JAXA’s Contributions to the Water
Cycle Observation
Kazuo Umezawa
JAXA/SAPC

25 November 2013, GEOSS Joint Asia - Africa Water Cycle
Symposium, Tokyo, JapanJAXA Operating and Planned
Satellites/Missions
Target launch year ofplanned missions inJapanese Fiscal Year

ALOSALOS-2 SAR

Earth CARE/CPR

ALOSALOS-3 Optical(2016 -)

(2014)(2016)

GPM/DPR

QZSS(2014)(2010/09)

GCOMGCOM-CKIZUNA(2016)(2008/02)

DAICHI (ALOS)(2006/01)

KIKU-8Aqua/AMSR-E(2006/12)

GCOMGCOM-W(2012)(2002/05)(1997/11)

KODAMA(2002/09)

IBUKI (GOSAT)(2009/01)

TRMM/PRAMSR2 onboard GCOM-W1 “SHIZUKU”
 Successor of AMSR-E on Aqua and AMSR
on ADEOS-II.
 Deployable main reflector system with 2.0m
diameter (1.6m for AMSR-E).
 Frequency channel set is identical to that ofAMSR-E except 7.3GHz channel for RFImitigation.
 Two-point external calibration with improved
HTS (hot-load).
 Add a redundant momentum wheel toincrease reliability.
AMSR2 Channel Set

GCOM-W1/AMSR2 characteristics
CenterFreq.
[GHz]

Bandwidth[MHz]

6.925/
7.3

350

Incidence angle Nominal 55 degrees10.65

100Digitization

18.7

200

23.8

400

36.5

1000

0.35 (7 x 12)

89.0

3000

0.15 (3 x 5)

Scan and rate

Conical scan at 40 rpm

Antenna

Offset parabola with 2.0m dia.

Swath width

1450km12bitsDynamic range 2.7-340K
Polarization

Vertical and horizontal

Pol.

Beam width [deg](Ground res. [km])Sampling
interval[km]

1.8 (35 x 62)
VandH

1.2 (24 x 42)
0.65 (14 x 22)

100.75 (15 x 26)
53

GCOM-W1 Data ProductsStandard Products
Products

Brightness
Temperature

GEO

AreasRes.

Accuracy

Range

ReleaseStandardGoal

Global

5-50km

±1.5K

±1.5K

±1.0K (systematic)±0.3K (random)

2.7-340K

Integrated
water vapor

Global, overocean

15km±3.5kg/m2±3.5kg/m2±2.0 kg/m2

0-70kg/m2

Integrated cloudliquid water

Global, overocean

15km±0.10kg/ m2±0.05kg/ m2±0.02kg/ m2

0-1.0kg/m2

Precipitation

Global, except
cold latitude

15km

Ocean ±50%Land ±120%

Ocean ±50%Land ±120%

Ocean ±20%Land ±80%0-20mm h-1

Sea surface
temperature

Global, overocean

50km±0.8℃

±0.5℃

±0.2℃

-2-35℃

Sea surface
wind speed

Global, overocean

15km±1.5m s-1

±1.0m s-1

±1.0m s-1

0-30m s-1

Sea iceconcentration

Polar region,over ocean

15km

±10%

±10%

±5%

0-100%Snow depth

Land

30km

±20cm

±20cm

±10cm

0-100 cm

Soil moisture

Land

50km

±10%±10%±5%

0-40%Research Products: Potential candidates include all-weather sea
surface wind speed, sea ice moving vector, sea ice thickness, landhydrological assimilated products, and so forth.

4•••
•

https://gcom-w1.jaxa.jp/
Standard products of AMSR2, AMSR-E, and AMSRAMSR2 brightness temperatures were released in January 2013.
AMSR2 geophysical parameters were released in May 2013.

Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission(TRMM)
 Focused on rainfall observation. First
instantaneous rainfall observation by
three different sensors (PR, TMI,VIRS). PR, active sensor, can observe
3D structure of rainfall.
 Targeting tropical and subtropicalregion, and chose non-sunsynchronous orbit (inc. angle 35degree) to observe diurnal variation.

US-Japan jointmission
Japan: PR, launch
US: satellite, TMI,VIRS, CERES, LIS,operation
Launch28 Nov. 1997 (JST)

Altitude

About 350km (since 2001,boosted to 402km to extendmission operation）

Inc. angle

About 35 degree, non-sunsynchronous orbit

Design life

3-year and 2month (stilloperating)Instruments

Precipitation Radar (PR)TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI)
Visible Infrared Scanner (VIRS)
Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS)
CERES (not in operation)6

3-hourly animation of Typhoon 17 and global rainfall observed by GSMaP_NRT from 20 Sep. to 1 Oct., 2012.

