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INSTRUMENTS
Explore the many instruments the European Space Agency use to observe the Earth. ESA offer data from a wide range of optical, radar, atmospheric, altimetric and gravimetric instrumentation.
Instrument - MAGNETOMETERS
VFM
The Vector Field Magnetometer (VFM) is the primary instrument carried aboard the Swarm satellites.
Instrument - Radar Altimeters
STR (Swarm)
The Swarm Star Trackers retrieve information on the precise satellite orientation and attitude.
Instrument - Radar Altimeters
RA-2
The RA-2 instrument aboard Envisat acquired radar altimetry data over ocean, land and ice surfaces.
Instrument - Positioning/Navigation
PRARE
The Precise Range And Range-Rate Equipment (PRARE) was a microwave tracking system on board the ERS-1 and ERS-2 missions.
Instrument - Imaging Spectrometers/Radiometers
MWR (ERS)
The microwave radiometer (MWR) instrument on board the ERS-1 and ERS-2 missions provided measurements of the integrated atmospheric water vapour column and cloud liquid water content.
Instrument - Imaging Spectrometers/Radiometers
MWR (Envisat)
The MWR instrument, on board Envisat mission, measured integrated atmospheric water vapour column and cloud liquid water.
Instrument - Interferometric Radiometers
MIRAS
The MIRAS instrument is a passive microwave 2-D interferometric radiometer onboard the SMOS satellite.
Instrument - Interferometers
MIPAS
MIPAS was an atmospheric instrument carried aboard the Envisat satellite.
Instrument - Imaging Spectrometers/Radiometers
MERIS
The MERIS instrument aboard Envisat was primarily dedicated to providing ocean colour measurements.
Instrument - Laser Ranging
LRR ERS
The Laser Retro-Reflector (LRR), on board the ERS-1 and ERS-2 missions, was an optical device for accurate satellite tracking from the ground to support instrument data evaluation.
Instrument - Laser Ranging
LRR (Envisat)
The LRR instrument aboard Envisat was used to accurately determine the orbital height of the satellite.
Instrument - GPS
GPSR and LRR (Swarm)
Each Swarm satellite is equipped with a Laser Retro-Reflector for external calibration and validation of the on-board GPS receiver.
Instrument - Spectrometers
GOMOS
GOMOS is a medium resolution spectrometer covering the wavelength range from 250 nm to 950 nm.
Instrument - Spectrometers
GOME
The Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment (GOME) was a nadir-scanning ultraviolet and visible spectrometer for global monitoring of atmospheric Ozone.
Instrument - Magnetic Field/Electric Field Instruments
EFI
The Electric Field Instrument (EFI) aboard the Swarm satellites is the first 3D ionospheric imager in space.
Instrument - Imaging Spectrometers/Radiometers
CHRIS
Compact High Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (CHRIS) provides data of spectral reflectances.
Instrument - Imaging Spectrometers/Radiometers
ATSR
The Along Track Scanning Radiometer (ATSR) on board ERS-1 and ERS-2 mission consisted of two instruments, an Infra-Red Radiometer and a Microwave Sounder.
Instrument - MAGNETOMETERS
ASM
The Absolute Scalar Magnetometer on the Swarm satellites measures the strength of the magnetic field.
Instrument - Imaging Radars
ASAR
ASAR ensures continuity with the image mode (SAR) and the wave mode of the ERS-1/2 AMI.
Instrument - Lidar/Laser Sounders
ALADIN
ALADIN, on board Aeolus, is a Direct Detection Doppler Wind Lidar operating in the ultraviolet range.