Status of GCOM-W1/AMSR2 development, algorithms, and products

摘要

The Global Change Observation Mission (GCOM) consists of two polar orbiting satellite observing systems, GCOM-W (Water) and GCOM-C (Climate), and three generations to achieve global and long-term monitoring of the Earth. GC0M-W1 is the first satellite of the GCOM-W series and scheduled to be launched in Japanese fiscal year 2011. The Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer-2 (AMSR2) will be the mission instrument of GCOM-W1. AMSR2 will extend the observation of currently ongoing AMSR-E on EOS Aqua platform. Development of GCOM-W1 and AMSR2 is progressing on schedule. Proto-flight test (PFT) of AMSR2 was completed and delivered to the GCOM-W1 satellite system. Currently, the GCOM-W1 system is under PFT at Tsukuba Space Center until summer 2011 before shipment to launch site, Tanegashima Space Center. Development of retrieval algorithms has been also progressing with the collaboration of the principal investigators. Based on the algorithm comparison results, at-launch standard algorithms were selected and implemented into the processing system. These algorithms will be validated and updated during the initial calibration and validation phase. As an instrument calibration activity, a deep space calibration maneuver is planned during the initial checkout phase, to confirm the consistency of cold sky calibration and intra-scan biases. Maintaining and expanding the validation sites are also ongoing activities. A flux tower observing instruments will be introduced into the Murray-Darling basin in Australia, where the validation of other soil moisture instruments (e.g., SMOS and SMAP) is planned.