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Sensors
AMSR2 Overview

The Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 2 (AMSR2) onboard the GCOM-W1 satellite is a remote sensing instrument for measuring weak microwave emission from the surface and the atmosphere of the Earth. From about 700 km above the Earth, AMSR2 will provide us highly accurate measurements of the intensity of microwave emission and scattering. The antenna of AMSR2 rotates once per 1.5 seconds and obtains data over a 1450 km swath. This conical scan mechanism enables AMSR2 to acquire a set of daytime and nighttime data with more than 99% coverage of the Earth every 2 days.

  • Deployable main reflector system with 2.0m diameter (1.6m for AMSR-E).
  • Frequency channel set is identical to that of AMSR-E except 7.3GHz channel for RFI mitigation.
  • Two-point external calibration with improved HTS (hot-load).
  • Deep space calibration maneuver to check consistency between main reflector and CSM.
  • Add a redundant momentum wheel to increase reliability.
GCOM-W1/AMSR2 characteristics
Scan and rate Conical scan at 40 rpm
Antenna Offset parabola with 2.0m dia.
Swath width 1450km
Incidence angleNominal 55 degrees
Digitization 12bits
Dynamic range 2.7-340K
Polarization Vertical and horizontal
AMSR2 Channel Set
Center
Freq.
[GHz]
Band
width
[MHz]

Pol.
Beam width [deg]
(Ground res. [km])
Sampling
interval
[km]
6.925350 V and H1.8 (35 x 62) 10
7.30 350 V and H1.8 (35 x 62) 10
10.65100 V and H1.2 (24 x 42) 10
18.7 200 V and H0.65 (14 x 22)10
23.8 400 V and H0.75 (15 x 26)10
36.5 1000V and H0.35 (7 x 12) 10
89.0 3000V and H0.15 (3 x 5) 5


Source: JAXA GCOM-W1