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TERRA, AQUA (Modis)
Terra and Aqua satellites are part of integrated program NASA EOS (Earth Observation System) consisting of three satellites of special-purpose - Terra, Aqua и Aura, engineered for land, water and atmosphere survey correspondingly.
Terra and Aqua satellites were set into near-polar sun-synchronous orbit at the height of 705 km. One of the most valuable tools of EOS American satellites is MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer). MODIS fixed at Terra and Aqua satellites has 36 spectral bands with 12-bit radiometric resolution in visible, near and IR bands which allow regular surveying of the same area with spatial resolution of up to 250m. Estimated life time of both satellites - 6 years.
MODIS imagery applications:
- Cloud cover airborne and particle concentration (aerosols) inspection, observing water-vapor distribution in the atmosphere, monitoring of atmospheric environment impacts.
- Ocean ice cover monitoring.
- Prompt mapping and studying of ocean temperature range. Phytoplankton distribution and location dynamic analysis for the purpose of biological productivity estimation.
- Automatic detection of the forest fire sites.
- Survey of the gas flaring sites and inventory of gas flare systems.
- Studying of the forest and agricultural biological productivity.
Basic characteristics:
| Launch date: May 4, 2002 |
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| Modes/Channels: |
1-2 |
3-7 |
8-19 |
20-25 |
26 |
27-36 |
| Spectral bands (mkm): |
0.62-0.88 |
0.46-2.16 |
0.41-0.97 |
3.66-4.55 |
1.36-1.39 |
6.54-14.39 |
| Spatial resolution at nadir: |
250 м |
500 м |
1000 м |
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| Swatch Width: |
2300 км |
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| Radiometric resolution: |
12 bits per pixel |
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| Revisit time: |
twice a day |
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