Together, the two satellite series provide global coverage. EUMETSAT and NOAA operate and control their respective polar orbiting satellites and ground segments, but data collected by all the satellites are shared and exchanged between NOAA and EUMETSAT. The Metop satellites carry a payload of eight instruments for observing the planet, together with a range of communications and support services. A core set of instruments for atmospheric sounding and Earth imaging is identical to those flown on the NOAA satellites.
Visible/infrared imaging radiometer for global measurement of cloud cover, sea surface temperature, ice, snow and vegetation cover and characteristics, six channels. 
Atmospheric Sounder for temperature and humidity profiles, surface temperature, cloud parameters and total ozone, 19 infrared channels (3.8-15µm), one visible channel. 
Microwave sounder for temperature sounding under clear and overcast conditions, 15 channels in the 23 to 90 GHz frequency range. 
MHS is a self-calibrating, cross-track scanning, five-channel microwave, full-power radiometer operating in the 89 to 190 GHz range to provide information on atmospheric water vapour. 
UHF receiver (401.65 MHz) and signal processor for locating and/or collecting meteorological data from remote fixed and free floating terrestrial and atmospheric platforms. 
VHF/UHF transponder and signal processor for locating and collecting information from remote distress platforms such as Emergency Locator Transmitters (ELTs), and Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs). 
VHF/UHF transponder and signal processor for locating and collecting information from remote distress platforms such as Emergency Locator Transmitters (ELTs), and Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs). 
Infrared Michelson Interferometer for temperature sounding, water vapour, and ozone monitoring. IASI covers the spectral range from 3.62-15.5 µm, 2112 km swath width and a resolution of 12 km at nadir. 
Pulsed radar in C-band at 5.2555 GHz for global sea surface wind vector measurement. ASCAT has two 500 km wide swaths with spatial resolution <50 km.  Nadir viewing UV and visible spectrometer to measure radiation back-scattered from the atmosphere and reflected from the earth surface in the UV and visible range 240-790 nm with a spectral resolution of 0.2-0.4 nm.  Dual monochromatic UV grating spectrometer and a fixed-spectral-band UV radiometer. For more information, see the  |
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Satellite Programmes Overview![[Internal link]](/groups/jsp/documents/fragmentassets/icon_link_coloured_down.gif){kind=icon}
Metop
The Metop satellites carry a set of state-of-the-art sounding and imaging instruments that offer improved remote sensing capabilities to both meteorologists and climatologists. The Metop series is part of the Initial Joint Polar-Orbiting Operational Satellite System (IJPS) constellation, along with the NOAA-N and -N' satellites. Under the IJPS, EUMETSAT and the ![[External link]](/groups/jsp/documents/fragmentassets/icon_link_external_coloured.gif){kind=icon}
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