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About OceanSat-2

OceanSat-2 is an oceanography satellite owned by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), which launched on 23 September 2009 and remains operational.

Mission Parameters
Orbit Height720km
Orbit TypePolar Sun-synchronous
Orbit Period99.31 minutes
Revisit Time2 days
Inclination98.28°
Equator Crossing Time12:00

OceanSat-2 Objectives

The main objectives of OceanSat-2 are to study surface winds and ocean surface strata, observation of chlorophyll concentrations, monitoring of phytoplankton blooms, study of atmospheric aerosols and suspended sediments in the water.

OceanSat-2 plays an important role in forecasting the onset of the monsoon and its subsequent advancement over the Indian subcontinent and over South-East Asia.

OceanSat-2 Instruments

OCM-2 (Ocean Colour Monitor-2)

OCM-2 is an improved version of the one flown on OceanSat-1. OCM-2 is a solid-state radiometer providing observations in eight spectral bands in the VNIR region. It is an 8-band multi-spectral camera operating in the Visible – Near infrared spectral range. This camera provides an instantaneous geometric field of view of 360 m and a swath of 1420 km. OCM can be tilted up to + 20 degrees along track.

OCM Instrument Specifications
ParameterValue
Spectral Range (8 bands)0.4 - 0.9 µm (VNIR)
Scan Plane Tilt±20º,to avoid sun glitter
Camera MTF>20% at Nyquist frequency
IFOV at nadir (spatial resolution)LAC: 360 m x 236 m
GAC: 1 km
FOV (swath)1420 km (±43º)
Tilt Capability±20º along track
Data Quantization12 bit
Data Rate (real-time)20.8 Mbit/s
Instrument Mass78 kg
SNR> 512 (saturation)
Effective Focal Length20 mm
Absolute Radiometric Accuracy<10%
Onboard Calibration2 LEDs per band
Instrument Power134 W

 

Table of Bands
Spectral BandWavelength Range (nm)Application
B1404-424 Yellow substance absorption
B2431-451 Chlorophyll absorption
B3476-496 Chlorophyll and other pigments
B4500-520 Turbidity and suspended sediments
B5546-566 Chlorophyll reference
B6610-630 Total suspended matter estimation
B7725-755 Atmospheric correction
B8845-885 Atmospheric correction/aerosol optical thickness


Non-scientific Measuring Instruments

Scanning Scatterometer (SCAT): an active microwave device used to determine ocean surface level wind vectors through estimation of radar backscatter.

Radio Occultation Sounder for Atmospheric Studies (ROSA): a GPS occultation receiver provided by ASI (the Italian Space Agency) with an objective to characterise the lower atmosphere and the ionosphere.

OceanSat-2 Data

DATA COLLECTIONS

ESA offers to registered user the access through the Online Dissemination server to the following data collections:

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