The releases demonstrate the functioning of the satellite's radiometer, atmospheric detector, lightning imager and space environment monitor, operating around 36,000 km above the Earth. 

"Four major payload devices of the Fengyun-4 satellite started up smoothly and captured the first batch of data," Tian Yulong, chief engineer of the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence (SASTIND), told press on Monday.

"Quality of the images is great. The information gained is up to what is expected in terms of quality and is qualified for use," Tian added.

Above: A series of 14 images and a composite released from Fengyun-4A (CNSA).

Wei Caiying, director-general of ground application system of Fengyun-4A, explained the multichannel radiometer scanning to CCTV+. 

"Its resolution has improved to 500 meters at the highest end, up from 1,250 meters with Fengyun-2. Time-wise, we now get such a disk graph in 15 minutes. We used to get it in 30," Ms Wei said.

Launched in December, the 5,400 kg Fengyun-4A is the experimental first spacecraft in a new series of meteorological satellites operated by the China Meteorological Administration.

It will provide high spatial, temporal and spectral resolution observations of China and surrounding areas, improving weather forecast and monitoring.

Further data from the release can be found here (Chinese).

Above: Fengyun-4A satellite under development (CASC).

The Fengyun-4 series will eventually feature six satellites, all based on the three-axis stabilised SAST-5000 platform developed by the Shanghai Academy of Space Technology (SAST), with an intended operational lifetime of 5-7 years.

Above: A rendering of China's Fengyun-4A meteorological satellite.

China has three operational Fengyun-2 meteorological satellites in geostationary orbits, which are capable of imaging only.

China's Fengyun-1 and -3 series are two generations of polar-orbiting meteorological satellites .

The Fengyun-4B satellite is expected to be launched to geostationary orbit in 2018.

The name Fengyun combines the words winds (Feng, 风) and clouds (yun, 云) and together mean 'storm'.