Articles | Volume 16, issue 15
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-3581-2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Special issue:
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-3581-2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| Highlight paper
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04 Aug 2023
Research article | Highlight paper |
| 04 Aug 2023
| 04 Aug 2023
The EarthCARE mission – science and system overview
Tobias Wehr
European Space Agency, ESA – ESTEC, Keplerlaan 1, 2201 AZ Noordwijk, the Netherlands
deceased, 1 February 2023
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), 305-8505 2 Chome–1–1, Sengen, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
Georgios Tzeremes
European Space Agency, ESA – ESTEC, Keplerlaan 1, 2201 AZ Noordwijk, the Netherlands
Kotska Wallace
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
European Space Agency, ESA – ESTEC, Keplerlaan 1, 2201 AZ Noordwijk, the Netherlands
Hirotaka Nakatsuka
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), 305-8505 2 Chome–1–1, Sengen, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
Yuichi Ohno
National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), 184-8795 4-2-1 Nukui-Kitamachi, Koganei, Tokyo, Japan
Rob Koopman
European Space Agency, ESA – ESTEC, Keplerlaan 1, 2201 AZ Noordwijk, the Netherlands
Stephanie Rusli
European Space Agency, ESA – ESTEC, Keplerlaan 1, 2201 AZ Noordwijk, the Netherlands
Maki Kikuchi
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), 305-8505 2 Chome–1–1, Sengen, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
Michael Eisinger
European Space Agency, ESA – ECSAT, Fermi Avenue, Didcot, OX11 0FD, UK
Toshiyuki Tanaka
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), 305-8505 2 Chome–1–1, Sengen, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
Masatoshi Taga
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), 305-8505 2 Chome–1–1, Sengen, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
Patrick Deghaye
European Space Agency, ESA – ESTEC, Keplerlaan 1, 2201 AZ Noordwijk, the Netherlands
Eichi Tomita
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), 305-8505 2 Chome–1–1, Sengen, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
Dirk Bernaerts
European Space Agency, ESA – ESTEC, Keplerlaan 1, 2201 AZ Noordwijk, the Netherlands
Related authors
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Woosub Roh, Masaki Satoh, Romain Fiévet, Mark D. Fielding, Robin J. Hogan, Bjorn Stevens, Takuji Kubota, and Hajime Okamoto
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-3606, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-3606, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Geoscientific Model Development (GMD).
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Clouds and rainfall are still difficult to represent accurately in weather and climate models. We introduce a new project called the EarthCARE–ORCESTRA Model Intercomparison Project (ECOMIP), which uses observations from the new Earth Cloud, Aerosol and Radiation Explorer (EarthCARE) satellite and a tropical field campaign to compare and improve atmospheric models. Initial results show that different models can reproduce the same storm system but differ in its size and structure.
Zhipeng Qu, Cuong Nguyen, Paloma Borque, Alexei Korolev, Howard W. Barker, Keyvan Ranjbar, Lei Liu, Zen Mariani, Meriem Kacimi, Melissa Cholette, Ivan Heckman, Kenny Bala, Natalia Bliankinshtein, Leonid Nichman, Benjamin Riot-Bretêcher, Yi Huang, Jason N. S. Cole, Raphaël Peroni, Stephen Holden, Robert Reed, Robert Crawford, Daniel Michelson, Eve Bigras, Michael Wheeler, John Gyakum, Jason A. Milbrandt, Julie M. Thériault, Kaley A. Walker, Mengistu Wolde, Jean-Pierre Blanchet, Yann Blanchard, Jonas von Bismark, Rob Koopman, Montserrat Piñol Solé, Bernat Puigdomènech Treserras, Robin J. Hogan, and Shannon L. Mason
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-5347, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-5347, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Measurement Techniques (AMT).
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The ECALOT campaign brought together aircraft and ground-based observations in the Ottawa–Montreal region to help evaluate the European Space Agency’s EarthCARE satellite, which studies clouds, aerosols, radiation, and their interactions. By comparing satellite measurements with multi-platform remote-sensing and in situ observations collected during the campaign, ECALOT provides an integrated approach to evaluating EarthCARE products at different stages of the data processing chain.
