EO·Atlas
Atmospheric motion vectors (AMV)
Derives horizontal wind vectors by tracking cloud and water-vapour features across consecutive visible, infrared, or water-vapour imager scenes, then assigning vector height and quality metadata for NWP and atmospheric-wind analysis.
Atmospheric motion vectors are used to estimate horizontal winds by tracking cloud or water-vapor tracers across consecutive calibrated and navigated satellite imager scenes.[1][2][3]
The method is an analysis layer on top of visible, infrared, or water-vapor radiance imagery. Operational processing selects trackable targets, matches them between image times, assigns a representative vector height, and applies quality indicators before the wind field is used in atmospheric analysis or numerical weather prediction.[1][4]
The requirements envelope is temporal rather than hardware-bound: at least two time-ordered, well-navigated imager scenes are needed, and the scene pair must contain cloud or water-vapor structure that can be followed. If the tracer cannot be tracked or assigned a usable height, the methodology does not produce a dependable vector for that location.[1]
Operational AMV production is not limited to one orbit class. Meteosat Second Generation provides a geostationary AMV implementation, while Metop AVHRR provides a polar-orbiting global implementation.[5][6]
Because AMV depends on image sequences rather than a dedicated wind sensor, it is best treated as an analysis technique that consumes imager radiance products and returns speed, direction, representative height, and quality metadata.[1]
operational cloud and water-vapour feature-tracking wind source
- Stretched Visible and Infrared Spin Scan Radiometer-II (VISSR-II)
via Fengyun-2H (FY-2H)
NSMC describes VISSR-II as a five-channel visible/MWIR/TIR imager for imagery and wind derivation by tracking clouds and water-vapour features on FY-2H.
- Advanced Meteorological Imager (AMI)
via GEO-KOMPSAT-2A (GK2A)
WMO describes AMI as a multi-purpose imager for imagery and wind derivation by tracking clouds and water-vapour features; WMO lists AMI active on GEO-KOMPSAT-2A from 25 Mar 2019.
- INSAT-3DS Imager
via INSAT-3DS
Imager scenes support cloud motion vector derivation.
- METimage meteorological imager
via Metop-SG-A1
METimage imagery supports nowcasting and motion-vector applications.
- Advanced Baseline Imager
via GOES-16
ABI imagery supports atmospheric motion vector products.
- Flexible Combined Imager (FCI)
via Meteosat-12
FCI data support atmospheric motion vector products.
- Advanced Himawari Imager
via Himawari-9
JMA and WMO identify AHI cloud and water-vapour tracking for atmospheric motion vector derivation.
- FY-4B Advanced Geostationary Radiation Imager
via FY-4B
AGRI supports wind derivation by tracking clouds and water-vapour features.
- Geostationary High-speed Imager
via FY-4B
GHI rapid selected-area imaging supports frequent cloud-feature tracking and mesoscale nowcasting.
- INSAT-3DR Imager
via INSAT-3DR
INSAT-3DR imager supports cloud motion vector derivation from visible, water-vapour, and thermal observations.
- FY-4A Advanced Geostationary Radiation Imager
via FY-4A
AGRI supports wind derivation by tracking clouds and water-vapour features.
- MSU-GS Electro-L Imager
via Electro-L N2
MSU-GS purpose includes wind derivation by tracking cloud and water-vapour features.
- Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager
via Meteosat-10
SEVIRI WV 6.2, WV 7.3 and IR channels used for cloud-top tracking to derive AMV wind products operationally via EUMETSAT NWP SAF.
- InfraRed Sounder (IRS)pending review
WMO identifies wind-profile derivation by tracking water-vapour features as an IRS purpose; routine mission service remains in commissioning.
- [1]AVHRR L2 Wind product ATBDagency doc2016-03-022026-06-14Describes AMV derivation from Metop AVHRR imaging observations, including cloud/water-vapour target tracking, height assignment, quality control, and geostationary/polar-orbiting coverage context.
- [2]Atmospheric Motion Vectors: Past, Present and Futureagency doc-2026-06-14ECMWF seminar paper covering AMV derivation by tracking cloud or water-vapour features through consecutive satellite imagery and their NWP use.
- [3]Tracking atmospheric motions for obtaining wind estimates using satellite observationspeer reviewed2025-02-012026-06-14Modern overview of satellite feature tracking for wind estimates and evolution from 2D AMVs toward 3D wind information.
- [4]High Density Windsagency doc-2026-06-14Operational satellite-derived winds page describing AMV generation from GOES/POES imagers by following cloud and water-vapour tracers in image sequences.
- [5]Atmospheric Motion Vectors - MSG - 0 degreeagency doc-2026-06-14Operational Meteosat Second Generation AMV data-product catalogue endpoint.
- [6]AVHRR Atmospheric Motion Vectors - Metop - Globalagency doc-2026-06-14Operational Metop AVHRR AMV data-product catalogue endpoint.
Edited from public sources by SpectraWorks editorial. See the data dictionary for field definitions.
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Atmospheric motion vectors (AMV). EO-Atlas, SpectraWorks B.V. https://eo-atlas.org/topics/methodologies/atmospheric-motion-vectors (CC BY 4.0)
BibTeX
@misc{eoatlas:topics:methodologies:atmospheric-motion-vectors,
title = {Atmospheric motion vectors (AMV)},
author = {{EO-Atlas}},
publisher = {SpectraWorks B.V.},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
url = {https://eo-atlas.org/topics/methodologies/atmospheric-motion-vectors}
}