument concepts were investigated allowing in the same time to consolidate the technical requirements for the overall system study, a pre-phase A study on MTG is on its final way for the overall system concept, architecture and programmatic aspects during 2004-2005 time frame. This paper provides an overview of the outcome of the MTG sensor concept studies conducted in the frame of the pre-phase A. It namely focuses onto the Imaging and Sounding Missions, highlights the resulting instrument concepts, establishes the critical technologies and introduces the study steps towards the implementation of the MTG development programme.
The operational deployment of MSG-1 at the beginning of 2004, the first of a series of four Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) satellites, marks the start of a new era in Europe for the meteorological observations from the geostationary orbit. The new system shall be the backbone of the European operational meteorological services up to at least 2015. The time required for the definition and the development of new space systems as well as the approval process of such complex programs implies anyhow to plan well ahead for the future missions.
EUMETSAT have initiated in 2001, with ESA support, a User Consultation Process aiming at preparing for a future operational geostationary meteorological satellite system in the post-MSG era, named Meteosat Third Generation (MTG). The first phase of the User Consultation Process was devoted to the definition and consolidation of end user requirements and priorities in the field of Nowcasting and Very Short Term Weather Forecasting (NWC), Medium/Short Range global and regional Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP), Climate and Air Composition Monitoring and to the definition of the relevant observation techniques. The intermediate results of this first phase were presented to and discussed with the user community at the first Post-MSG User Consultation Workshop convened by EUMETSAT in November 2001 and further consolidated with the support of ESA in the area of potential observation techniques and sensor concepts via dedicated studies conducted in the 2003/2004 time frame. The following missions have been analysed and preliminary concepts studied:
-High Resolution Fast Imagery Mission (successor to MSG SEVIRI HRV mission)
-Full Disk High Spectral Resolution Imagery Mission (successor to the mission of other MSG-SEVIRI channels)
-Lightning Imagery Mission
-IR Sounding Mission
-UV-VIS-NIR-SWIR Sounding Mission
In March 2003, ESA and EUMETSAT derived technical requirements applicable to the MTG mission study where preliminary instrument concepts were investigated allowing in the same time to consolidate the technical requirements for the overall system study.
This paper provides an overview of the outcome of the MTG observation techniques and sensor concept studies conducted in 2003-2004. It namely focuses onto the Imaging and Sounding Missions, highlights the resulting instrument concepts and introduces the study steps towards the implementation of the MTG development programme.
Following the successful commissioning of the first Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) series, EUMETSAT and the European Space Agency (ESA) are actively preparing the Meteosat Third Generation (MTG) mission to plan for a future operational geostationary meteorological satellite system in the post 2015 time frame.
Early user consultation activities of EUMETSAT and ESA for the MTG mission culminated with a user consultation workshop held in November 2001. The User Consultation Process was devoted to the definition and consolidation of end user requirements and priorities in the field of Medium/Short Range global and regional Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP), Nowcasting and Very Short Term Weather Forecasting (NWC) and to the definition of the relevant observation techniques.
Studies on potential observation techniques and sensor concepts have been initiated, covering three distinct imagery missions dedicated to operational meteorology, with emphasis on nowcasting and very short term forecasting and two sounding missions:
- The high resolution fast imagery mission aiming at 5 minutes revisit time with 0.5 km resolution
- The full disk high spectral resolution imagery mission with a large number of spectral channels and with high radiometric performance
- The lighting imagery mission, capable of detecting very low energy events with high reliability
- The infrared sounding mission supporting NWP through the provision of atmospheric motion vectors and temperature and water vapour profiles
- The UV/VIS/SWIR sounding mission dedicated to atmospheric chemistry
The paper describes the MTG user requirements and the preliminary instruments concept, with emphasis on the observation missions.
WALES (Water vapour Lidar Experiment in Space) is one of the three candidate missions that are currently considered for the future ESA Earth Explorer missions. The objective of the mission is to provide better insight into the distribution of water vapour and aerosol in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere for research and applications in climatology and numerical weather prediction. This is to be achieved by providing globally accurate profiles of water vapour concentration. A direct detection Differential Absorption Lidar has been studied in the frame of the WALES mission pre-phase A. The lidar is based on high power laser emitting several wavelengths in the 920-950 nm range, each wavelength being tunable and frequency locked. The backscatter signal is collected through a large telescope and filtered through narrow band filters. The concept and the expected performance of the instrument are discussed in this paper.
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