MSG CHANNELS
Interpretation Guide
Weather, surface conditions and atmospheric constituents

This page contains the release of the "MSG Interpretation Guide" version 1.0, collecting material in the form of Powerpoint files for the various application areas of MSG. The next release is expected end of 2005.

Contributions from Jochen Kerkmann (EUMETSAT), Hans Joachim Lutz (EUMETSAT), Marianne König (EUMETSAT), Jose Prieto (EUMETSAT), Pirkko Pylkko (FMI), HansPeter Roesli (SMA), Daniel Rosenfeld (HUJ), Johannes Schmetz (EUMETSAT), Veronika Zwatz-Meise (ZAMG)

Edited by Veronika Zwatz-Meise (ZAMG) and Jochen Kerkmann (EUMETSAT).

HTML Programming and Maintenance: Christian Zwatz (ZAMG), Barbara Steiner (ZAMG) and Carsten Schaefer (EUMETSAT).

This material is provided for education and training purposes only. Any reproduction should acknowledge the source of this material.

A DVD containing the complete fileset can be ordered by contacting EUMETSAT User Services.

For optimal use of all parts of this compendium, an Internet Browser, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Powerpoint and a Media Player are required.

Please note: If you experience difficulties opening any of the files directly from you browser, it is recommended to download files to your hard drive first (e.g. right click on a link and choose Save Target As / Save Link As) and then display the files using a suitable application.

The Powerpoint files marked with (*) contain links to animation loops that can be viewed/downloaded seperately using the links marked by a "CLICK HERE" icon.

From MFG "Meteosat First Generation" to MSG "Meteosat Second Generation"
- Benefits of the new generation

From MFG to MSG (MS PowerPoint, 11890 KB) *
Comparison between MFG and MSG: Examples (MS PowerPoint, 17838 KB)

Introduction to MSG Channels

Click here for a simple overview of all MSG channels.

Channels	Basic information	Characteristic applications and examples
SEVIRI instrument	A short introduction to Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) (MS Word, 1643 KB) Conversion from Counts to Radiances (MS Word, 3280 KB)
Solar channels: Ch01 (0.6 µm), Ch02 (0.8 µm), Ch03 (1.6 µm)	Introduction to Solar Channels (MS PowerPoint, 2588 KB)	Icing over the Alps (MS PowerPoint, 2636 KB)
Ch12 (High Resolution Visible)	HRV (MS PowerPoint, 9610 KB) *
Ch04: 3.9 µm	Introduction to Channel 04 (3.9µm) (MS PowerPoint, 8228 KB) *	Fires - Smoke - Burned areas (MS PowerPoint, 3023 KB)
IR Window channels: Ch07 (8.7 µm), Ch09 (10.8 µm), Ch10 (12.0 µm)	Introduction to Window Channels (MS PowerPoint, 3004 KB)
Water vapour channels: Ch05 (6.2 µm), Ch06 (7.3 µm)	Introduction to WV Channels (MS PowerPoint, 2886 KB)
Ozone Channel: Ch08 (9.7 µm)	Introduction to Ozone Channel (MS PowerPoint, 3032 KB)
CO₂channel: Ch11 (13.4 µm)	Introduction to CO2 Channel (MS PowerPoint, 947 KB)
RGB applications	Introduction to Differences and RGB Composites (MS PowerPoint, 14274 KB) RGB part 01 - Overview SEVIRI Channels (MS PowerPoint, 2639 KB) RGB part 02 - Introduction to RGB colours (MS PowerPoint, 416 KB) RGB part 03 - Channel selection and enhancements (MS PowerPoint, 3727 KB) RGB part 04 - RGB composites with Channels 01-11 and their interpretation (MS PowerPoint, 7931 KB) RGB part 05 - RGB composites with Channel 12 and their interpretation (MS PowerPoint, 2819 KB) RGB part 06 - NOT recommended RGB colour composites (MS PowerPoint, 1459 KB)
Cloud Processes	Insights into Cloud Processes (MS PowerPoint, 34786 KB)	Thin Cirrus clouds over Africa and the Southern Atlantic (MS PowerPoint, 5463 KB) Icing over the Alps (MS PowerPoint, 2636 KB) Clouds: Comparison MSG and Radar (MS PowerPoint, 3286 KB) Detection of contrails (MS PowerPoint, 6933 KB) * Contrails over Northern Italy (MS PowerPoint, 982 KB)

Applications for weather analysis and forecasting

	Basic information	Characteristic examples
Synoptic scale cloud configurations	Fronts Cold Fronts (MS PowerPoint, 12644 KB) Cyclones and Cyclogenesis Rapid Cyclogenesis (MS PowerPoint, 7375 KB) More to be added
Meso scale cloud configurations	Waves (MS PowerPoint, 5061 KB) Cold Air Cloudiness and EC (MS PowerPoint, 6405 KB) Commas (MS PowerPoint, 6902 KB) Monitoring of squall lines (MS PowerPoint, 9685 KB) *	Convergence Line over the Baltic Sea (MS PowerPoint, 1908 KB)
Fog	Fog (MS PowerPoint, 11707 KB) *	Nowcasting of Fog (over Central Europe) (MS PowerPoint, 738 KB) Fog under high clouds over Italy (MS PowerPoint, 326 KB) Fog Vortex (Gulf of Biscay) (MS PowerPoint, 11551 KB) Shallow Fog (Alps) (MS PowerPoint, 984 KB) Fog over Northern Europe (MS PowerPoint, 2219 KB)
Orographic cloud	Lee and Stau cloud (MS PowerPoint, 2348 KB) More to be added
Hazardous weather in small scale	Convection-Daytime (MS PowerPoint, 6299 KB) Convection-Nighttime (MS PowerPoint, 4425 KB) More to be added	Convection-Daytime over Africa (MS PowerPoint, 6488 KB) * Convection-Daytime over Europe (MS PowerPoint, 14459 KB) *
Tropical Cyclones	Hurricanes (MS PowerPoint, 11250 KB) More to be added

Ocean and Land surface

Basic Applications	Characteristic examples
Land and sea surface temperature Heat Islands (MS PowerPoint, 298 KB) Vegetation (MS PowerPoint, 1710 KB) Snow and Ice (MS PowerPoint, 6257 KB) * Land Surface - To be added Flood Monitoring - To be added Fires - Smoke - Burned areas (MS PowerPoint, 3023 KB) *

Atmospheric Constituents

Basic Applications	Characteristic examples and editional Loops
Water Vapour - To be added Dust and Aerosols Dust Storm (MS PowerPoint, 14029 KB) * Volcanic Ash Plumes - To be added Smoke Fires - Smoke - Burned areas (MS PowerPoint, 3023 KB) Ozone - Under construction Industrial Haze - To be added	Dust Storm Middle East - 22 - 23 January 2004 (MS PowerPoint, 24986 KB) Dust Storm Western Africa - 03 March 2004 (AVI Animation, 38403 KB)

Special Phenomena

Limb Darkening - To be added
Sun Glint - see also Introduction to Channel 04 (3.9µm) (MS PowerPoint, 8228 KB)

Climate Applications

To be added

Satellite data for Numerical Weather Prediction