RSS delivers Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) image data as well as a selection of meteorological products. Rapid scan data complements the 15-minute High Resolution Image data generated by the operational Meteosat satellite, Meteosat-9, for which Meteosat-8 is the backup. The scan period is five minutes, the same as European weather radars, allowing the monitoring of rapidly developing localized convective weather systems like thunder storms. The scan covers an approximate latitude range of 15 to 70 degrees. The image data and products are based on the full 12 spectral channels available from MSG. Images are rectified to 9.5 degrees East.
RSS products include Atmospheric Motion Vectors extracted every 20 minutes; Clear Sky Radiances extracted every 15 minutes; and Multi-sensor Precipitation Estimate, Active Fire Monitoring and Global Instability Index extracted every five minutes. They are distributed via EUMETCast-Europe and on the World Meteorological Organization’s Global Telecommunication System and are archived at EUMETSAT.