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TER
Background
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• Approximately the size of a small school bus, Size: the
SATE
spacecraft bus is 6.8 m long and 3.5 m across.
LLIT • Weight: 5,190 kg (11,442 lbs.) at launch.
E • Launch Date: December 18,1999.
• Terra is in a circular sun-synchronous polar orbit that
takes it from north to south (on the daylight side of the
Earth) every 99 minutes. (14 complete orbits per day).
• Ground track repeat: 16 days.
• Altitude: 705 kilometers (438 miles) above Earth’s
surface.
TER
TERRA (formerly EOS AM-1) is a multi-national NASA scientific
RA research satellite launched in December 1999 with the
SATE primary goal of monitoring Earth's environment and
LLIT climate.TERRA is part of NASA's Earth Observing System
E (EOS), designed to study the Earth's land surface, biosphere,
atmosphere, and oceans.
The Terra satellite carries five instruments that take
coincident measurements of the Earth system:
1. ASTER
2. CERES
3. MISR
4. MOPITT
TER
RA ASTER(Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and
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Reflection Radiometer):
LLIT
E ASTER is a high-resolution imaging instrument on Terra
satellites, used to create detailed maps of Earth's surface
for various applications like land use planning and
disaster assessment.
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RA
SATE
LLIT
E
TER
RA CERES (Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy
SATE
System):
LLIT
E CERES on Terra satellites measures how much
sunlight comes in and how much heat goes out
from Earth. It helps scientists understand our
planet's energy balance and climate better.
TER
RA
SATE
LLIT
E
TER
RA MISR(Multi-angle Imaging Spectro Radiometer)
SATE It's an instrument on board the Terra satellite that
LLIT
captures images of Earth from different angles
E
simultaneously. These images help scientists study
clouds, aerosols, and land surface properties,
improving our understanding of Earth's climate
and environment.
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RA
SATE
LLIT
E
TER
RA MOPITT(Measurements of Pollution in the
SATE Troposphere):
LLIT It's an instrument on board the Terra satellite that
E
measures carbon monoxide in Earth's atmosphere.
This helps scientists monitor air quality,
understand pollution sources, and study the
impact of carbon monoxide on climate and human
health.
TER
RA
SATE
LLIT
E
TER
RA MODIS(Moderate Resolution Imaging
SATE Spectroradiometer):
LLIT It's an instrument aboard Terra satellites that captures
E
high-resolution images of Earth's surface in various
spectral bands. MODIS provides valuable data for
monitoring changes in land cover, vegetation, clouds,
and oceans, aiding in environmental monitoring,
weather forecasting, and climate research.
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LLIT
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TER
RA COMPARISON
SATE THARTHAR LAKE, IRAQ
LLIT
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2004 2024
TER
RA COMPARISON
SATE Dubai Flooding
LLIT
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5, April 2024 16, April 2024
TER Resolutions
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TERRA's spatial resolution refers to the level of detail it can
SATE discern on the Earth's surface. MODIS provides spatial
LLIT resolutions ranging from 250 meters to 1 kilometer, depending
on the spectral band.
E Spectral resolution refers to TERRA's ability to distinguish
between different wavelengths of light, allowing for the
identification of specific surface materials and features.
Radiometric resolution refers to TERRA's sensitivity to detect
variations in electromagnetic energy, enabling the detection of
subtle changes in Earth's environment.
Temporal resolution refers to how frequently TERRA revisits the
same location on Earth, allowing for the monitoring of dynamic
processes over time.
TER Applications
RA
Agriculture: Monitoring crop health, detecting
SATE
changes in vegetation patterns, and assessing
LLIT agricultural productivity.
E Forestry: Monitoring forest cover, identifying
deforestation and forest degradation, and
managing natural resources.
Climate Change: Studying land cover changes,
measuring greenhouse gas emissions, and
monitoring the impacts of climate change on
ecosystems.
Disaster Management: Assessing the impact of
natural disasters such as wildfires, floods, and
TER Interpretation of Natural Color and False Color
Pictures
RA
SATE Natural color images represent Earth's surface as
LLIT it would appear to the human eye, with features
such as vegetation appearing green, water bodies
E appearing blue, and urban areas appearing gray
or brown.
False color images use infrared wavelengths to
highlight different surface materials and features,
with vegetation typically appearing red, healthy
vegetation appearing bright red, and water bodies
appearing dark blue or black.
Interpretation of features visible in TERRA's
images can provide valuable insights into Earth's
THANK
