Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer
for Earth Observing Systems (AMSR-E)
The Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for Earth Observing Systems (AMSR-E) is an instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite. Each card on this page represents a product derived using data from the AMSR-E instrument. Products on green cards, marked as "Evaluation Product," are being used by at least one National Weather Service Forecast Office. Products on blue cards, marked as "Research," are still in development, or exist mainly for academic purposes. For more details on any product, click the link at the bottom of each eard. To see actual real-time data, click the link at the bottom right of the card.
For more information, see the AMSR-E Overview at the bottom of this page.
RESEARCH
Snow Water Equivalent
Equivalent amount of liquid water contained in a ground snow layer (mm).
RESEARCH
Vegetation Water Content
Measure of amount of water contained in underlying vegetation (kg/m2).
details | real-time data
AMSR-E Overview
The Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for EOS (AMSR-E) is a passive microwave radiometer on the Aqua polar orbiting satellite. It measures radiation reaching the instrument at six frequencies (6.925 - 89.0 GHz) which are ideal for studying many atmospheric and surface phenomena. Unlike passive infrared measurements, radiation at some of these microwave frequencies are not significantly affected by clouds, allowing a more contiguous observation of the ocean surface or precipitation within the clouds.
Currently five products (rain rate, convective percent, water vapor, wind speed, and sea surface temperature) derived from the AMSR-E satellite data are being sent in near real-time to several NWS forecast offices (Miami, Huntsville, and Mobile) for evaluation and use. The products are ingested into AWIPS at the Huntsville, Mobile, and Miami weather offices and used by the forecasters for diagnostic analysis and forecast preparation. These products are especially useful over regions void of more conventional land- and satellite-based observations. Forecasters regularly comment about the value of monitoring offshore weather systems beyond land-based radar coverage.
In addition to real-time products, SPoRT is also working with four experimental products (cloud liquid water, snow water equivalent, soil moisture, and vegetation water content). These products will be evaluated by SPoRT scientists to determine if they will provide added value to our partners. If these products can help to solve specific forecasting challenges in our partnering NWS offices, they will be transitioned.
For more information on AMSR-E cloud/precipitation, visit NSIDC's Atmospheric Data Overview.
For more information on AMSR-E ocean products, visit NSIDC's Ocean Data Overview.
For more information on AMSR-E land products, visit NSIDC's Land Data Overview.
