GOES/POES Status, Orbits, and Products
Dr. Bernie Connell
CIRA/NOAA-RAMMT
March 2005
CIRA & NOAA/NESDIS/RAMM
Outline
GOES vs. POES
GOES Satellite and Sensors
Orbit
Image Scheduling
Channels and Products (Imager and Sounder)
POES
Orbit
Image Availability
Channels and Products
CIRA & NOAA/NESDIS/RAMM
Why do you need to know this?
• Let you know what resources are available
currently or what resources will be available
in the future
• Help you understand key features of the
various satellites.
• Define periods when you expect to view
images.
• Define what is happening when you do not
see images.
CIRA & NOAA/NESDIS/RAMM
GOES vs. POES
850 km
35,800 km
Geostationary Operational
Environmental Satellite
geo-synchronous orbit
35,800 km above the
earth
Polar-orbiting Operational
Environmental Satellite
sun-synchronous orbit
850 km above the earth
CIRA & NOAA/NESDIS/RAMM
The GOES and POES Systems
• Environmental Sensing:
– Acquisition, Processing, and Dissemination of
imaging and sounding data.
– Space environment monitor
• Data Collection:
– Interrogate and receive data from earth surfacebased Data Collection Platforms
• Data Broadcast:
– Continuous relay of weather facsimile and other
meteorological data to small users
– Relay of distress signals from aircraft or marine
vessels to the search and rescue ground station
GOES I-M DataBook, NOAA KLM User’s Guide
CIRA & NOAA/NESDIS/RAMM
Characteristics of GOES
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Observes events and their evolution
Repeat coverage in minutes (t = 15 or 30 minutes (or less))
Full earth disk
Restricted viewing of high-latitudes due to large viewing
angles; excellent viewing of the tropics
Same viewing angle for fixed point
Differing solar illumination for fixed point throughout the
day
Resolution: visible – 1 km , infrared 4 km
sounder – 10 km
Constant hourly viewing helps get clear field of view for
sounding
Passive sensors
Satellite Meteorology: Remote Sensing Using the New GOES Imager
CIRA & NOAA/NESDIS/RAMM
Characteristics of POES
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Observes events at fixed and infrequent times
Repeat coverage twice daily (t =12 hours)
Global coverage
Excellent viewing of all latitudes
Varying viewing angle
Same solar illumination
Resolution: visible – 1 km, infrared – 1 km
sounders: microwave – 10-50 km, infrared - 20 km
• Microwave helps with atmospheric and surface detection
in the presence of clouds
• Passive and Active sensors
Satellite Meteorology: Remote Sensing Using the New GOES Imager
CIRA & NOAA/NESDIS/RAMM
Image Resolution
The design of the sensor and resulting image resolution
is determined by many factors:
• Detail in the horizontal (imagers)
• Detail in the vertical (sounders)
• Satellite distance from earth (36,000 km vs. 850 km)
• Resolving power of the lens and the wavelength of
radiation.
• Size of sensor (cost)
CIRA & NOAA/NESDIS/RAMM
Active vs. Passive Sensors
• A passive sensor measures energy emitted by
another source.
• An active sensor, such as a weather radar,
measures the return signal from a pulse of energy
emitted by the sensor itself.
CIRA & NOAA/NESDIS/RAMM
Multispectral vs. Hyperspectral
• Multispectral sensors – sensors that collect
imagery for a small number of broad wavelength
bands
• Hyperspectral sensors – sensors that collect
imagery for a large number (hundreds) of narrow
contiguous wavelength bands.
CIRA & NOAA/NESDIS/RAMM
GOES-8 Spacecraft
The GOES Spacecraft
GOES I-M DataBook
Imager
Area Scan
(For GOES 8 – 11)
GOES-12 has a wider spectral band for the water vapor channel
and the 12.0 um channel has been replaced with
a 13.3 um channel.
