Sentinel-3 Microwave Radiometers: Instrument Description, Calibration and Geophysical Products Performances

Abstract

Copernicus Sentinel-3 Surface Topography Mission embarks a two-channel microwave radiometer combined with the altimeter in order to correct the altimeter range for the excess path delay resulting from the presence of water vapour in the troposphere. The in-flight calibration of a single instrument is the critical point to achieve the expected performances. In the context of a constellation, the inter-calibration is even more important. After a presentation of the instrument design, we present the diagnoses used for the calibration of Sentinel-3A, using vicarious calibration over specific areas and double difference methods. The inter-calibration of Sentinel-3B with Sentinel-3A is performed during the tandem phase, using the residual differences of co-located measurements. Finally performances are assessed at crossover points with two parameters, first the wet troposphere correction by comparison with Jason-3; secondly on the Sea Surface Height by difference of variance. Analysis results have shown that Sentinel-3A is well calibrated, consistent with other instruments, and that Sentinel-3B is calibrated within 0.4 K with Sentinel-3A as a reference. Performances and stability fulfill the requirements for both missions.

Keywords

• microwave radiometry
• altimetry
• calibration
• Copernicus/Sentinel-3
• vicarious calibration
• ocean