# WSF-M Microwave Imager (MWI)
*sensor . products*

Passive microwave imager on WSF-M1 for ocean surface winds, tropical cyclone intensity and additional environmental data.

## Specifications
- **product status**: operational
- **deployment context**: orbital
- **manufacturer**: ball-aerospace
- **sensor**: {"instrument_family":"radiometer","measurement_principle":"passive","frequency_bands_ghz":[10.85,18.85,23.8,36.75,37.3,89],"polarisation_modes":["V","H","P","M","L","R"],"scan_type":"conical"}
- **entity type**: sensor
- **last verified date**: 2026-06-16
- **verified by**: agency-doc
- **claim status**: agency-sourced
- **provider**: ball-aerospace
- **attributes**: {"kind":"sensor","product_status":"operational","deployment_context":"orbital","manufacturer":"ball-aerospace","description":"Passive microwave imager on WSF-M1 for ocean surface winds, tropical cyclone intensity and additional environmental data.","sensor":"{\"instrument_family\":\"radiometer\",\"measurement_principle\":\"passive\",\"frequency_bands_ghz\":[10.85,18.85,23.8,36.75,37.3,89],\"polarisation_modes\":[\"V\",\"H\",\"P\",\"M\",\"L\",\"R\"],\"scan_type\":\"conical\"}"}
- **relevance**: in-scope

## Editorial
WSF-M Microwave Imager is a conically scanning passive microwave imager on WSF-M1 for ocean-surface vector winds, tropical-cyclone intensity, and additional environmental data products. The WSF-M1 spacecraft launched on 2024-04-11, and the imager became active in August 2024 [^wmo-wsf-m1]. Its channel set spans 10.85, 18.85, 23.8, 36.75, 37.3, and 89 GHz [^wmo-wsf-m1]. The 10.85, 18.85, and 36.75 GHz channels provide full Stokes outputs [^wmo-wsf-m1]. The fully polarimetric channels support ocean wind-vector observations by digitally correlating V-pol and H-pol inputs to compute third and fourth Stokes states [^calcon-wsfm-mwi]. Passive microwave radiometry is demonstrated on WSF-M1 [^wmo-wsf-m1].

## Compositional position
- wsf-m1 (missions) --[mission_payloads]--> WSF-M Microwave Imager (MWI)

## Sources
- [wmo-wsf-m1] | WMO OSCAR satellite record: WSF-M1 | https://space.oscar.wmo.int/satellites/view/wsf_m1 | tier=agency-doc | accessed=2026-06-16
- [ams-wsfm-mwi] | Weather Satellite Follow-on - Microwave (WSF-M) Design and Status | https://ams.confex.com/ams/2020Annual/webprogram/Manuscript/Paper369912/WSFM%20AMS%20Final.pdf | tier=operator-engineering | accessed=2026-06-16 | published=2020-01-16
- [calcon-wsfm-mwi] | Calibration of the Fully Polarimetric Microwave Imager on the WSF-M Satellite | https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/calcon/calcon2023/All2023Content/12/ | tier=operator-engineering | accessed=2026-06-16 | published=2023-06-13

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Source: https://eo-atlas.org/products/sensor/wsf-m-microwave-imager
Maintainer: SpectraWorks B.V. (CC-BY 4.0)