ISRO-CNES' Megha-Tropiques weather satellite

CNES Megha-Tropiques web siteMegha-Tropiques satellite Photo Credit: CNES

Megha-Tropiques has been conceived primarily to investigate the tropical regions as they receive maximum energy from the Sun than they radiate back into space. The excess energy received in the tropical region is utilized as a thermal engine and provides circulation in the atmosphere and oceans. This has substantial influence and is strongly linked to hydrological cycle, which immensely influences tropical convective systems. The stored energy through tropical rains is released in the form of latent heat while high humidity and thick clouds strongly affect the radiation budget. The complex processes between solar radiation, water vapor, clouds, precipitation and atmospheric motion determine the life cycle of convective systems and influence Indian monsoon in the tropical region.

The tropical convective system and its associated parameters are highly dynamic in nature and call for a high frequency observational platform through a low orbit satellite which is capable of providing information over the tropical region more frequently and on vertical structures on a daily basis. Towards this, Megha-Tropiques will be capable of studying cloud systems, radiation budget, water vapor profiles and temperature and humidity profiles in our troposphere on a more frequent basis.

Megha-Tropiques is one of the unique satellites to be launched into the space having multiple sensors in a single satellite and provides highly reliable parameters to understand global tropical weather and climate.

Megha-Tropiques carries four scientific payloads, of which Microwave Analysis and Detection of Rain and Atmospheric Structures (MADRAS), is a five frequency nine channel passive microwave radiometer. This instrument will provide estimation of rainfall, water vapor, liquid water, ice and surface wind speed in these systems. The second payload, Scanner for Radiative Budget (SCARAB), is a cross track scanning radiometer providing data on the radiative budget of tropical convective systems. The third, Sondeur Atmospherique du Profil d'humidite Intertropicale par Radiometrie (SAPHIR), is a multi-channel cross track millimeter wave humidity sounder for atmospheric profiling in the inter-tropical region. The fourth payload of Megha Tropiques is GPS Radio Occultation Sensor (GPS-ROS), which is capable of measuring water vapour and temperature profiles in the tropics.

Megha-Tropiques will be placed in a low inclination orbit of 20⁰ which will facilitate high temporal re-visit capability over the tropical region. This orbit will enhance observational capability of the rapidly developing tropical systems and will enable monitoring of weather and climate over the entire tropical world.

The international conference on Megha-Tropiques being held at Bangalore is designed to deliberate on issues related to scientific retrieval and understanding of various parameters in tropical environment and their applications for enhanced interpretation on the evolution of tropical systems in the short term and climate in the long term. It is expected that the international deliberations would culminate into directional pathways for improved tropical weather understanding and better forecasting ability.

Ref:
ISRO Megha-Tropiques website
CNES Megha-Tropiques web site