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EarthCARE

Earth Cloud Aerosol and Radiation Explorer

Mission Status: Operational
Launch Date: 29 May 2024
Instrument Type: Earth radiation budget radiometers, Cloud profile and rain radars, Lidars, Imaging multi-spectral radiometers (visible/infrared)

EarthCARE, a joint venture between ESA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), will significantly enhance our current climate and numerical weather prediction models. By investigating the role of clouds and aerosols in reflecting solar radiation and trapping infrared radiation, EarthCARE will provide valuable insights into Earth's radiation budget.

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Scientific Instruments

The Atmospheric Lidar (ATLID) provides vertical profiles of aerosols and thin clouds. It operates at a wavelength of 355 nm and has a high-spectral resolution receiver and depolarisation channel.
The Cloud Profiling Radar (CPR) provides vertical profile measurements of clouds and observes vertical velocities of cloud particles through Doppler measurements. It operates at 94 GHz.

Platform

The Multi-Spectral Imager (MSI) hosted by EarthCARE will provide across-track information on clouds and aerosols with channels in the visible, near-infrared, shortwave and thermal infrared.
The Broad-Band Radiometer (BBR) provides measurements of top-of-the-atmosphere radiances and fluxes. It has one short-wave and one long-wave channel with three fixed viewing directions, pointing in nadir and aft-directions.
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