Yuki Imura, Shunsuke Aoki, Takuji Kubota, Hirotaka Nakatsuka, Yuichi Ohno, and Hajime Okamoto
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 19, 5617–5631, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-5617-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-5617-2026, 2026
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Understanding air motion within clouds is essential for weather and climate research. A new satellite launched in 2024 can observe how clouds move around the world for the first time. In this study, we compare three observation modes using real satellite data. We find that some modes provide more accurate measurements but reduce the ability to observe very high clouds and increase the risk of false signals. Our results show which observation modes work best in different regions of the world.
Haruka Hotta, Kentaroh Suzuki, Maki Kikuchi, Shunsuke Aoki, and Takuji Kubota
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 11605–11626, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-11605-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-11605-2026, 2026
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Cloud updrafts play a key role in the climate system, but global assessments remain indirect. Doppler velocities from EarthCARE (Earth Cloud, Aerosol and Radiation Explorer) Cloud Profiling Radar revealed that strong updrafts in tropical convections were most likely when radar echoes reached close to the cloud top, even in moderately tall storms, and they were more frequent over land in the early afternoon. These results provide new benchmarks to improve how numerical models represent convection and cloud microphysics.
Shunsuke Aoki, Takuji Kubota, Hiroaki Horie, and Yuichi Ohno
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-3256, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-3256, 2026
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The EarthCARE Cloud Profiling Radar (CPR) observations can be contaminated by spurious cloud signals from multiple-trip echoes, including mirror images, multiple scattering (MS) tails, and satellite mirror images (SMIs). Distinguishing and removing them is essential for scientific analyses using CPR. This study characterizes their global occurrence and properties, and evaluates identification methods developed from CloudSat heritage and newly enhanced using CPR Doppler velocity measurements.
Silke Groß, Florian Ewald, Bjorn Stevens, Martin Wirth, Georgios Dekoutsidis, André Ehrlich, Dimitra Kouklaki, Konstantin Krüger, Sophie Rosenburg, Lea Volkmer, Jonas von Bismark, Lutz Hirsch, Anna E. Luebke, Eleni Marinou, Bernhard Mayer, Montserrat Pinol Sole, Manfred Wendisch, Julia Windmiller, Vassilis Amiridis, Rob Koopman, Takuji Kubota, and Markus Rapp
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 19, 3933–3959, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-3933-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-3933-2026, 2026
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In May 2024 the joint European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) mission EarthCARE was launched. A similar payload as on the satellite was set up on the German research aircraft HALO, and deployed during an extensive measurement campaign to validated the satellite. We present our instrumentation, the measurements, and its potential for the validation of EarthCARE. We show first validation results and assessments of the EarthCARE data quality.
John E. Yorks, Edward P. Nowottnick, Steven Platnick, Kerry G. Meyer, Matthew Walker McLinden, Meloe S. F. Kacenelenbogen, Kenneth E. Christian, Joseph A. Finlon, Natalie A. Midzak, Natalia Roldán-Henao, Patrick A. Selmer, Matthew J. McGill, Erica K. Dolinar, Charles N. Helms, Robert Koopman, Jonas von Bismark, and Montserrat Pińol Solé
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 18, 3833–3852, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-18-3833-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-18-3833-2026, 2026
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The Goddard Space Flight Center's Lidar Observation and Validation Experiment (GLOVE) was a NASA field campaign from January–February 2025 that used a special airplane with scientific instruments to check if satellites measuring Earth's atmosphere were working correctly. The plane flew under two key satellites to compare measurements of clouds, dust, and other particles in the air. Data from 8 flights help scientists better understand how well these space-based instruments perform, especially for detecting different types of clouds and atmospheric conditions.
Minrui Wang, Takashi Y. Nakajima, Jiaqi Wu, Yamato Ogura, Mayumi Yoshida, Masataka Muto, and Takuji Kubota
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1679, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1679, 2026
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This paper describes a scientific method of vicarious calibration to obtain the calibration coefficient, which will be used for Multi-Spectial Imager level 2 cloud and aerosol products. In the case of cloud product, slight overestimation was found for the visible band, and almost no overestimation or underestimation for near-infrared band. On the other side, slight overestimation for the visible band and slight underestimation for near-infrared band was found for aerosol product.