JAXA/EORC Global Rainfall Watch web site releases GSMaP_NRT products by merging TRMM
and a number of passive microwave radiometers with geo-stationary IR information.
Providing hourly and 0.1-degree grid data 4-hour after observation.
- browse images, Google Earth KMZ files, 24-hour animations- binary data for research purposes- reanalysis version (GSMaP_MVK) from Mar. 2000 to Nov. 2010 is also available

GCOM-W1 joined, too
NOAA
AMSU-A/B&MHS
TRMM
TMI

Aqua
AMSR-EDMSP
SSM/I, SSMIS

GSMaPMicrowave Radiometer (MWR)
Algorithm

Products of Each Microwave
Radiometer DataGeostationary
Satellites/IR
GSMaP_MVK
algorithm

GSMaP Product(IR-MWR Merged product)
0.1-deg. grid, hourlyTRMM Era
Core Satellite

 GPM: An international satellite
mission to be launched by JAXA andNASA in 2014 for precipitation
measurements worldwide
Core Satellite (JAXA, NASA)
Dual-frequency precipitation radar (DPR)
GPM Microwave Imager (GMI)• Precipitation with high precision• Discrimination between rain and snow
• Adjustment of data from constellation
satellites (The core satellite will fly in
non-sun-synchronous orbit.)

GPM EraConstellation
Satellites

Constellation Satellites(International Partners)
Microwave radiometers
Microwave sounders• Global precipitation every 3 hours(launch in early 2014)(launch around 2014)
2 satellites/3hr

 Improve the accuracy of both long-term andshort-term weather forecasts
 Improve water resource management in rivercontrol and irrigation systems for agriculture

8 satellites/3hr

9

GPM Core Observatory with DPR

GPM core observatory in GMI and HGA deployed configuration(photo provided by NASA)
DPR mechanically integrated to the coreobservatory (photo provided by NASA)

ALOS-2 Specification
Sun-Synchronous Sub-Recurrent
Altitude: Approx. 630km

Orbit

LST: 12：00 in descending orbit
5 years

Design LifeTarget

JFY2013

RocketH-2A

MassApprox. 2 ton

Solar Paddle

Two-wings type panel

LaunchSatellite

ALOS-2: SAR Satellite August, 2009: Project Team wasestablished December 2009: Preliminary
Design Phase October 2010: Critical DesignPhase Planned to be launch in 2013

Mission Data Transmission

Direct / via. Data Relay Satellite

Mission Sensor

Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR)

Frequency

L-band (1.2GHz)

Major
Observation
ModeFineResolution: 1-3 m, Width: 25 km

Basic

Resolution: 3 / 6 / 10 m
Width: 50 / 50 / 70 km

WideResolution: 100 m, Width: 350 km

Mission Objectives

Crustal change, volcano monitoring,
surface deformation
Sea ice, river, forest and agriculture
monitoring etc.

GCOM-C1 and SGLI
• Improvement of land, coastal, and aerosol
observations.
• fine (250m) spatial resolution• polarization/along-track slant view
GCOM-C SGLI characteristics (Current baseline)
Sun-synchronous (descending local time:Orbit
10:30)
Altitude: 798km, Inclination: 98.6deg
Launch Date Jan. 2014 (HII-A)
Mission Life
5 years (3 satellites; total 13 years)
Push-broom electric scan (VNR: VN & P)
Scan
Wisk-broom mechanical scan (IRS: SW & T)
1150km cross track (VNR: VN & P)
Scan width
1400km cross track (IRS: SW & T)
Digitalization 12bit
Multi-angle
Polarization
3 polarization angles for P
obs. for674nm andAlong track
Nadir for VN, SW and T,
869nm
direction+45 deg and -45 deg for P
VN: Solar diffuser, Internal lamp (LED,halogen), Lunar by pitch maneuvers(~once/month), and dark current bymasked pixels and nighttime obs.
On-board
SW: Solar diffuser, Internal lamp, Lunar, andcalibration
dark current by deep space window
T: Black body and dark current by deepspace window
All: Electric calibration

250m over land or
coastal area, and
1km over offshore

SGLI channels
Lstd
Lmax SNR at Lstd IFOV
VN, P:CH VN, P, SW: nm
VN, P, SW: m
W/m2/sr/µm
T: µm
T: NE∆T
T: Kelvin
VN1 380
1060
210
250
250
VN2 4121075250400
250
VN3 4431064400
300
250
VN4 4901053120400
250
VN5 530
2041350250
250
VN6 565203390400
250
VN7 673.5202362400
250
VN8 673.5
2025210250
250
VN9 7631240350
1200(@1km)
250
VN10 868.5
20830400
250
VN11 868.5
2030300
200
250
P1 673.52025250250
1000
P2 868.52030300
250
1000
SW1 1050
2057248500
1000
SW2 1380
208103150
1000
SW3 1630
200
35057250
SW4 221050
1.920211
1000
T1
10.80.7300
340
0.2500/250
T2
12.00.7300
340
0.2500/250
12λ∆λ250m-mode possibilityCommon• TOA radiance (including systemRadiancegeometric correction)

Blue: standard products
Red: research products• Radiation budget by the atmosphere-surface system• Carbon cycle in the Land and Ocean

