AMSR was launched on board the Advanced Earth Observing Satellite-II (ADEOS-II) in June, 2002. ADEOS-II is an integrated observing platform with multiple sensors covering the spectrum from visible to microwave frequencies.

Various geophysical parameters, particularly those related to water (H2O), can be estimated from AMSR data. In addition to the proven parameters such as water vapor, precipitation, and sea surface wind speed, novel geophysical parameters, including sea surface temperature and soil moisture, are expected to be retrieved by using new frequency channels.

Objectives

With the largest ever microwave radiometer antenna, AMSR provides a continuous global observation with high spatial resolution. Long-term record of AMSR measurements will play an important role in climate change monitoring as well as in providing indispensable information for understanding the Earth's climate system, including water and energy circulation. Near real-time products will be used for investigating satellite data assimilation into weather forecasting models and will contribute to improving forecast accuracy.

Instrument

AMSR is an eight-frequency, total-power microwave radiometer with dual polarization (except two vertical channels in the 50GHz band). Conical scanning is employed to observe the Earth's surface with a constant incidence angle. Small-scale features, including clouds, precipitation, sea ice, and land can be resolved.

Data Access

General Data Product Level Definition

Geophysical parameters, such as Integrated Water Vapor (Total Precipitable Water), Integrated Cloud Liquid Water, Precipitation, Sea Surface Wind Speed and Sea Surface Temperatureare of the Global Ocean region were produced as level 2 and 3 standard products. Sea Ice Concentration and Snow Water Equivalent are also standard products.

• AMSR Products

The ADEOS II Platform

The Advanced Earth Observing Satellite-II (launched 2002), the successor to ADEOS, has been developed to advance Earth observation technologies. It acquires data to help researchers understand the mechanism of the global environmental changes such as global warming and to support meteorology and fishery activities. It is equipped with two JAXA sensors: AMSR for quantitatively observing various geophysical data concerning the water cycle, and GLI for observing oceans, land and clouds with high accuracy. It also carries three sensors provided by international and domestic partners. ADEOS-II is expected to provide the data necessary for us to understand the circulation of water, energy, and carbon in order to contribute to studies on global environmental changes.

Main goals:

• Regularly monitor the water and energy cycle as a part of the global climate system.
• Quantitatively estimate the biomass and fundamental productivity as a part of the carbon cycle, which plays an important role in global warming.
• Detect trends in long term climate change as a result of continuing the observations started by ADEOS.

Links

• ADEOS-II Project : JAXA HQ
• AMSR/AMSR-E (JAXA)

Contact

If you would like to have more information about the AMSR data, please contact wdc@dlr.de.