MTI science, data products and ground data processing overview

The mission of the Multispectral Thermal Imager (MTI) satellite is to demonstrate the efficacy of highly accurate multispectral imaging for passive characterization of urban and industrial areas, as well as sites of environmental interest. The satellite makes top-of-atmosphere radiance measurements that are subsequently processed into estimates of surface properties such as vegetation health, temperatures, material composition and others. The MTI satellite also provides simultaneous data for atmospheric characterization at high spatial resolution. To utilize these data the MTI science program has several coordinated components, including modeling, comprehensive ground-truth measurements, image acquisition planning, data processing and data interpretation and analysis. Algorithms have been developed to retrieve a multitude of physical quantities and these algorithms are integrated in a processing pipeline architecture that emphasizes automation, flexibility and programmability. In addition, the MTI science team has produced detailed site, system and atmospheric models to aid in system design and data analysis. This paper provides an overview of the MTI research objectives, data products and ground data processing.