TdM > MSC Data > Satellite Observations > Satellite Observations on the MSC Datamart
Himawari satellite data and products
This page describes data and products derived from the satellite Himawari-8/9 instruments in GeoTIFF format available on the MSC Datamart every 10 minutes covering Asia, the Western Pacific and Australia, as well as a partial portion of the U.S. Pacific regions.
These products are derived from RGB (red/green/blue) images, a satellite processing technique that uses a combination of satellite sensor bands (also called channels) and applies a red/green/blue (RGB) filter to each of them. The result is a false-color image, i.e. an image that does not correspond to what the human eye would see, but offers high contrast between different cloud types and surface features. The on-board sensor of a weather satellite obtains two basic types of information: visible light data (reflected light) reflecting off clouds and different surface types, also known as "reflectance", and infrared data (emitted radiation) which are short-wave and long-wave radiation emitted by clouds and surface features. RGBs are specially designed to combine this type of satellite data, resulting in an information-rich final product.
Other products are based on the enhancement of channel data for a single wavelength, also aimed at highlighting meteorological features of the observed surface or clouds, but in a simpler way since only a single wavelength is involved. This older approach is still useful today, as its simplicity makes image interpretation easier in some cases.
Data location
MSC Datamart data can be automatically retrieved with the Advanced Message Queuing Protocol (AMQP) as soon as it becomes available. An overview and examples of how to access and use Meteorological Service of Canada open data is also available.
The data is available via the HTTPS protocol. It can be accessed using a standard browser. In this case, a list of links to a GeoTIFF file is displayed.
Himawari products can be found at :
where :
- HH: Time in UTC of image validity [00, 01, .., 23]
File name nomenclature
File names follow the nomenclature below:
{YYYYMMDD}T{HHmm}Z_MSC_Himawari-North_{Product}_{resolution}.tif
where :
- YYYYMMDD: Year, month and day of image validity
- T: Time delimiter according to ISO8601 standards
- HHmm: Hour and minute in UTC of image validity time [00, 01, 02, ...., 22, 23]
- Z: Time zone (UTC time)
- MSC: Constant string for Meteorological Service of Canada, the data source
- Himawari-North : String indicating that data are derived from Himawari over the North Hemisphere
- Product: String indicating the type of satellite product generated [Ash, Channel03, Channel13, Channel15, Dust, NaturalColor, SO2]. See the section on file contents
- resolution : Horizontal resolution of data [2km]
- tif : Constant string indicating that the format is GeoTIFF
Examples:
- 20260713T0020Z_MSC_Himawari-North_Dust_2km.tif
- 20260713T0110Z_MSC_Himawari-North_Channel13_2km.tif
File contents
Himawari data complement the observations provided by the GOES satellites by providing:
- An equivalent rate of observation: imaging every 10 minutes
- Comparable spectral and radiometric characteristics
- A strategic geographical extension towards:
- Western Pacific
- Cyclone regions of Asia and Oceania
This complementarity ensures better overall continuity of geostationary observations.
| Characteristic | Himawari | GOES |
|---|---|---|
| Operator | Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) |
| Orbital Position | 140°E (Geostationary) | 75°W (GOES-East), 137°W (GOES-West) |
| Coverage | Asia-Pacific, Australia | North America, Central America, Atlantic |
| Observation Frequency | 10 minutes | 5 to 10 minutes (depending on GOES position) |
| Resolution | 0,5 km (visible), 2 km (infrared) | 0,5 km (visible), 2 km (infrared) |
| Main Instrument / Meteorological Products | ABI (Advanced Baseline Imager) – similar capabilities, plus additional instruments (e.g., GLM). Provides sea surface temperature, cloud, precipitation, and wind products | |
| Operational Start Date | 2015 (Himawari-8), 2022 (Himawari-9) | 2017 (GOES-16), 2019 (GOES-17), 2023 (GOES-18), 2025 (GOES-19) |
Seven types of products are currently generated from the Himawari-8/9 satellites. They are described below according to product type (see links in the tables for a more detailed description):
| Product | Type | Resolution | Application | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural Color | RGB Composite | 2km | Analysis of smoke, dust, vegetation, snow and clouds | Generated primarily from the visible and near-infrared bands |
| Dust | RGB Composite | 2km | Detection of dust and sand suspended in the atmosphere | Distinguishes dust clouds from weather clouds and soil features |
| Ash | RGB Composite | 2km | Volcanic Ash Cloud Detection | Widely used for aviation risk monitoring |
| Sulfur dioxide (SO2) | RGB Composite | 2km | Detecting sulfur dioxide plumes from volcanic eruptions | Used in conjunction with ash detection products during eruptions |
| Channel 3 (C3) | Single channel (Band 3) | 2km | Observing clouds, fog, smoke, dust and surface details during the day | Visible red band (0.64 μm). No information available at night |
| Channel 13 (C13) | Single channel (Band 13) | 2km | Measuring cloud top and land surface temperature | "Clean" infrared window (10.4 μm). Available day and night |
| Channel 15 (C15) | Single channel (Band 15) | 2km | Sensitive to atmospheric moisture, volcanic ash and dust when combined with other infrared channels | IR split Window band (12.4 μm). Frequently used in RGB "Ash" products |
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