MiRS Sensors
SSMIS Overview
photo: SSMIS instrument
Satellite(s)
F16, F17, F18
MiRS Production Status
F16: Previously operational.
F17 & F18: Currently operational.
The Special Sensor Microwave Imager/Sounder (SSMIS) continues the legacy of passive microwave instruments carried aboard Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) satellites. Beginning with the launch of the DMSP F-16 satellite on 18 October 2003, the SSMIS marks the commencement of a new series of passive microwave conically scanning imagers and sounders planned for launch over the next two decades (Sun and Weng 2008). SSMIS improves upon the surface and atmospheric retrievals of the Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I), and upon the atmospheric temperature and water vapor sounding capabilities of both the Special Sensor Microwave Temperature Sounder (SSM/T-1) and the Special Sensor Microwave Humidity Sounder (SSM/T-2). Furthermore, the SSMIS imaging and sounding sensors share the same viewing geometry, thereby allowing surface parameters to be retrieved simultaneously (Yan and Weng 2008). The SSMIS instrument is able to estimate atmospheric temperature, moisture, and surface parameters from data collected at frequencies ranging from 19 to 183 GHz over a swath width of 1707 km.
| Channel | Center Freq. (Ghz) | Passband (Mhz) | Freq. (MHz) / Polarization | NEDT(Max)(K) | Sampling Interval (km) | Footprint (km) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 50.3 | 400 | 10 V | 0.4 | 37.5 | 38 x 38 |
| 2 | 52.8 | 400 | 10 V | 0.4 | 37.5 | 38 x 38 |
| 3 | 53.596 | 400 | 10 V | 0.4 | 37.5 | 38 x 38 |
| 4 | 54.4 | 400 | 10 V | 0.4 | 37.5 | 38 x 38 |
| 5 | 55.5 | 400 | 10 V | 0.4 | 37.5 | 38 x 38 |
| 6 | 57.29 | 350 | 10 RCP(*) | 0.5 | 37.5 | 38 x 38 |
| 7 | 59.4 | 250 | 10 RCP | 0.6 | 37.5 | 38 x 38 |
| 8 | 150 | 1500 | 200 H | 0.88 | 37.5 | 14 x 13 (imager) |
| 9 | 183.31±6.6 | 1500 | 200 H | 1.2 | 37.5 | 14 x 13 (imager) |
| 10 | 183.31±3 | 1000 | 200 H | 1.0 | 37.5 | 14 x 13 (imager) |
| 11 | 183.31±1 | 500 | 200 H | 1.25 | 37.5 | 14 x 13 (imager) |
| 12 | 19.35 | 400 | 75 H | 0.7 | 25 | 73 x 47 |
| 13 | 19.35 | 400 | 75 V | 0.7 | 25 | 73 x 47 |
| 14 | 22.235 | 400 | 75 V | 0.7 | 25 | 73 x 47 |
| 15 | 37 | 1500 | 75 H | 0.5 | 25 | 41 x 31 |
| 16 | 37 | 1500 | 75 V | 0.5 | 25 | 41 x 31 |
| 17 | 91.655 | 3000 | 100 V | 0.9 | 12.5 | 14 x 13 (imager) |
| 18 | 91.655 | 3000 | 100 H | 0.9 | 12.5 | 14 x 13 (imager) |
| 19 | 63.283248±0.285271 | 3 | 0.08 RCP | 2.4 | 75 | 75 x 75 |
| 20 | 60.792668±0.357892 | 3 | 0.08 RCP | 2.4 | 75 | 75 x 75 |
| 21 | 60.792668±0.357892±0.002 | 6 | 0.08 RCP | 1.8 | 75 | 75 x 75 |
| 22 | 60.792668±0.357892±0.006 | 12 | 0.12 RCP | 1.0 | 75 | 75 x 75 |
| 23 | 60.792668±0.357892±0.016 | 32 | 0.34 RCP | 0.6 | 75 | 75 x 75 |
| 24 | 60.792668±0.357892±0.050 | 120 | 0.84 RCP | 0.7 | 37.5 | 75 x 75 |
| Channel | Center Freq. (Ghz) | Passband (Mhz) | Freq. (MHz) / Polarization | NEDT(Max)(K) | Sampling Interval (km) | Footprint (km) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 50.3 | 400 | 10 H | 0.4 | 37.5 | 38 x 38 |
| 2 | 52.8 | 400 | 10 H | 0.4 | 37.5 | 38 x 38 |
| 3 | 53.596 | 400 | 10 H | 0.4 | 37.5 | 38 x 38 |
| 4 | 54.4 | 400 | 10 H | 0.4 | 37.5 | 38 x 38 |
| 5 | 55.5 | 400 | 10 H | 0.4 | 37.5 | 38 x 38 |
| 6 | 57.29 | 350 | 10 RCP(*) | 0.5 | 37.5 | 38 x 38 |
| 7 | 59.4 | 250 | 10 RCP | 0.6 | 37.5 | 38 x 38 |
| 8 | 150 | 1500 | 200 H | 0.88 | 37.5 | 14 x 13 (imager) |
| 9 | 183.31±6.6 | 1500 | 200 H | 1.2 | 37.5 | 14 x 13 (imager) |
| 10 | 183.31±3 | 1000 | 200 H | 1.0 | 37.5 | 14 x 13 (imager) |
| 11 | 183.31±1 | 500 | 200 H | 1.25 | 37.5 | 14 x 13 (imager) |
| 12 | 19.35 | 400 | 75 H | 0.7 | 25 | 73 x 47 |
| 13 | 19.35 | 400 | 75 V | 0.7 | 25 | 73 x 47 |
| 14 | 22.235 | 400 | 75 V | 0.7 | 25 | 73 x 47 |
| 15 | 37 | 1500 | 75 H | 0.5 | 25 | 41 x 31 |
| 16 | 37 | 1500 | 75 V | 0.5 | 25 | 41 x 31 |
| 17 | 91.655 | 3000 | 100 V | 0.9 | 12.5 | 14 x 13 (imager) |
| 18 | 91.655 | 3000 | 100 H | 0.9 | 12.5 | 14 x 13 (imager) |
| 19 | 63.283248±0.285271 | 3 | 0.08 RCP | 2.4 | 75 | 75 x 75 |
| 20 | 60.792668±0.357892 | 3 | 0.08 RCP | 2.4 | 75 | 75 x 75 |
| 21 | 60.792668±0.357892±0.002 | 6 | 0.08 RCP | 1.8 | 75 | 75 x 75 |
| 22 | 60.792668±0.357892±0.006 | 12 | 0.12 RCP | 1.0 | 75 | 75 x 75 |
| 23 | 60.792668±0.357892±0.016 | 32 | 0.34 RCP | 0.6 | 75 | 75 x 75 |
| 24 | 60.792668±0.357892±0.050 | 120 | 0.84 RCP | 0.7 | 37.5 | 75 x 75 |
RCP - denotes right-handed circular polarization.
Source: NSIDC SSMIS page
