BackForwardInstrument:  MICAP 

Instrument details
Acronym MICAP
Full name Microwave Imager Combined Active and Passive
Purpose To measure ocean salinity, sea surface temperature and windspeed.
Short description

MICAP, is a 1-D passive/active combined system, where the L-, C-, and K-band interferometric radiometers’ antenna arrays are arranged in a line, and the active device is an L-band scatterometer. sharing a parabolic cylinder reflector. It operates at 1.4, 6.9, 18.7, and 23.8 GHz and an L-band (1.26 GHz) scatterometer. 
Background

New development
Scanning Technique

Parabolic scanning antenna
Resolution
Coverage / Cycle
Mass Power Data Rate

 

Providing Agency NSOAS
Instrument Maturity Flown on an R&D satellite
Utilization Period: 2024 to 2033
Last update: 2026-03-25
Detailed characteristics
Frequency

L-Band

1.4 GHz

C-Band

6.9 GHz

K-Band

18.7 GHz
Bandwidth 25 MHz 200 MHz 200 MHz
Polarisation V/H/T3 V/H V/H
Spatial resolution

Along 75km

X-track 50-100 km

Along 15 km

X-track 25-50 km

Along 15 km

X-track 25-50 km
NeDT 0.15K  0.5K 0.5K
Satellites this instrument is flying on

Note: a red tag indicates satellites no longer operational, a green tag indicates operational satellites, a blue tag indicates future satellites

Instrument classification
  • Earth observation instrument
  • Passive microwave radiometer
  • Cross-track, special or non-scanning microwave radiometer
WIGOS Subcomponents
  • Subcomponent 1
  • Scatterometers [in SSO]
  • Scatterometer [in SSO]
  • Low-frequency MW imagery
  • Low-frequency MW imager
Mission objectives
Primary mission objectives
  • Ocean salinity
  • Sea surface salinity
  • Sea surface temperature
  • Soil moisture at surface
  • Wind vector (near surface)
Evaluation of Measurements

The following list indicates which measurements can typically be retrieved from this category of instrument. To see a full Gap Analysis by Variable, click on the respective variable.

Note: table can be sorted by clicking on the column headers
Note: * Primary mission objective.
VariableRelevance for measuring this variableOperational limitationsExplanation
Sea surface salinity*2 - very highNo specific limitation.MW L-band radiometer (1.4 GHz)