ESA-OHB “Microwave Radiometer for the Next Generation Reference Altimetry Mission” (Resp. S. LAVIOLA)

Altimetric measurements from space are extremely important in a variety of applications to enable quasi-global estimates of sea level rise, ocean sea state, large-scale ocean and mesoscale circulation, wind speed over the ocean, estimates of sea ice thickness and volume, geodesy applications and river and lake heights estimation. Microwave radiometer usually supprt altimeter by providiong measurements of atmospheric water vapour to mitigate degradation of the radar altimeter measurements. In this project a new microwave radiometer is proposed. The multi-channel microwave radiometer (MRAD) will embarck several channels covering the central frequency of the freuqncy range at 18.7 (TBC) GHz, 23.8 (TBC) GHz, 31.4 or 36.5 (TBC) GHz, 89 (TBC) GHz, 116-122.25 (TBC) GHz, 164-167 (TBC) GHz and 174.8-191.8 (TBC) GHz. This new sensor though the innovative architecture of the internal scheme and with new channels in the G band will satisfy more stringent mission requirements of S6NG mission. thus, the new instrument acrchitecture and the operational suite of channel frequencies will improve the measurement of mean sea level change, in particular close to coastlines and the observation of continental ice sheets’ melting which is a crucial climate change indicator.