Sensor · Spaceborne

SWOT Microwave Radiometer

Missions → Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) (Operational)

Passive microwave radiometer on SWOT used to measure wet-tropospheric path delay for altimetry correction.

Sensor

The SWOT Microwave Radiometer is a Jason-class advanced microwave radiometer on SWOT that measures 18.7, 23.8, and 34 GHz brightness temperatures.^[1] Its radiometer data support estimates of wet-troposphere content, atmospheric attenuation to backscatter, cloud liquid water, water-vapour content, and wind speed coincident with nadir-altimeter range measurements.^[1] The measurements are collected along two tracks approximately 30 km left and right of satellite nadir.^[1] The instrument performs passive microwave radiometry, demonstrated on SWOT.^[1]

Operator pricing

Pricing not publicly listed by operator

Supply chain position

carried by Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT)

Methods this sensor implements

Demonstrated

Multi-frequency microwave imaging radiometryvia Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT)
SWOT microwave radiometer uses passive microwave channels for wet-tropospheric correction.

Capable, undemonstrated

None on record.

Topics this relates to

Drought Multi-frequency microwave imaging radiometry(demonstrated)well suited

Sea ice Multi-frequency microwave imaging radiometry(demonstrated)well suited

Snow water equivalent Multi-frequency microwave imaging radiometry(demonstrated)well suited

Soil moisture Multi-frequency microwave imaging radiometry(demonstrated)well suited

Cloud properties Multi-frequency microwave imaging radiometry(demonstrated)adequate

Crop stress and yield Multi-frequency microwave imaging radiometry(demonstrated)adequate

Irrigation monitoring Multi-frequency microwave imaging radiometry(demonstrated)adequate

Ocean surface winds Multi-frequency microwave imaging radiometry(demonstrated)adequate

Permafrost and ground ice Multi-frequency microwave imaging radiometry(demonstrated)adequate

Sea surface temperature Multi-frequency microwave imaging radiometry(demonstrated)adequate

Snow cover Multi-frequency microwave imaging radiometry(demonstrated)adequate

Vector-borne disease risk Multi-frequency microwave imaging radiometry(demonstrated)adequate

Air quality Multi-frequency microwave imaging radiometry(demonstrated)marginal

Coastal water quality Multi-frequency microwave imaging radiometry(demonstrated)marginal

Groundwater and terrestrial water storage Multi-frequency microwave imaging radiometry(demonstrated)marginal

Inland water Multi-frequency microwave imaging radiometry(demonstrated)marginal

Ocean heat content Multi-frequency microwave imaging radiometry(demonstrated)marginal

Pasture and grazing Multi-frequency microwave imaging radiometry(demonstrated)marginal

Sources

[1]SWOT Level 2 Radiometer Brightness Temperatures and Troposphere GDRagency doc2026-06-16
[2]SWOT flight systems, NASA/JPLagency doc2026-06-16
[3]WMO OSCAR satellite record: SWOTagency doc2026-06-16

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How to cite this page

Plain text

SWOT Microwave Radiometer. EO-Atlas, SpectraWorks B.V. https://eo-atlas.org/products/sensor/swot-microwave-radiometer (CC BY 4.0)

BibTeX

@misc{eoatlas:products:sensor:swot-microwave-radiometer,
  title = {SWOT Microwave Radiometer},
  author = {{EO-Atlas}},
  publisher = {SpectraWorks B.V.},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
  url = {https://eo-atlas.org/products/sensor/swot-microwave-radiometer}
}