Articles | Volume 44, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-44-825-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-44-825-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Regular paper
| 
26 Aug 2026
Regular paper |
| 26 Aug 2026
| 26 Aug 2026
Post launch spectral and radiometric performances of MAJIS, the VIS-NIR imaging spectrometer of JUICE
Yves Langevin
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
IAS, CNRS/Université Paris-Saclay, 91405 Orsay CEDEX, France
Sébastien Rodriguez
Université Paris Cité, Institut de physique du globe de Paris (IPGP), CNRS, Paris, France
Sandrine Guerlet
LMD, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Université PSL, Institut Polytechnique, Paris, France
LIRA, Université Paris Sciences Lettres, Observatoire de Paris, CNRS, 92195 Meudon, France
François Poulet
IAS, CNRS/Université Paris-Saclay, 91405 Orsay CEDEX, France
Giuseppe Piccioni
Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica – Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali (INAF-IAPS), 00133, Roma, Italy
Livio Agostini
Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica – Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali (INAF-IAPS), 00133, Roma, Italy
Raymond Armante
LMD, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Université PSL, Institut Polytechnique, Paris, France
Emiliano D'Aversa
Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica – Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali (INAF-IAPS), 00133, Roma, Italy
Gianrico Filacchione
Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica – Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali (INAF-IAPS), 00133, Roma, Italy
Leigh Fletcher
School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK
Fabrizio Oliva
Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica – Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali (INAF-IAPS), 00133, Roma, Italy
Clément Royer
IAS, CNRS/Université Paris-Saclay, 91405 Orsay CEDEX, France
Benoît Seignovert
LPG, UMR-CNRS 6112, Nantes Université, 44322 Nantes CEDEX, France
Katrin Stephan
Institute of Planetary Research, German Aerospace Center (DLR), 12489 Berlin, Germany
Federico Tosi
Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica – Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali (INAF-IAPS), 00133, Roma, Italy
Tim Trent
School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK
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Ann. Geophys., 44, 547–576, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-44-547-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-44-547-2026, 2026
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Using mid-infrared data acquired by Moons and Jupiter Imaging Spectrometer (MAJIS) aboard the European Space Agency’s JUpiter ICy moons Explorer (JUICE) spacecraft during the 2024 lunar flyby, we retrieved lunar surface temperature and effective emissivity at high spatial and spectral resolution. By comparing three independent thermal-retrieval methods, we confirmed the main mare–highland contrasts and showed how roughness and observing geometry shape the infrared signal, providing a methodological test case for future MAJIS studies of Jupiter’s icy moons.
Fabrizio Oliva, Emiliano D'Aversa, Alessandra Migliorini, Giuseppe Piccioni, François Poulet, Yves Langevin, Gianrico Filacchione, Mauro Ciarniello, Sébastien Rodriguez, Benoît Seignovert, Alessandro Mura, Leigh N. Fletcher, Sandrine Guerlet, Angelo Zinzi, Marco Giardino, Ettore Lopinto, Giuseppe Sindoni, and Christina Plainaki
Ann. Geophys., 44, 511–545, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-44-511-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-44-511-2026, 2026
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During its first Earth flyby, the JUpiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice) spacecraft acquired observations over the Western Pacific. We identify several gaseous compounds (O2, H2O, CO2, O3, CH4, N2O), liquid/ice clouds over the ocean and atmospheric waves at high altitudes. We find good agreement with similar observations of Earth-orbiting PRISMA spectrometer. This study helps in planning future observations from the Moon and Jupiter Imaging Spectrometer (Majis) when it comes to the Jupiter system.
Emiliano D'Aversa, Fabrizio Oliva, Giuseppe Piccioni, François Poulet, Ivana Kolmašová, Benoît Seignovert, Alessandra Migliorini, Gianrico Filacchione, Leigh Fletcher, Alessandro Mura, Yves Langevin, Davide Grassi, Sébastien Rodriguez, Federico Tosi, Nicolas Ligier, Giuseppe Sindoni, Marco Giardino, and Christina Plainaki
Ann. Geophys., 44, 435–460, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-44-435-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-44-435-2026, 2026
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Terrestrial lightning has been spectroscopically observed from Juice (JUpiter ICy moons Explorer) spacecraft, for the first time from space in a wide wavelength range. Though not detected by ground sensors, Juice confirmed neutral atomic oxygen and nitrogen emissions, with energies and temperatures consistent with average lightning. This observation is a benchmark for Jupiter, a primary Juice target, where simultaneous hydrogen emissions in different wavelengths could identify lightning.