Athena Augusta Floutsi, Konstantinos Rizos, Dimitri Trapon, Ronny Engelmann, Dietrich Althausen, Eleni Marinou, Peristera Paschou, Julian Hofer, Emmanouil Proestakis, Henriette Gebauer, Annett Skupin, Albert Ansmann, Thorsten Fehr, Timon Hummel, Rob Koopman, Vassilis Amiridis, Ulla Wandinger, and Holger Baars
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 19, 1901–1925, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-1901-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-1901-2026, 2026
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We assess the representativeness of a remote ground-based station in Mindelo, Cabo Verde by utilizing continuous observations of a ground-based multiwavelength polarization Raman lidar and the LIdar climatology of Vertical Aerosol Structure (LIVAS) products. Based on a statistical analysis of the optical properties at different radii around Mindelo and case studies, we conclude that overall, the ground-based station in Mindelo can be considered conditionally representative.
Shunsuke Aoki, Takuji Kubota, and F. Joseph Turk
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 19, 79–100, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-79-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-79-2026, 2026
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Using coincident observations from the EarthCARE Cloud Profiling Radar with Doppler velocity measurement capability and the Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar on the Global Precipitation Measurement, vertical motions in stratiform and convective precipitation systems are examined, providing insights into the dynamical and microphysical processes inside deep clouds. This enables a more comprehensive understanding of hydrometeor fall speeds and vertical air motions in precipitation systems.
Bernat Puigdomènech Treserras, Pavlos Kollias, Alessandro Battaglia, Simone Tanelli, and Hirotaka Nakatsuka
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 5607–5618, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-5607-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-5607-2025, 2025
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We investigate how seasonal solar illumination affects the pointing accuracy of EarthCARE’s cloud profile radar (CPR) antenna and introduce a correction based on surface Doppler measurements. The correction improves measurement accuracy by reducing Doppler velocity biases to within 5 and 7 cm s−1. Our results demonstrate the importance of continuous pointing characterization to maintain the scientific accuracy of EarthCARE’s CPR Doppler observations.
Hajime Okamoto, Kaori Sato, Tomoaki Nishizawa, Yoshitaka Jin, Shota Ogawa, Hiroshi Ishimoto, Yuichiro Hagihara, EIji Oikawa, Maki Kikuchi, Masaki Satoh, and Wooosub Roh
Atmos. Meas. Tech. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2024-103, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2024-103, 2024
Publication in AMT not foreseen
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The article gives the descriptions of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) level 2 (L2) cloud mask and cloud particle type algorithms for CPR and ATLID onboard Earth Clouds, Aerosols and Radiation Explorer (EarthCARE) satellite. The 355nm-multiple scattering polarization lidar was used to develop ATLID algorithm. Evaluations show the agreements for CPR-only, ATLID-only and CPR-ATLID synergy algorithms to be about 80%, 85% and 80%, respectively on average for about two EarthCARE orbits.
Hajime Okamoto, Kaori Sato, Tomoaki Nishizawa, Yoshitaka Jin, Takashi Nakajima, Minrui Wang, Masaki Satoh, Kentaroh Suzuki, Woosub Roh, Akira Yamauchi, Hiroaki Horie, Yuichi Ohno, Yuichiro Hagihara, Hiroshi Ishimoto, Rei Kudo, Takuji Kubota, and Toshiyuki Tanaka
Atmos. Meas. Tech. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2024-101, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2024-101, 2024
Publication in AMT not foreseen
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This article gives overviews of the JAXA L2 algorithms and products by Japanese science teams for EarthCARE. The algorithms provide corrected Doppler velocity, cloud particle shape and orientations, microphysics of clouds and aerosols, and radiative fluxes and heating rate. The retrievals by the algorithms are demonstrated and evaluated using NICAM/J-simulator outputs. The JAXA EarthCARE L2 products will bring new scientific knowledge about the clouds, aerosols, radiation and convections.
