The Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer - Earth Observing System (AMSR-E) instrument was launched aboard NASA's Earth Observing System (EOS) Aqua Satellite on 4 May 2002. The AMSR-E is a twelve-channel, six-frequency, conically-scanning, passive-microwave radiometer system. It measures horizontally and vertically polarized microwave radiation (brightness temperatures) ranging from 6.9 GHz to 89.0 GHz. Spatial resolution of the individual measurements varies from 5.4 km at 89 GHz to 56 km at 6.9 GHz.

The AMSR-E instrument provides measurements of land, oceanic, and atmospheric parameters for the investigation of global water and energy cycles, including precipitation rate, sea surface temperature, sea ice concentration, snow water equivalent, soil moisture, surface wetness, wind speed, atmospheric cloud water, and water vapor.

NSIDC archives and distributes daily, weekly, and monthly Level-1A, Level-2A, Level-2B, and Level-3 data from AMSR-E. Please see the AMSR-E/Aqua Data at NSIDC Web site for tools to order and work with the data, information regarding the availability of data products, how to obtain guide documentation, FAQs, and other related AMSR-E information.