Benoît Seignovert, François Poulet, Yves Langevin, Emiliano D'Aversa, Nicolas Ligier, Cydalise Dumesnil, Magali Mesbout, Cédric Leyrat, Sophie Jacquinod, Stéphane Le Mouélic, Gabriel Tobie, Nicolas Mangold, Giuseppe Piccioni, Federico Tosi, Katrin Stephan, Pasquale Palumbo, Livio Agostini, Luca Penasa, Laetitia Le Deit, Thomas Cornet, Ines Belgacem, Marc Costa-Sitja, Alfredo Escalante Lopez, and Simeon Schmauß
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-2655, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-2655, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Annales Geophysicae (ANGEO).
Short summary
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This paper is the first in-flight geometric calibration of the MAJIS visible and infrared mapping spectrometer instrument onboard the ESA-Juice mission. It contains an overview of the spatial distribution of the MAJIS signal collected at different scan angles and their position in MAJIS field of view; the first two starfields in-flight calibration and multiple comparisons with the data collected by other Juice instruments during the first Lunar and Earth Gravity Assist (LEGA) by Juice in 2024.
François Poulet, Giuseppe Piccioni, Yves Langevin, Cydalise Dumesnil, Vincent Carlier, Benoit Seignovert, Marc Dexet, Leigh N. Fletcher, Cédric Leyrat, Francesca Altieri, John Carter, Emiliano D'Aversa, Maria De Sanctis, Davide Grassi, Sandrine Guerlet, Stéphane Le Mouélic, Alessandra Migliorini, Fabrizio Oliva, Clément Royer, Sébastien Rodriguez, Katrin Stephan, Federico Tosi, Francesca Zambon, Alberto Adriani, Gabriele Arnold, Jean-Pierre Bibring, Dominique Bockelée, Rosario Brunetto, Fabrizio Capaccioni, Cristian Carli, Thibault Cavalié, Miriam Cisneros González, Mauro Ciarnello, Simone De Angelis, Pierre Drossart, Gianrico Filacchione, Thierry Fouchet, Jean-Claude Gérard, Denis Grodent, Patrick Irwin, Sophie Jacquinod, Ozgur Karatekin, Emmanuel Lellouch, Nicolas Ligier, Nicolas Mangold, Magali Mebsout, Frédéric Merlin, Alessandro Morbidelli, Alessandro Mura, Andreas Nathues, Maria E. Palumbo, Cédric Pilorget, Olivier Poch, Eric Quirico, Andrea Raponi, Séverine Robert, Elias Roussos, Agustin Sanchez-Lavega, Bernard Schmitt, Giuseppe Sindoni, Marcel Snels, Roberto Sordini, Stefania Stefani, Giovanni Strazzulla, Tim Trent, Gabriel Tobie, Diego Turrini, Ann-Carine Vandaele, Mathieu Vincendon, Olivier Witasse, Claire Vallat, and Alessandro Moraino
Ann. Geophys., 44, 163–193, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-44-163-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-44-163-2026, 2026
Short summary
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During the double Lunar-Earth Gravitational Assist with the ESA/JUICE (Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer) spacecraft in August 2024, we acquired hyperspectral data cubes of both the Moon and Earth with the MAJIS (Moons And Jupiter Imaging Spectrometer) imaging spectrometer under challenging, real in-flight conditions. This allowed to characterize surface materials and thermophysical properties on the Moon, identify various cloud phases and gases in Earth's atmosphere, and thoroughly validate the performance of the instrument.
