METEOSAT: A Key Satellite for Climate Monitoring

Characteristics of METEOSAT Satellites

The Meteosat weather satellites are a series of geostationary satellites operated by EUMETSAT. They provide continuous observation of climate and meteorology in Europe, Africa, and the Atlantic.

Orbit and Positioning

• Orbit type: Geostationary (35,786 km altitude).
• Position: Aligned with the Greenwich meridian (~0° longitude).
• Orbital period: 24 hours, synchronous with Earth's rotation.

Generations of Satellites

Meteosat 1 to 7 (First Generation)

• MVIRI imager with 3 channels (visible, thermal infrared, water vapor).
• Resolution: 2.5 km (visible), 5 km (infrared).
• Image frequency: every 30 minutes.

Meteosat 8 to 11 (Second Generation)

• SEVIRI imager with 12 channels.
• Resolution: 1 km (HR visible), 3 km (other channels).
• Image frequency: every 15 minutes (5 minutes for targeted regions).
• GERB sensor for Earth's radiation budget.

Third Generation Meteosat (MTG)

• FCI imager with 16 channels, resolution up to 500 m.
• Lightning detection with LI (Lightning Imager).
• Measurement of temperature and humidity profiles with IRS.

Meteorological Applications

• Monitoring of extreme weather phenomena (storms, cyclones).
• Predictions of temperature, humidity, and cloud cover.
• Long-term climate studies.
• Tracking of atmospheric circulation and radiative exchanges.