New weather satellite reveals spectacular images of Earth

Europe’s newest climate satellite, the Meteosat Third Technology Imager, has simply delivered its first view of Earth—revealing situations over Europe, Africa and the Atlantic in exceptional element.

Launched on an Ariane 5 rocket on 13 December 2022, the Meteosat Third Technology Imager-1 (MTG-I1) is the primary of a brand new era of satellites set to revolutionize weather forecasting in Europe. ESA and Eumetsat are proud to collectively launch the brand new picture from the subsequent era.

The picture, which was captured by the satellite‘s Versatile Mixed Imager on 18 March 2023, exhibits a lot of Northern and Western Europe and Scandinavia blanketed in clouds, with comparatively clear skies over Italy and the Western Balkans.

ESA’s Director of Earth Commentary Packages, Simonetta Cheli, stated, “This picture is a good instance of what European cooperation in space can obtain. The extent of element MTG-I1’s picture reveals, unachievable over Europe and Africa from a geostationary orbit till now, will give us a higher understanding of our planet and the climate methods that form it.

“This picture represents not simply what could be achieved by means of European experience however our willpower to make sure the advantages of latest know-how are felt by communities in Europe and past.”

Devices onboard the third era of Meteosat meteorological satellites produce imagery with a a lot greater decision, and extra often, than these on the Meteosat Second Technology satellites.

Particulars resembling cloud vortices over the Canary Islands, snow cowl on the Alps and sediment within the water alongside the coast of Italy are seen within the picture. These particulars aren’t as clearly seen, or not seen in any respect, in pictures from the devices on the present second-generation spacecraft.

The brand new picture additionally reveals a higher stage of element of cloud buildings at high latitudes. It will allow climate forecasts to watch the evolution of quickly growing severe weather extra precisely in that area.

Phil Evans, Director Normal at Eumetsat, added, “This exceptional picture offers us nice confidence in our expectation that the MTG system will herald a brand new period within the forecasting of extreme climate occasions.

“It would sound odd to be so excited a couple of cloudy day in most of Europe. However the stage of element seen for the clouds on this picture is awfully essential to climate forecasters. That further element from the upper decision imagery, coupled with the truth that pictures can be produced extra often, means forecasters will have the ability to extra precisely and quickly detect and predict extreme climate occasions.”

“The high-resolution and frequent repeat cycle of the Versatile Mixed Imager will drastically assist the World Meteorological Group neighborhood to enhance forecasts of extreme climate, long-term local weather monitoring, marine purposes, agricultural meteorology, and can make an essential contribution to the Early Warnings For All Initiative, particularly on the African continent,” added Natalia Donoho, Head of the World Meteorological Group Area Techniques and Utilization Division, WMO.

MTG-I1 is at present present process a 12-month commissioning phase, through which its devices, the Versatile Mixed Imager and the Lightning Imager, are switched on and the information they produce are calibrated. Knowledge from the satellite will then be disseminated to meteorological companies in Europe and past on the finish of 2023, for operational use in weather forecasts.

The bottom section infrastructure required to routinely course of pictures was used to supply this primary picture, as a preview of issues to come back this 12 months. Photos of the total Earth disk can be produced each 10 minutes when the system is totally operational.

The MTG satellites are constructed by a big consortium of European industries, led by Thales Alenia Area in cooperation with OHB. The revolutionary Lightning Imager was developed by Leonardo in Italy, whereas Telespazio offers Eumetsat with launch and in-orbit companies.

A brand new period of satellite meteorology

MTG-I1 is the primary of six satellites that kind the total MTG system, which can present crucial knowledge for short-term and early detection of potential excessive climate occasions over the subsequent 20 years. In full operations, the mission will comprise two MTG-I satellites and one MTG Sounding (MTG-S) satellite working in tandem.

The MTG-S sounding satellites—a primary for Meteosat—will carry an Infrared Sounder and an Ultraviolet Seen Close to-Infrared spectrometer. By monitoring atmospheric instability in three dimensions all through the clouds, the sounder will supply a significant step ahead for early warnings of extreme thunderstorms and is predicted to offer distinctive info from geostationary orbit on ozone, carbon monoxide and volcanic ash composition inside the ambiance.

At the moment the revolutionary Infrared Sounding instrument is in its remaining efficiency characterization earlier than being delivered to Bremen, Germany, for MTG-S satellite integration. It’s anticipated that the satellite can be accomplished by mid-2024, with a goal launch earlier than the top of the 12 months.

Paul Blythe, ESA’s Meteosat Program Supervisor, commented, “Following the launch of the MTG-I1 satellite, the momentum within the MTG program is relentless. On the one facet we’re supporting the operations and knowledge evaluation of the primary satellite in orbit, while on the opposite, we push ahead to make sure the supply and efficiency of the all-new MTG Sounding satellite.

“The preliminary outcomes from MTG-I1 are vastly motivating for many who have labored on this system and creates a significant impetus to finish the total MTG constellation by 2026.”