Francesca Zambon, Francesca Altieri, Maria Cristina De Sanctis, Stéphane Le Mouélic, Giuseppe Piccioni, François Poulet, Yves Langevin, Clément Royer, Federico Tosi, Ozgur Karatekin, Alessandro Mura, and Cristian Carli
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-876, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-876, 2026
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We analyzed new detailed measurements of the Moon’s surface acquired by the Jupiter Icy Moon Explorer mission. Our study maps the distribution of key minerals in both maria and highland regions, revealing differences in composition. The results confirm previous findings and show that this instrument can provide reliable data for future planetary exploration, helping to better understand the Moon and other planetary bodies.
Sandrine Guerlet, Raymond Armante, Ninon Lauzanne, François Poulet, Yves Langevin, Sébastien Rodriguez, Leigh Fletcher, Thierry Fouchet, Giuseppe Piccioni, and Alessandra Migliorini
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-805, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-805, 2026
Short summary
Short summary
The JUpiter ICy moons Explorer spacecraft (JUICE) flew by the Moon and Earth on 19 and 20th August 2024, which was an excellent opportunity to test its instruments before its arrival at Jupiter in 2031. Here we evaluate the performances of one of its instruments, the Moon and Jupiter Imaging Spectrometer (MAJIS). We compared MAJIS observations of the Earth with measurements acquired on the same day by another instrument orbiting the Earth, and find an excellent match between the two instruments.
Federico Tosi, Clément Royer, Federico Colaiuta, François Poulet, Tyler M. Powell, Benjamin T. Greenhagen, Yves Langevin, Alessandro Mura, Giuseppe Piccioni, Cédric Pilorget, Cristian Carli, and Francesca Zambon
Ann. Geophys., 44, 547–576, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-44-547-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-44-547-2026, 2026
Short summary
Short summary
Using mid-infrared data acquired by Moons and Jupiter Imaging Spectrometer (MAJIS) aboard the European Space Agency’s JUpiter ICy moons Explorer (JUICE) spacecraft during the 2024 lunar flyby, we retrieved lunar surface temperature and effective emissivity at high spatial and spectral resolution. By comparing three independent thermal-retrieval methods, we confirmed the main mare–highland contrasts and showed how roughness and observing geometry shape the infrared signal, providing a methodological test case for future MAJIS studies of Jupiter’s icy moons.
Fabrizio Oliva, Emiliano D'Aversa, Alessandra Migliorini, Giuseppe Piccioni, François Poulet, Yves Langevin, Gianrico Filacchione, Mauro Ciarniello, Sébastien Rodriguez, Benoît Seignovert, Alessandro Mura, Leigh N. Fletcher, Sandrine Guerlet, Angelo Zinzi, Marco Giardino, Ettore Lopinto, Giuseppe Sindoni, and Christina Plainaki
Ann. Geophys., 44, 511–545, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-44-511-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-44-511-2026, 2026
Short summary
Short summary
During its first Earth flyby, the JUpiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice) spacecraft acquired observations over the Western Pacific. We identify several gaseous compounds (O2, H2O, CO2, O3, CH4, N2O), liquid/ice clouds over the ocean and atmospheric waves at high altitudes. We find good agreement with similar observations of Earth-orbiting PRISMA spectrometer. This study helps in planning future observations from the Moon and Jupiter Imaging Spectrometer (Majis) when it comes to the Jupiter system.
Emiliano D'Aversa, Fabrizio Oliva, Giuseppe Piccioni, François Poulet, Ivana Kolmašová, Benoît Seignovert, Alessandra Migliorini, Gianrico Filacchione, Leigh Fletcher, Alessandro Mura, Yves Langevin, Davide Grassi, Sébastien Rodriguez, Federico Tosi, Nicolas Ligier, Giuseppe Sindoni, Marco Giardino, and Christina Plainaki
Ann. Geophys., 44, 435–460, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-44-435-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-44-435-2026, 2026
Short summary
Short summary
Terrestrial lightning has been spectroscopically observed from Juice (JUpiter ICy moons Explorer) spacecraft, for the first time from space in a wide wavelength range. Though not detected by ground sensors, Juice confirmed neutral atomic oxygen and nitrogen emissions, with energies and temperatures consistent with average lightning. This observation is a benchmark for Jupiter, a primary Juice target, where simultaneous hydrogen emissions in different wavelengths could identify lightning.
