Aqua (Modis) satellite imagery

Aqua was launched on May 4, 2002 from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. The satellite is a part of integrated program of NASA EOS (Earth Observing System) consisting of three satellites of special-purpose - Terra, Aqua и Aura, engineered for land, water and atmosphere survey correspondingly. Aqua satellite was set into near-polar sun-synchronous orbit at the height of 705 km. The satellite is fitted with 6 scientific instruments. Some of them are aimed at cloud cover properties study and seawater temperature detection. The other part of equipment is intended for Earth atmosphere temperature and humidity assessment. One of the key tools of EOS American satellites is MODIS Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer. MODIS fixed at Terra and Aqua satellites has 36 spectral bands with 12-bit radiometric resolution in visible, near and IR bands which allow regular surveying of the same area with spatial resolution of up to 250m. Estimated life time - 6 years.

Aqua satellite imagery applications

• Cloud cover airborne and particle concentration (aerosols) inspection, observing water-vapor distribution in the atmosphere, monitoring of atmospheric environment impacts.
• Prompt mapping and studying ocean temperature range. Phytoplankton distribution and location dynamic analysis for the purpose of biological productivity estimation.
• Prompt and automatic detection of the forest fire sites up to 10 square meter size.
• Survey of the gas flaring sites and inventory of gas flare systems.
• Studying and small-scale mapping of the forest fertility and yielding capacity.
• Glacier dynamics monitoring, also as bogginess and desertification hazards, salinification and flooding impacts evaluation.
• Monitoring impacts to the environment from human-caused and natural disasters both worldwide and local scale (floods, tsunami, explosive volcano etc.)