The first images from Europe’s pioneering meteorological infrared sounder were unveiled at the EU Space Conference in Brussels, marking a major advance in the ability to monitor how the atmosphere evolves before and during severe weather. The images were captured by the Infrared Sounder (IRS) flying aboard Meteosat Third Generation Sounder-1 (MTG-S1), the first ever European satellite in geostationary orbit to carry a hyperspectral atmospheric sounder.

By scanning Europe every 30 minutes across nearly 2,000 infrared wavelengths, the Infrared Sounder will deliver three-dimensional information on temperature, humidity and atmospheric composition at different altitudes. It will detect subtle changes in atmospheric instability, temperature and moisture often before clouds begin to form significantly enhancing nowcasting, numerical weather prediction and climate monitoring.

In addition, with continuous half-hourly coverage and kilometre-scale resolution over Europe (around 7km), the Infrared Sounder will enable diurnally resolved monitoring of key atmospheric pollutants. This capability will significantly strengthen air-quality monitoring, particularly over urban areas, by providing more frequent and detailed information on atmospheric composition throughout the day.

“This is a major step forward for weather forecasting in Europe,” said Phil Evans, Director-General of EUMETSAT. “By revealing atmospheric instability in three dimensions before clouds even begin to form, the Infrared Sounder will allow meteorologists to monitor how the atmosphere evolves and anticipate the development of severe weather — something that has never before been possible from geostationary orbit.”

The Meteosat Third Generation Sounder-1 satellite will complement observations from EUMETSAT’s imager satellites, including Meteosat-12, combining atmospheric profiles with imagery and lightning detection to follow the full cycle of a storm. Meteosat Third Generation Sounder-1 is operated by EUMETSAT from its headquarters in Darmstadt, Germany. The satellite and the Infrared Sounder instrument were developed through the European Space Agency (ESA) by an industrial consortium led by Thales Alenia Space and OHB System AG, fulfilling the requirements established by EUMETSAT in consultation with the meteorological services in its member states.

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