Florian Pignol, Sebastien Dorgan, Pablo Jais, Frédéric Romand, Gregoire Hein, Vincent Cassé, Raymond Armante, Nicolas Meilhac, and Cyril Crevoisier
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1269, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1269, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Measurement Techniques (AMT).
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Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, and emissions from industrial facilities are a significant driver of climate change. We present the GESat GEN1 mission that has been developed as a compact satellite system to detect and monitor such emissions from space. It relies on a miniaturized imaging instrument capable of producing high-resolution observations that allow methane plumes as small as 100kg/h to be traced back to their industrial point sources.
Benoît Seignovert, François Poulet, Yves Langevin, Emiliano D'Aversa, Nicolas Ligier, Cydalise Dumesnil, Magali Mesbout, Cédric Leyrat, Sophie Jacquinod, Stéphane Le Mouélic, Gabriel Tobie, Nicolas Mangold, Giuseppe Piccioni, Federico Tosi, Katrin Stephan, Pasquale Palumbo, Livio Agostini, Luca Penasa, Laetitia Le Deit, Thomas Cornet, Ines Belgacem, Marc Costa-Sitja, Alfredo Escalante Lopez, and Simeon Schmauß
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-2655, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-2655, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Annales Geophysicae (ANGEO).
Short summary
Short summary
This paper is the first in-flight geometric calibration of the MAJIS visible and infrared mapping spectrometer instrument onboard the ESA-Juice mission. It contains an overview of the spatial distribution of the MAJIS signal collected at different scan angles and their position in MAJIS field of view; the first two starfields in-flight calibration and multiple comparisons with the data collected by other Juice instruments during the first Lunar and Earth Gravity Assist (LEGA) by Juice in 2024.
Alice Lucchetti, Matteo Massironi, Klaus Gwinner, Thomas Kenkmann, Luca Penasa, Namitha R. Baby, Laura Rotzoll, Oguzcan Karagoz, Juan L. Rizos, Maurizio Pajola, Federico Tosi, Sonia Fornasier, Filippo Tusberti, Katrin Stephan, Riccardo Pozzobon, Javier E. Suarez-Valencia, Davide Cagnin, Francesca Zambon, Gianluca Chiarolanza, Athena Coustenis, Lorenza Giacomini, Ernst Hauber, Simone Marchi, Pietro Matteoni, Giuseppe Mitri, Costanza Rossi, Ricardo Hueso, Alessio Aboudan, Livio Agostini, Elke Kersten, Klaus D. Matz, Romolo Politi, Frank Trauthan, Cecilia Tubiana, Michael Aye, Angelo Zinzi, Ry Evill, Ines Belgacem, Jose M. Castro-Marin, Vincenzo Della Corte, Stubbe Hviid, Thomas Roatsch, Nicole Schmitz, Luisa M. Lara, Manish R. Patel, Ganna Portyankina, Pasquale Palumbo, and the JANUS team
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During a lunar flyby, the JANUS camera on board the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer mission captured detailed images of the Moon’s surface. We studied a large impact crater and a nearby highland region, finding evidence of complex surface changes over time and signs of unusual volcanic activity. These results improve our understanding of how the Moon evolved and confirm that the JANUS camera is ready for future exploration of Jupiter’s moons.
Cecilia Tubiana, Luca Penasa, Livio Agostini, Alessio Aboudan, Michael Aye, Klaus-Dieter Matz, Matthew Read, Thomas Bilotta, Ricardo Hueso, Alice Lucchetti, Elke Kersten, Romolo Politi, Ganna Portyankina, Benoit Seignovert, Frank Trauthan, Angelo Zinzi, Ry Evill, Angela Dietz, Ines Belgacem, Thomas Cornet, Jose María Castro-Marin, Vincenzo Della Corte, Stubbe Hviid, Thomas Roatsch, Nicole Schmitz, Manish R. Patel, Luisa M. Lara, and Pasquale Palumbo
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-2008, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-2008, 2026
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This paper describes the observations of Moon and the Earth carried on by JANUS during LEGA in Aug 2024 and the in Sept 2024 when JUICE looked back to the Moon-Earth system following the flyby. The observation sequences are described together with the limitations that had to be taken into account during the design process. Some highlights are lessons learned from the campaigns are provided, including the importance of science-like activities during the long cruise phase of planetary missions.
