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Expected Performances of the Copernicus Imaging Microwave Radiometer (CIMR) for an All‐Weather and High Spatial Resolution Estimation of Ocean and Sea Ice Parameters
Author(s) -
Kilic Lise,
Prigent Catherine,
Aires Filipe,
Boutin Jacqueline,
Heygster Georg,
Tonboe Rasmus T.,
Roquet Hervé,
Jimenez Carlos,
Donlon Craig
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: oceans
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2169-9291
pISSN - 2169-9275
DOI - 10.1029/2018jc014408
Subject(s) - environmental science , radiometer , sea ice , remote sensing , sea surface temperature , advanced very high resolution radiometer , microwave imaging , microwave radiometer , special sensor microwave/imager , wind speed , sea ice concentration , climatology , sea ice thickness , microwave , meteorology , cryosphere , geology , oceanography , geography , physics , satellite , brightness temperature , astronomy , quantum mechanics
Climate change resulting in ocean warming, sea level rise, and sea ice melting has consequences for the global economy, navigation, and security. The Copernicus Imaging Microwave Radiometer (CIMR) mission is a high priority candidate mission within the European Copernicus Expansion program. CIMR is designed to observe the ocean and sea ice and more particularly the Arctic environment. Sea surface temperature (SST), ocean wind speed, sea surface salinity (SSS), and sea ice concentration (SIC) are fundamental variables for understanding, monitoring, and predicting the state of the ocean and sea ice. CIMR is a conically scanning microwave radiometer imager that includes channels at 1.4, 6.9, 10.65, 18.7, and 36.5 GHz, in a Sun‐synchronous polar orbit, to provide SST, ocean wind speed, SSS, and SIC with an increased accuracy and/or spatial resolution. Here we analyze the performances of the CIMR mission in terms of theoretical retrieval precision and spatial resolution on the SST, SSS, and SIC products. A careful information content analysis is conducted. The CIMR performances are compared with the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 2 and the Soil Moisture Active Passive current missions. Maps of the retrieval precision based on realistic conditions are computed. CIMR will provide SST, SSS, and SIC with a spatial resolution of 15, 55, and 5 km and a precision of 0.2 K, 0.3 psu, and 5%, respectively. The SST and SIC will be retrieved at better than 30 km from the coast. CIMR is currently in preparatory phase, and if selected, it is for a launch in the 2025+ time frame.