ERS-1 microwave sounder processing at the EODC†

This paper describes a system for processing microwave sounder data from the passive two channel ERS-1 Microwave Sounding Radiometer. The primary purpose of the instrument is to provide tropospheric data to correct the atmospheric path length of the ERS-1 altimeter. The system described here was implemented at the EODC to provide direct support to altimeter processing and is separate from that at the F-PAF. It produces three products including the total water vapour and liquid water product required for the correction in addition to quality reports. The areas given particular attention are those peculiar to the implementation at the EODC such as routine quality assessment, geolocation and the proposed sea ice edge product.