LandAtmosphere• Precise geometric• CloudSurface correction
flag/Classificationreflectan•
Atmosphericcorrected•
Classifiedcloudce
reflectancefraction• Vegetation index• Cloud top temp/height• Above-ground biomassECV Cloud • Water cloud optical
thickness /effective• Vegetation roughness
ECV radius
Vegetati index
on and• Ice cloud opticalcarbon • Shadow index
thickness
cycle • Fraction of Absorbed
Watercloud geometrical
Photosyntheticallythicknessavailable radiation ECV• Aerosol over the ocean• Leaf area index ECV• Land aerosol by nearTemp. • Surface temperature
Aerosolultra violet
Land net primary
ECV • Aerosol by Polarization
production
Radiation Long-wave radiation flux
Applicati Water stress trend
budget Short-wave radiation flux
onFire detection index

ECVLand cover type
ECVLand surface albedo ECVECVOcean

Ocean
color

ECV

• Normalized waterleaving radiance• Atmospheric correction
parameter• Photosyntheticallyavailable radiation
Euphotic zone depth• Chlorophyll-a conc.
• Suspended solid conc.
In-water• Colored dissolved
organic matter
Inherent opticalIn-waterproperties
Temp. • Sea surface temp. ECVOcean net primary
productivity
Phytoplankton functional
Applicati type
Redtideon
multi sensor merged
ocean color
multi sensor merged SST

Cryosphere• Snow and Ice covered
ECVarea• Okhotsk sea-ice
Area/
distribution
distributi
Snow and ice
onclassification
Snow covered area inforest and mountain• Snow and ice surface
Temperature• Snow grain size ofshallow layer
Snow grain size ofSurface subsurface layer
propertie
Snow grain size of topslayer
Snow and ice albedoECV
Snow impurity
Ice sheet surface
roughnessIce sheet boundary
Boundary
ECVmonitoring13

http://suzaku.eorc.jaxa.jp/GCOM_W/JASMES_daily/

SAFESpace Application For Environment
1. SAFE is conducted as an Asia-Pacific Space
Agency Forum (APRSAF) initiative
2. SAFE is aiming to enhance the capability ofSatellite technology in the Asia Pacific region
3. Each SAFE implementing team is expected toconstruct a prototype of operational use ofSatellite technology within two years4. It is recommended to transfer SAFE
accomplishments to stake holders to realize
sustainable use of the technology

CompletedSAFE prototyping line-up

Country
VIETNAMVIETNAMLAO PDRCAMBODIAPAKISTANSRI LANKA
INDONESIAVIETNAMTHAILAND

Integrated water resource management
Forest monitoring
Forest monitoring and management
Water Cycle and Agricultural Activities
Monitoring Water Cycle Variations & Assessing Climate Change Impacts
Risk of Sea Level Rise on Coastal Zone
Potential Drought Monitoring
Mangrove Forest Mapping and Carbon Stock Estimation
Economic Fish Larvae Mapping and Monitoring

SRI LANKA

Modeling ocean frontal zones using high resolution satellite and float data tolocate tuna fish aggregations

SRI LANKA

Mapping and Detecting Wetlands in River Basin

INDONESIA

Assessment of drought impact on rice production in Indonesia by satellite
remote sensing and dissemination with web-GIS

CAMBODIA

Water and Food Security under the Climate Change

BANGLADESH

Investigation of sedimentation process and stability of the area around thecross-dams in Meghna estuary

INDONESIAThe assessment of Mangrove Forest Carbon Stock Monitoring of Indonesia
using Remote Sensing Approach

MALAYSIAINDONESIAVIETNAM

Agricultural land abandonment
SAR Rice crop
Rice crop monitoring

On-goingN

Prototyping title

16Sri Lanka case
The case of giving an impact to considering the law in the country
Prototyping title; Risk of Sea Level Rise on Coastal Zone (Coastal management)
Executor; Mr. Eng. BANDULA Wickramarachchi, Coastal Conservation Department
Overview of the stake holder meeting:
Date; 24 Aug 2011
Attendees; Authorities, high rankers and private sectors who has responsible fordeveloping the area
Result of the stake holder meeting;- Giving committee by including people concerned with work-site
operations, as the governmental policy.
- Started discussions for establishment preparations of governmental oradministrative laws and ordinances.

ADB and JAXA joint project “Remote sensing
application for river basin management” (2012～～2014) in Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Philippines
 Earlier flood forecasting system using rain precipitation data inupper river basins obtained by Global Satellite Mapping ofPrecipitation (GSMaP) using TRMM and other satellites, as well as
using elevation information of land surface by ALOS.
 Rapid message delivery of flood information to cell phones for the
related organizations and the public.
 Development of plan and capacity buildings to continue utilizations.

Input

Improved
flood prediction
modelNew Rain
Gauge

GSMaP
calibration
Precipitation databy satellite
Geographical
Data bysatellite

Input

OutputOutputFloodPrediction

SMS distribution
systemFlood Alert

Evacuation
Information distribution
to citizens

18

Thank you for your attention