The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) is a joint project between Japan (NASDA) and the United States (NASA). It was launched in 1997 and carries several sensors which are useful for landscape monitoring: Precipitation Radar (PR), TRMM Microwave Imager TMI), and Visible Infrared Scanner (VIRS). PR and TMI are used to determine the three-dimensional rainfall structure and rainfall measurements. Because the satellite has an equatorial orbit, it passes at different times throughout a 24-hour period, but has a repeat cycle of 16 days. TRMM's orbital altitude is 350km and between 35°north and south latitude. The swath widths are: PR, 220km; TMI, 790km; and VIRS, 720km.
| Frequency (GHz) | Resolution (km) |
| 13.796 and 13.802 | 4.3 |
| Band | Frequency (GHz) | Resolution (km) |
| 1 | 10.7 | 38.3 |
| 2 | 19.4 | 18.4 |
| 3 | 21.3 | 16.5 |
| 4 | 37.0 | 9.7 |
| 5 | 85.5 | 4.4 |
| Band | Central Wavelength (µm) | Resolution (km) |
| 1 | 0.63 | 2 |
| 2 | 1.61 | 2 |
| 3 | 3.5 | 2 |
| 4 | 10.8 | 2 |
| 5 | 12 | 2 |
TRMM data can be found through the following:
Back to the
CHAART Sensor Evaluation page