Woosub Roh, Masaki Satoh, Yuichiro Hagihara, Hiroaki Horie, Yuichi Ohno, and Takuji Kubota
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 3455–3466, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3455-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3455-2024, 2024
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The advantage of the use of Doppler velocity in the categorization of the hydrometeors is that Doppler velocities suffer less impact from the attenuation of rain and wet attenuation on an antenna. The ground Cloud Profiling Radar observation of the radar reflectivity for the precipitation case is limited because of wet attenuation on an antenna. We found the main contribution to Doppler velocities is the terminal velocity of hydrometeors by analysis of simulation results.
Michael Eisinger, Fabien Marnas, Kotska Wallace, Takuji Kubota, Nobuhiro Tomiyama, Yuichi Ohno, Toshiyuki Tanaka, Eichi Tomita, Tobias Wehr, and Dirk Bernaerts
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 839–862, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-839-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-839-2024, 2024
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The Earth Cloud Aerosol and Radiation Explorer (EarthCARE) is an ESA–JAXA satellite mission to be launched in 2024. We presented an overview of the EarthCARE processors' development, with processors developed by teams in Europe, Japan, and Canada. EarthCARE will allow scientists to evaluate the representation of cloud, aerosol, precipitation, and radiative flux in weather forecast and climate models, with the objective to better understand cloud processes and improve weather and climate models.
Woosub Roh, Masaki Satoh, Tempei Hashino, Shuhei Matsugishi, Tomoe Nasuno, and Takuji Kubota
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 3331–3344, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-3331-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-3331-2023, 2023
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JAXA EarthCARE synthetic data (JAXA L1 data) were compiled using the global storm-resolving model (GSRM) NICAM (Nonhydrostatic ICosahedral
Atmospheric Model) simulation with 3.5 km horizontal resolution and the Joint-Simulator. JAXA L1 data are intended to support the development of JAXA retrieval algorithms for the EarthCARE sensor before launch of the satellite. The expected orbit of EarthCARE and horizontal sampling of each sensor were used to simulate the signals.
Yuichiro Hagihara, Yuichi Ohno, Hiroaki Horie, Woosub Roh, Masaki Satoh, and Takuji Kubota
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 3211–3219, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-3211-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-3211-2023, 2023
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The CPR on the EarthCARE satellite is the first satellite-borne Doppler radar. We evaluated the effectiveness of horizontal integration and the unfolding method for the reduction of the Doppler error (the standard deviation of the random error) in the CPR_ECO product. The error was higher in the tropics than in the other latitudes due to frequent rain echo occurrence and limitation of its unfolding correction. If we use low-mode operation (high PRF), the errors become small enough.
Minrui Wang, Takashi Y. Nakajima, Woosub Roh, Masaki Satoh, Kentaroh Suzuki, Takuji Kubota, and Mayumi Yoshida
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 603–623, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-603-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-603-2023, 2023
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SMILE (a spectral misalignment in which a shift in the center wavelength appears as a distortion in the spectral image) was detected during our recent work. To evaluate how it affects the cloud retrieval products, we did a simulation of EarthCARE-MSI forward radiation, evaluating the error in simulated scenes from a global cloud system-resolving model and a satellite simulator. Our results indicated that the error from SMILE was generally small and negligible for oceanic scenes.
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Editorial statement
The paper provides the general overview on the upcoming EarthCARE mission, which carries a unique suite of active and passive instruments for aerosol, cloud and radiation observations. It is thought to be the introductory paper for the AMT Special Issue "EarthCARE Level 2 algorithms and data products".
The paper provides the general overview on the upcoming EarthCARE mission, which carries a...
Short summary
The EarthCARE satellite is due for launch in 2024. It includes four scientific instruments to measure global vertical profiles of aerosols, clouds and precipitation properties together with radiative fluxes and derived heating rates. The mission's scientific requirements, the satellite and the ground segment are described. In particular, the four scientific instruments and their performance are described at the level of detail required by mission data users.
The EarthCARE satellite is due for launch in 2024. It includes four scientific instruments to...
Special issue