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Overview of earth observation from satellites
Published in P. Dakin John, G. W. Brown Robert, Handbook of Optoelectronics, 2017
Greg Blackman, Jessica Rowbury
For instance, CO2 levels in the atmosphere and the sea temperature could be measured from two different satellites at the same time. NASA’s A-Train (short for Afternoon Train) is one example of a constellation of six imaging satellites operating within the same orbital track. It is made up of: OCO-2, GCOM-W1, Aqua, CloudSat, CALIPSO, and Aura. The constellation is in a polar orbit, moving across the equator at around 1:30 pm local time each afternoon; hence, the name Afternoon Train.
Satellite remote sensing of aerosol optical depth: advances, challenges, and perspectives
Published in Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology, 2020
Xiaoli Wei, Ni-Bin Chang, Kaixu Bai, Wei Gao
Polar orbiting satellites provide high spatial resolution and global coverage for a lower altitude and capture the global view daily. There are several programs that provide AOD products in this regard. The A-Train constellation, featuring six satellites positioned one by one in proximity, is operated by NASA and some international partners, and all these satellites cross the equator in an ascending (northbound) direction around 1:30 pm. The six satellites of the current A-Train formation are Aqua, CloudSat, CALIPSO (Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations), PARASOL (Polarization and Anisotropy of Reflectances for Atmospheric Sciences coupled with Observations from a Lidar), Aura and OCO-2, which can be collectively used to determine aerosol types. The images collected by MODIS-Aqua (optical), POLDER-PARASOL (microwave polarization), CALIOP-CALIPSO (lidar), and OMI-Aura (optical) can also be used to generate AOD products. In addition, some other means may help generate AOD products such as the infrared sounders of Advanced Infrared Radiation Sounder (AIRS) aboard Aqua and VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) aboard Suomi–NPP, which is the adaption and improvement of the MODIS sensor. Table 2 summarizes the active polar orbiting satellites that provide AOD products.