Livio Agostini, Klaus-Dieter Matz, Cecilia Tubiana, Vincenzo Della Corte, Luca Penasa, Thomas Bilotta, Francesco Sarti, Matthew Read, Stubbe Hviid, Stefano Mottola, Alessio Aboudan, Frank Trauthan, Romolo Politi, Michael Aye, Ricardo Hueso, Alice Lucchetti, Elke Kersten, Ines Belgacem, Angela Dietz, Ry Evill, Jim F. Bell III, Angelo Zinzi, Jose María Castro-Marin, Thomas Roatsch, Nicole Schmitz, Manish R. Patel, Luisa M. Lara, Ganna Portyankina, and Pasquale Palumbo
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-2032, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-2032, 2026
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JANUS is the high-resolution multispectral camera on board of the ESA JUICE mission. During 19-20 August 2024 JUICE flew by the Moon and the Earth performing a Lunar-Earth Gravity Assist maneuver that provided a unique opportunity to test the instruments in mission-like conditions. In this paper we describe the status of the calibration pipeline applied to JANUS data acquired, the lessons learned by the analysis of the calibrated data and the open points.
François Poulet, Giuseppe Piccioni, Yves Langevin, Cydalise Dumesnil, Vincent Carlier, Benoit Seignovert, Marc Dexet, Leigh N. Fletcher, Cédric Leyrat, Francesca Altieri, John Carter, Emiliano D'Aversa, Maria De Sanctis, Davide Grassi, Sandrine Guerlet, Stéphane Le Mouélic, Alessandra Migliorini, Fabrizio Oliva, Clément Royer, Sébastien Rodriguez, Katrin Stephan, Federico Tosi, Francesca Zambon, Alberto Adriani, Gabriele Arnold, Jean-Pierre Bibring, Dominique Bockelée, Rosario Brunetto, Fabrizio Capaccioni, Cristian Carli, Thibault Cavalié, Miriam Cisneros González, Mauro Ciarnello, Simone De Angelis, Pierre Drossart, Gianrico Filacchione, Thierry Fouchet, Jean-Claude Gérard, Denis Grodent, Patrick Irwin, Sophie Jacquinod, Ozgur Karatekin, Emmanuel Lellouch, Nicolas Ligier, Nicolas Mangold, Magali Mebsout, Frédéric Merlin, Alessandro Morbidelli, Alessandro Mura, Andreas Nathues, Maria E. Palumbo, Cédric Pilorget, Olivier Poch, Eric Quirico, Andrea Raponi, Séverine Robert, Elias Roussos, Agustin Sanchez-Lavega, Bernard Schmitt, Giuseppe Sindoni, Marcel Snels, Roberto Sordini, Stefania Stefani, Giovanni Strazzulla, Tim Trent, Gabriel Tobie, Diego Turrini, Ann-Carine Vandaele, Mathieu Vincendon, Olivier Witasse, Claire Vallat, and Alessandro Moraino
Ann. Geophys., 44, 163–193, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-44-163-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-44-163-2026, 2026
Short summary
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During the double Lunar-Earth Gravitational Assist with the ESA/JUICE (Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer) spacecraft in August 2024, we acquired hyperspectral data cubes of both the Moon and Earth with the MAJIS (Moons And Jupiter Imaging Spectrometer) imaging spectrometer under challenging, real in-flight conditions. This allowed to characterize surface materials and thermophysical properties on the Moon, identify various cloud phases and gases in Earth's atmosphere, and thoroughly validate the performance of the instrument.
