MIRAS

Microwave Imaging Radiometer using Aperture Synthesis

Satellite

SMOS

Status

Being integrated – To be utilised in the period: 2009 to ~ 2014

Mission

Ocean salinity, soil moisture

Instrument type

MW radiometer at 1.413 GHz with synthetic-aperture antenna. Several polarimetric modes.

Scanning technique

Pushbroom. Correlation interferometry is implemented among receiver arrays deployed on the three arms of an “Y” shaped antenna. A swath of 1000 km is implemented

Coverage/cycle

Global coverage in 3 days (soil moisture). Average over more weeks is needed depending on the desired accuracy for salinity measurements

Resolution

50 km basic, to be degraded depending on the desired accuracy for salinity measurements

Resources

Mass: 369 kg - Power: 375 W - Data rate: … kbps