Long-term observations of water and climate by AMSR-E and GCOM-W

The Global Change Observation Mission (GCOM) consists of two satellite observing systems and three generations to achieve global, comprehensive, and long-term Earth monitoring. The first satellite of the GCOM-W (Water) series will be GCOM-W1 with the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer-2 (AMSR2) onboard. AMSR2 is a successor of AMSR on the Advanced Earth Observing Satellite-II (ADEOS-II) and AMSR for EOS (AMSR-E) on NASA's Aqua satellite. Basic performance of AMSR2 will be similar to that of AMSR-E based on the minimum requirement of data continuity of AMSR-E, with several enhancements including larger main reflector (2.0 m), additional channels in C-band receiver, and improved calibration system. Development of the GCOM-W1 satellite and sensor system is going quite smoothly. The satellite system is now in Phase-C and finished the CDR No.1 in July 2009. The CDR No.2 is scheduled in autumn 2009 for reviewing the additional items. The AMSR2 instrument is now in Phase-D and the flight model is being manufactured. Retrieval algorithms are being developed by collaboration with principal investigators for the eight standard products and possible research products. Experiences through the AMSR-E research activities and the data themselves can be directly utilized in the AMSR2 algorithm development. AMSR-E continues its observation nearly seven years. Taking over from the AMSR-E observations to GCOM, we will be able to construct over 20-years data set of unique geophysical parameters including all-weather sea surface temperature and soil moisture content. Current target launch year of GCOM-W1 is in Japanese fiscal year 2011.