Francesca Zambon, Francesca Altieri, Maria Cristina De Sanctis, Stéphane Le Mouélic, Giuseppe Piccioni, François Poulet, Yves Langevin, Clément Royer, Federico Tosi, Ozgur Karatekin, Alessandro Mura, and Cristian Carli
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-876, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-876, 2026
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We analyzed new detailed measurements of the Moon’s surface acquired by the Jupiter Icy Moon Explorer mission. Our study maps the distribution of key minerals in both maria and highland regions, revealing differences in composition. The results confirm previous findings and show that this instrument can provide reliable data for future planetary exploration, helping to better understand the Moon and other planetary bodies.
Ricardo Hueso, Arrate Antuñano, Luisa María Lara, Katrin Stephan, Angelo Zinzi, Athena Coustenis, Yoav Yair, Mitsuteru Sato, Junichi Haruyama, Amy Simon, Cecilia Tubiana, Luca Penasa, Livio Agostini, Alice Luchetti, Alessio Aboudan, Michael Aye, Elke Kersten, Klaus-Dieter Matz, Romolo Politti, Frank Trauthan, Ry Evill, Ines Belgacem, Takahashi Yukihiro, Jose María Castro-Marín, Vincenzo Della Corte, Stubbe Hviid, Thomas Roatsch, Nicole Schmitz, Manish Patel, Ganna Portyankina, and Pasquale Palumbo
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-710, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-710, 2026
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JANUS, the high-resolution camera on ESA’s JUICE mission, observed Earth during the August 2024 Lunar–Earth Gravity Assist. Images from a close flyby captured night- and day-side atmospheric phenomena, and a distant view resulted in a low-resolution Earth portrait. These observations validate JANUS performance and demonstrate the instrument’s capabilities. We focus our analysis on characterizing atmospheric systems that provide relevant examples for future studies of Jupiter’s atmosphere.
Sandrine Guerlet, Raymond Armante, Ninon Lauzanne, François Poulet, Yves Langevin, Sébastien Rodriguez, Leigh Fletcher, Thierry Fouchet, Giuseppe Piccioni, and Alessandra Migliorini
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-805, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-805, 2026
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The JUpiter ICy moons Explorer spacecraft (JUICE) flew by the Moon and Earth on 19 and 20th August 2024, which was an excellent opportunity to test its instruments before its arrival at Jupiter in 2031. Here we evaluate the performances of one of its instruments, the Moon and Jupiter Imaging Spectrometer (MAJIS). We compared MAJIS observations of the Earth with measurements acquired on the same day by another instrument orbiting the Earth, and find an excellent match between the two instruments.
Gaku Nishiyama, Alexander Stark, Klaus-Dieter Matz, Christian Hüttig, Kai Wickhusen, Livio Agostini, Christian Althaus, Jan Binger, Keigo Enya, Janot George, Kay Lingenauber, Jun Kimura, Masanori Kobayashi, Giulio Macrì, Wladimir Neumann, Luca Penasa, Ganna Portyankina, Cecilia Tubiana, Konrad Wilner, Pasquale Palumbo, and Hauke Hussmann
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-520, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-520, 2026
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In-flight calibration of GALA aboard Juice mission is important for measuring topography and tidal deformation of icy moons as well as surface reflectance. Based on passive noise observation during the Earth-farewell campaign, this study establishes a framework for receiver calibration in comparison with the JANUS imager. Consequently, GALA may have experienced a post-launch boresight offset over 700 μrad, together with the radiometric calibration for future reflectance measurements by GALA.
Vinícius Ludwig-Barbosa, Johannes Kristoffer Nielsen, Kent Bækgaard Lauritsen, Brian Kerridge, Richard Siddans, and Tim Trent
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-5578, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-5578, 2025
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Water vapour data from microwave, infrared (RAL IMS), and radio occultation (GRAS-RO) instruments onboard Metop-A are compared during 9.5 years under a set of cloud scenarios, land and water coverage, and time of day, while accounting for differences in resolutions. RAL IMS is wetter and GRAS-RO is drier than ERA-Interim analysis and GRUAN (references) in the lower troposphere. Mid-troposphere statistics are similar, suggesting a potential synergy could be exploited in climate data records.
