FIMAS: feasibility study of a fluorescence imaging spectrometer to be flown on a small platform in tandem with Sentinel 3

Resulting from a call for ideas for the 7th Earth Explorer mission, the Fluorescence Explorer (FLEX) mission [1] was selected for assessment as one of the six Earth Explorer missions to be studied within Phase 0. After the review of the study outcome by the Earth Science Advisory Committee (ESAC), FLEX was not selected for Phase A study. Although not selected, ESAC has expressed a clear recommendation to make an in-orbit demonstration of the measurement of vegetation fluorescence from space. Since FLEX involved four different instruments that would be required by an autonomous satellite to measure the chlorophyll fluorescence signal and to make the necessary atmospheric corrections, a new strategy has been proposed, which should make use of existing missions. The aim of this feasibility study is to identify a suitable instrument concept that is compatible with the expected resource limitations.