1. The WMO Space Programme
An Introduction to
Meteorological Satellite
Adapted from HPTE 2006 Lecture A123 by
Donald Hinsman, Jim Purdom and Jeff Wilson

2. The beginning of the weather satellite era
First TIROS-1
Image
April 1, 1960
The beginning of the weather satellite era
Canada
Nova Scotia
By 1948, pioneers in atmospheric science were paving the way for environmental satellite applications with the first serious attempt to analyze the atmosphere from “space” based on cloud characteristics depicted in large area photo-mosaics taken from V2 Rockets (Crowson, 1949). Nearly 12 years later, on April 1, 1960, the meteorological satellite era “officially” began with the launch of TIROS 1 (Television and InfraRed Observation Satellite). Since those early days, when satellite images were uncalibrated photographs of clouds and the earth, growth in remote sensing technology and computer capabilities has led to the high resolution, multi-spectral digital renderings that satellite data are today.

3. 53+ Years Later
Satellites provide high resolution digital data from a variety of spectral bands whereby both qualitative and quantitative information about the atmosphere, clouds, and land and sea surface properties are deduced
Meteorological satellites provide essential data for weather forecasting to national weather services across the globe

4. WMO space-based system of the Global Observing System
Unparalleled international cooperation has been achieved in satellite activities
EUMETSAT contribution

5. Operational satellites and EUMETSAT’s contribution
FY-1D
(CHINA)
GOES-9 JAPAN
(USA)
155°E
Metop-A
(EUMETSAT)
MTSAT-1R
(JAPAN)
140°E
GOES-W
(USA)
135°W
Jason-2
(NASA-NOAA CNES-EUM)
GOES-N
(USA)
90°W
INSAT
(INDIA)
93.5°E
FY-2A
(CHINA)
86.5°E
GOES-E
(USA)
75°W
NOAA
(USA)
METEOR
(RUSSIA)
GOMS
(RUSSIA)
76°E
KALPANA-1
(INDIA)
74°E
Meteosat-9
(EUMETSAT)
0° Longitude
Meteosat-8
(EUMETSAT)
0° Longitude
Meteosat-7
(EUMETSAT)
57°E
Meteosat-6
(EUMETSAT)
67°E

6. Status of the space-based component GOS
Standing members
operational satellite operators, e.g. NOAA, EUMETSAT
Recent new members (R&D), e.g.
NASA – Aqua, Terra, NPP, TRMM, QuickScat
ESA – ERS 1 and 2, ENVISAT
FSA –METEOR 3M N1 (R&D inst), OKEAN series
CNES – Jason-1, SPOT-5
IMD – INSAT series
Possible future members

7. Meteosat Series
Operational history Meteosat First Generation:
Meteosat October 1979 *
Meteosat
Meteosat
Meteosat
Meteosat
Meteosat
Meteosat
* Due to a radiometer problem the imaging stopped and the satellite was only used for data dissemination

8. Meteosat Series Operational history of Meteosat Second Generation :
Meteosat (MSG-1)
Meteosat (MSG-2)

9. Meteosat First Generation (MFG)
METEOSAT-1 to 7
Meteosat First Generation (MFG)
Vis & IR Imager
3 Spectral Channels
Images every 30 Minutes
5 km horizontal ‘Sampling Distance’
VIS-Channel 2.5 km

10. Channels of First Generation METEOSAT

11. VIS, IR & WV channels of Meteosat First Generation

12. IODC – Meteosat First Generation (Meteosat-6/7)
VIS Image
Meteosat
IR Image
Meteosat
WV Image
Image every 30 minutes

13. EUMETSAT’s geostationary satellite coverage40 60 80
100
120
140
160
180 20
60 S
60 N
IODC
IODC – Indian Ocean Data Coverage
Meteosat-9 (0°)
Meteosat-8 (3.5°E)
Meteosat-7 (57°E)
Meteosat-6 (67°E)

14. SEVIRI radiometer 12 channels every 15 minutes
Ch 1 - VIS 0.6
Ch 2 - VIS 0.8
Ch 3 - NIR 1.6
Ch 4 - IR 3.9
Ch 5 - WV 6.2
Ch 6 - WV 7.3
Ch 7 - IR 8.7
Ch 8 - IR 9.7
Ch 9 - IR 10.8
Ch 10 - IR 12.0
Ch 11 - IR 13.4
Ch 12 - HRV

15. METEOSAT-9 and METEOSAT-7
EARTH VIEW FROM
METEOSAT and METEOSAT-7

16. MSG SEVIRI Channels

17. MSG SEVIRI Channels

18. MSG SEVIRI Channels

19. Most useful channels and combinations
TC Gonu, 4 June :00UTC
day only
24 hours

20. Monitoring of Tropical Cyclones Using MSG
IR10.8 to get info on cloud top temperature/height
HRVIS to see detailed structures
NIR1.6 and IR3.9 (solar component) to get information on phase and particle size
IR3.9 - IR10.8 to find areas with most intense development/precipitation
RGB 01/03/09 (Day) or RGB 01/04/09 (Day) and RGB 10-09/09-04/09 (Night) to monitor cloud types and convective development
RGB 05-06/04-09/03-01 to monitor convective development