Christopher Johannes Diekmann, Matthias Schneider, Peter Knippertz, Tim Trent, Hartmut Boesch, Amelie Ninja Roehling, John Worden, Benjamin Ertl, Farahnaz Khosrawi, and Frank Hase
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 5409–5431, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-5409-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-5409-2025, 2025
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The West African Monsoon is the main source of rainfall over West Africa, and understanding the development of the monsoon remains challenging due to complex interactions of atmospheric processes. We make use of new satellite datasets of isotopes in tropospheric water vapour to characterize processes controlling the monsoon convection. We find that comparing different water vapour isotopes reveals effects of rain–vapour interactions and air mass transport.
Tim Trent, Marc Schröder, Shu-Peng Ho, Steffen Beirle, Ralf Bennartz, Eva Borbas, Christian Borger, Helene Brogniez, Xavier Calbet, Elisa Castelli, Gilbert P. Compo, Wesley Ebisuzaki, Ulrike Falk, Frank Fell, John Forsythe, Hans Hersbach, Misako Kachi, Shinya Kobayashi, Robert E. Kursinski, Diego Loyola, Zhengzao Luo, Johannes K. Nielsen, Enzo Papandrea, Laurence Picon, Rene Preusker, Anthony Reale, Lei Shi, Laura Slivinski, Joao Teixeira, Tom Vonder Haar, and Thomas Wagner
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 9667–9695, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-9667-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-9667-2024, 2024
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In a warmer future, water vapour will spend more time in the atmosphere, changing global rainfall patterns. In this study, we analysed the performance of 28 water vapour records between 1988 and 2014. We find sensitivity to surface warming generally outside expected ranges, attributed to breakpoints in individual record trends and differing representations of climate variability. The implication is that longer records are required for high confidence in assessing climate trends.
Tim Trent, Richard Siddans, Brian Kerridge, Marc Schröder, Noëlle A. Scott, and John Remedios
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 1503–1526, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-1503-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-1503-2023, 2023
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Modern weather satellites provide essential information on our lower atmosphere's moisture content and temperature structure. This measurement record will span over 40 years, making it a valuable resource for climate studies. This study characterizes atmospheric temperature and humidity profiles from a European Space Agency climate project. Using weather balloon measurements, we demonstrated the performance of this dataset was within the tolerances required for future climate studies.
Yoann Tellier, Cyril Crevoisier, Raymond Armante, Jean-Louis Dufresne, and Nicolas Meilhac
Geosci. Model Dev., 15, 5211–5231, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-5211-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-5211-2022, 2022
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Accurate radiative transfer models (RTMs) are required to improve climate model simulations. We describe the module named 4A-Flux, which is implemented into 4A/OP RTM, aimed at calculating spectral longwave radiative fluxes given a description of the surface, atmosphere, and spectroscopy. In Pincus et al. (2020), 4A-Flux has shown good agreement with state-of-the-art RTMs. Here, it is applied to perform sensitivity studies and will be used to improve the understanding of radiative flux modeling.
Marcel Snels, Stefania Stefani, Angelo Boccaccini, David Biondi, and Giuseppe Piccioni
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 7187–7197, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-7187-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-7187-2021, 2021
Short summary
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A novel simulation chamber, PASSxS (Planetary Atmosphere Simulation System for Spectroscopy), has been developed for absorption measurements with a Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS) and possibly a cavity ring-down (CRD) spectrometer, with a sample temperature ranging from 100 K up to 550 K, while the pressure of the gas can be varied up to 60 bar. These temperature and pressure ranges cover a significant part of the planetary atmospheres in the solar system and possibly extrasolar planets.
Cited articles
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Short summary
We present an updated spectral and radiometric calibration of the Moons and Jupiter Imaging Spectrometer (MAJIS) aboard the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE), based on results of Earth and Moon observations in August 2024 and on observations of the MAJIS internal calibration unit. Very good agreements were obtained with results of other instruments and models. These MAJIS observations provide a promising teaser of what will be achieved by MAJIS in the system of Jupiter.
We present an updated spectral and radiometric calibration of the Moons and Jupiter Imaging...
