Example Dataset: MSG SEVIRI

Below are some notes on the Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) instrument.

MSG Satellites

The MSG satellite family consists of four operational meteorological satellites in geostationary orbit: Meteosat-8, Meteosat-9, Meteosat-10, and Meteosat-11. Information about launch dates and operational periods is given below. All satellites have a primary field of view over Europe. After their main operational period, Meteosat-8 and Meteosat-10 were relocated to perform measurements over the Indian Ocean. During this time, they are referred to as Meteosat-8 (IODC) and Meteosat-10 (IODC). MSG superseded the Meteosat First Generation (MFG) and is followed by the Metesat Third Generation (MTG). All satellites contain the same instruments, some of which were also flown on other Meteosat satellites.

Meteosat-8:

• Launch Date: 28 Aug 2002
• End of Life: 04 Jul 2016
• Position: 3.7° E

Meteosat-8 (IODC):

• Launch Date: 15 Sep 2016
• End of Life: Nov 2022
• Position: 41.5° E

Meteosat-9:

• Launch Date: 21 Dec 2005
• End of Life: 01 Apr 2022
• Position: 3.5° E

Meteosat-9 (IODC):

• Launch Date: 01 Jul 2022
• End of Life: Operational (as of 01/2024)
• Position: 45.5° E

Meteosat-10:

• Launch Date: 05 Jul 2012
• End of Life: Operational (as of 01/2024)
• Position: 0.0° E

Meteosat-11:

• Launch Date: 15 Jul 2015
• End of Life: Operational (as of 01/2024)
• Position: 9.5° E

Instruments:

• Data Collection Service (DCS)
• Geostationary Search and Rescue (GOES&R)
• Geostationary Earth Radiation Budget (GERB)
• Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI)

SEVIRI Data

Spectral Bands & Resolution

The SEVIRI instruments measure 12 spectral channels.

Image Credit: Vázquez-Navarro et al. A fast method for the retrieval of integrated longwave and shortwave top-of-atmosphere irradiances from MSG/SEVIRI (RRUMS), Atmospheric Measurement Techniques 5(4):4969-5008 (2012), DOI: 10.5194/amtd-5-4969-2012

The resolution of the instrument is 3 km at the sub-satellite point (SSP) for the narrow channels, and 1 km for the broad visible channels. The resolution decreases closer to the image limb.

Image Credit: Eissa et al. Validation of the Surface Downwelling Solar Irradiance Estimates of the HelioClim-3 Database in Egypt, Remote Sens. 2015, 7(7), 9269-9291, DOI: 10.3390/rs70709269

Processing Levels

• Level-0:

Naming Conventions

Day & Night Mode

Data Format

Data Access

SEVIRI data can be downloaded via Eumetsat's Data Access portal.

Software Tools