Continuity of Earth Observation Data for Australia: Research ... - csiro

Table 2-2 Survey Instrument Types
Instrument Type Abbreviation Description and Example Applications
Atmospheric chemistry instruments AC
Atmospheric temperature and humidity
sounders
ATHS
Cloud profile and rain radars CPR
Earth radiation budget radiometers ERBR
Gravity, magnetic field and geodynamic
instruments
Low resolution optical sensors
(> 80 m)
Medium resolution optical sensors
(10 m - 80 m)
High resolution optical sensors
(< 10 m)
GRAV
Hyperspectral imagers HSI
Imaging multi-spectral radiometers (passive
microwave)
Opt-Low
Opt-Med
Opt-High
IMS-PM
16 Continuity of Earth Observation Data for Australia: R&D • January 2012
Instruments that use various techniques and different
parts of the electromagnetic spectrum to undertake
measurements of the atmosphere’s composition.
Passive measurements of the distribution of IR or microwave
radiation emitted by the atmosphere, from which vertical
profiles of temperature and humidity through the
atmosphere may be obtained.
Active radars at cm wavelengths for rainfall as well as very
short wavelength (mm) radar (typically 94 GHz) and lidar
to detect scattering from non-precipitating cloud droplets
or ice particles, thereby yielding information on cloud
characteristics such as moisture content and base height.
Instruments taking measurements of the radiation balance
between the incoming radiation from the Sun and the
outgoing reflected and scattered solar radiation plus the
thermal infrared emission to space.
Instruments and supporting systems used to derive
information on the Earth’s gravity field, magnetic field or
geodynamic activity.
Instruments that take detailed optical images of the Earth’s
surface. Generally, nadir-viewing instruments with a horizontal
spatial resolution in the range 1 m to 1100 m and swath
widths up to thousands of kilometres.
Note: the optical resolution standards from the
CEODA-Ops report have been adopted for consistency
between the analyses.
Instruments that take optical images in many (usually 100
or more), narrow, contiguous, spectral bands. Often called
“imaging spectroscopy”.
Operating at microwave wavelengths, these instruments use
channels within 1 to 40 GHz and 80 to 100 GHz to get day/
night information on the Earth’s surface.
imaging microwave radars (X-Band) SAR-X These instruments transmit at frequencies of around 1 to
Imaging microwave radars (C-Band) SAR-C
10 GHz and measure the backscattered signals to generate
microwave images of the Earth’s surface at high spatial
resolutions (between 10 m and 100 m), with a swath width
Imaging microwave radars (L-Band) SAR-L
of 100–500 km. Includes both synthetic aperture radars
(SARs) and real aperture side-looking imaging radar systems.
Lidars LIDAR
Multiple direction/polarisation instruments MDP
Ocean colour instruments OC
Radar altimeters RA
Scatterometers SCATT
Lidars (LIght Detection And Ranging instruments) measure
the radiation that is returned either from molecules and
particles in the atmosphere or from the Earth’s surface when
illuminated by a laser source.
Instruments that are custom-built for observing the
directional or polarisational characteristics of the target’s
signature (either visible/IR or microwave), as a means of
deriving geophysical information.
Ocean colour radiometers and imaging spectrometers
measuring the radiance leaving inland, coastal and marine
waters in the visible and near IR spectrum in the range
400–1000 nm, where the colour is due to constituents of
the water.
Active sensors that use the ranging capability of radar to
measure the surface topography profile along the satellite
track.
Instrument transmits radar pulses and receives backscattered
energy, the intensity of which depends on the roughness and
dielectric properties of a particular target.