Orographic clouds over northern Kuril Islands

ESA’s EarthCARE satellite was launched on 29 May 2024. It has already returned images from its cloud profiling radar and from its broadband radiometer. Now, it has also delivered the first images from its multispectral imager, showcasing various types of clouds and cloud temperatures worldwide. This instrument is set to add valuable context to the data from EarthCARE’s other instruments.

The multispectral imager comprises two cameras: one imaging in the visible, near-infrared and shortwave-infrared (VIS-NIR-SWIR) parts of the of the electromagnetic spectrum and one in the thermal-infrared (TIR). Images captured with these different spectral bands will allow scientists to differentiate between various cloud types, aerosols and Earth’s surface.

This image shows orographic clouds – clouds formed by the shape of the land below – resulting from low westerly winds over the northern-most Kuril Islands on 17 July. These shallow clouds probably didn’t reach much higher than a few hundred meters. The thermal-infrared part of the image on the right shows little difference in temperature between the cloud and the sea surface.

Read full story: EarthCARE’s multispectral imager puts clouds into context