The Aquarius/SAC-D Mission Overview Gary Lagerloef, ESR Sandra Torrusio, CONAE David LeVine, NASA GSFC Monica Rabolli, CONAE

Salinity Mission Science Understanding the Interactions Between the Ocean Circulation, Global Water Cycle and Climate by Measuring Sea Surface Salinity Global salinity patterns are linked to rainfall and evaporation Salinity affects seawater density, which in turn governs ocean circulation and climate The higher salinity of the Atlantic sustains the oceanic deep overturning circulation Salinity variations are driven by precipitation, evaporation, runoff and ice freezing and melting WOA 2001 NOAA/NODC

Relation to Past and Future Missions SAC-C 2000 CONAE SAOCOM CONAE SMAP NASA SMOS 2009 ESA MMRS, HRTC , HSTC , DCS GOLPE , MMP IST, INES ICARE , DCS , HSC , CARMEN, ROSA, NIRST, MWR L-Band Passive Soil Moisture Ocean Salinity L-Band Passive/Active Ocean Salinity Soil Moisture (low resolution) 2011 L-Band Passive/Active Soil Moisture (hi resolution) Ocean Salinity 2013-2014 L-Band SAR Soil Moisture 2013-2014

The Observatory Today DCS NIRST Aquarius (primary instrument) TDP SAC-D S/P CARMEN-1 (ICARE-NG & SODAD) ROSA HSC MWR Microwave Radiometer Data Collection System High Sensitivity Camera Technology Demonstration Package Service Platform Satélite de Aplicaciones Científicas-D Near InfraRed Sensor Technology Radio Occultation Sounder for the Atmosphere

Footprints MWR & Aquarius Geometry: Aquarius-MWR-NIRST Footprints Aquarius, MWR & NIRST Footprint 36.5GHz Footprint 23.8GHz Outer beam Aquarius Middle beam Aquarius Inner beam Aquarius

Examples of MWR Applications Total Precipitable Water AMSU (Advanced Microwave Sounder Unit) Product NOAA Satellite Sea Ice Cloud Liquid Water SSMI on DMSP - Surface Wind Speed

Examples of Applications Fires Detection Urban Lights HSC Snow Coverage Buenos Aires Sea Surveillance

Examples of Applications Data Collection System (DCS) Join DCS, ROSA & Carmen CARMEN: Computer simulation of space debris distribution ROSA: Atmospheric Temperature Profile

Summary A Foundation Mission for the Decadal Survey Ocean Salinity Aquarius: First Passive/Active L-band Sensor Soil Moisture Natural Hazards Space Environment Surface Wind, Rain & Sea Ice

April 2011

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Aquarius SAC-D Instruments Overview

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