By Govind Tekale

EarthCARE Satellite Reveals Stunning Cloud Data Just Weeks After Launch: What Its Multispectral Imager Uncovered

Photo Source- The European Space Agency

The EarthCARE satellite which was launched less than 2 months ago, has returned images from two of its 4 instruments. These were the first images from its multispectral imager.

Photo Source- The European Space Agency

EarthCARE, equipped with 4 state-of-the-art instruments - a cloud profiling radar, an atmospheric lidar, a broadband radiometer and a multispectral imager, makes a range of different measurements simultaneously.

Photo Source- The European Space Agency

These measurements will help determine how clouds and aerosols reflect the arriving solar energy back into outer space and how they trap outgoing infrared energy.

Photo Source- The European Space Agency

This information is crucial for understanding how climate change is affecting Earth’s energy balance and for predicting the rate at which clouds and aerosols could lose their current overall cooling effect in future.

Photo Source- The European Space Agency

Special information used to improve the accuracy of the broadband radiometer is provided by the multispectral imager.

Photo Source- The European Space Agency

Images captured with these different special bands will allow scientists to differentiate between various cloud types, aerosol and Earth’s surface.

Simonetta Cheli, “This is another great result from EarthCARE, giving us a glimpse into what the mission will deliver after it is fully commissioned.”

Photo Source- The European Space Agency

Photo Source- Google

The multispectral imager would be key to adding context to the satellite’s other 3 instruments to  advance complicated science on.

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