Satellite measurements of our Earth from space are essential to our study of global
climate and weather patterns. Teasing out complexities in our Earth system requires a
framework of calibrated and curated remote sensors that can operate in space over
decadal periods. These instruments cover a variety of spectral, spatial, angular,
polarized, and coherent regimes and target specific Earth phenomena in the
atmosphere, surface, or oceans.
A comprehensive remote sensor calibration is required in order to
retrieve decadal and actionable climate trends with high accuracy and confidence.
Instrument teams follow an exhaustive pre-launch, on-orbit, vicarious, and cross-
calibration plan. Validating these efforts against radiative transfer simulations,
measurement trends over pseudo-invariant Earth targets, and dedicated field
campaigns with ground-network, airborne, or satellite-based intercomparisons help to
enhance and extend the original pre-launch characterization.
New and planned progressive missions with multi-angle polarimetry and/or multi-
instrument synergy are changing the way we understand our Earth system and how we
measure our observables. This session welcomes new research in pre-launch, on-orbit,
vicarious, and cross calibration activities on data from recently launched missions such
as PACE and EarthCARE and recent field campaigns, such as PACE-PAX, ARCSIX,
and ORCESTRA. Expected on-orbit performance studies for upcoming missions with
multi-angle polarimetry and/or multi-instrument synergy, such as 3MI, MAIA, and CO2M,
are highly encouraged as well.