GOES I-M DataBook
GOES Imager Channels
GOES
Channel
Wavelength
(µm)
Central
Wavelength
(µm)
Number of
Detectors
(per scan)
Detector
Resolution
(km)
_________________________________________________________
0.7
3.9
6.7
6.5
10.7
12.0
13.3
8
2
1
2
2
2
1
1
4
8
4
4
4
8
Visible
Shortwave IR
Longwave IR
1
0.52-0.72
2
3.78-4.03
3
6.47-7.02
3 G12 5.77-7.33
4
10.2-11.2
5
11.5-12.5
6 G12 12.9-13.7
CIRA & NOAA/NESDIS/RAMM
Midwave
1
14.71
CO2, Stratosphereic
temperature
10
7.43
Water vapor, Lower to midlevel tropospheric moisture
2
14.37
CO2, Stratosphereic
temperature
11
7.02
Water vapor, mid-level
tropospheric moisture
3
14.06
CO2, Upper-tropospheric
temperature
12
6.51
Water vapor, upper-level
tropospheric moisture
4
13.96
CO2, Mid-tropospheric
temperature
13
4.57
CO2, Lower-level
tropospheric temperature
5
13.37
CO2, Lower-tropospheric
temperature
14
4.52
CO2, Mid-level
tropospheric temperature
6
12.66
Water vapor, lowertropospheric moisture
15
4.45
CO2, Upper-level
tropospheric temperature
7
12.02
Water vapor, “dirty”
(moisture contaminated)
window
16
4.13
CO2, Boundary-layer
temperature
8
11.03
Window, cloud-top and
surface temperature
17
3.98
Window, cloud top and
surface temperature
9
9.71
Ozone, stratospheric ozone
18
3.74
Window, cloud top and
surface temperature
Visible
0.94
Visible window, cloud top
and surface features
Comment (spectral
region, application)
Resolution = 10 km
Satellite Meteorology: Using the GOES Sounder
Channel
Center
Wavelength
(um)
Comment (spectral
region, application)
Shortwave
Channel
Center
Wavelength
(um)
Midwave
Longwave
GOES Sounder Channels
GOES
GOES I-M DataBook
GOES-EAST ROUTINE
IMAGER SCHEDULE
SECTORS
SECTOR
CONUS
N. HEMIS. EXT
S. HEMIS.
FULL DISK
DURATION
MINS:SECS
4:48
14:13
4:48
26:05
CIRA & NOAA/NESDIS/RAMM
GOES-EAST
RAPID SCAN IMAGER
SCHEDULE SECTORS
SECTOR
CONUS
N. HEMISPHERE
S. HEMIS. S. S.
FULL DISK
DURATION
MINS:SECS
4:43
9:44
1:45
26:05
CIRA & NOAA/NESDIS/RAMM
GOES-EAST
SUPER RAPID SCAN
IMAGER
SCHEDULE SECTORS
SECTOR
CONUS
N. HEMISPHERE
SRSO (Maryland)
FULL DISK
DURATION
MINS:SECS
4:43
9:44
1:02
26:05
CIRA & NOAA/NESDIS/RAMM
GOES-EAST
SOUNDER SCAN
SCHEDULES
SECTOR
CONUS
E. CARIBBEAN
GULF OF MEXICO
N. ATLANTIC
DURATION
MINS:SECS
30:00
22:00
22:00
22:00
CIRA & NOAA/NESDIS/RAMM
GOES Imager Products
Heavy Rainfall
High density winds
Fog/low cloud
Inflight Icing
Volcanic ash detection
Fire detection
CIRA & NOAA/NESDIS/RAMM
GOES Sounder Products
Lifted Index
CAPE
Convective Inhibition
Total Precipitable Water
Surface Skin Temperature
Water vapor winds
CIRA & NOAA/NESDIS/RAMM
POES
• Main Operational POES:
NOAA
DMSP
• Semi-operational POES:
QuikSCAT
Terra and Aqua (contain MODIS imager)
CIRA & NOAA/NESDIS/RAMM
NOAA KLM System
Sensors of interest
•
•
•
•
Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer/3 (AVHRR/3)
Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit – A (AMSU – A)
Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit – B (AMSU – B)
High Resolution Infrared Radiation Sounder (HIRS/3)
CIRA & NOAA/NESDIS/RAMM
Defense Meteorological
Satellite Program (DMSP)
Sensors of interest
• Special Sensor Microwave / Imager (SSM/I)
• Special Sensor Microwave / Temperature (SSM/T)
– Atmospheric Temperature Profiler
• SSM/T2 – Atmospheric Water Vapor Profiler
http://dmsp.ngdc.noaa.gov/dmsp.html
CIRA & NOAA/NESDIS/RAMM
Cross-track Scanning (AVHRR, AMSU, MODIS)
Polar Satellite Products for the Operational Forecaster – COMET CD Module
CIRA & NOAA/NESDIS/RAMM
Conical Scanning –SSM/I
Polar Satellite Products for the Operational Forecaster – COMET CD
CIRA & NOAA/NESDIS/RAMM
Orbital Coverage
•Satellite makes one orbit (360°) in about 100 min; i.e., it goes about 3.6°/min, or
about 10° in 3 minutes.
•With a knowledge of which way the satellite is moving and how fast it is moving,
one can estimate viewing time at a particular point.
CIRA & NOAA/NESDIS/RAMM
AMSU coverage (2200 km swath)
http://amsu.cira.colostate.edu/
CIRA & NOAA/NESDIS/RAMM
SSMI coverage (1400 km swath)
swath
Example from NOAA’s Marine Observing Systems Team Web Page
http://manati.orbit.nesdis.noaa.gov/doc/ssmiwinds.html
CIRA & NOAA/NESDIS/RAMM
AVHRR/3 (3000 km swath)
Channel
1
Ground
Spectral Range
Resolution (at
(um)
nadir) (km)
0.58-0.68
Application
1.09
Clouds, land-water
boundaries, snow, ice,
vegetation monitoring
2
0.725-1.0
1.09
Clouds, land-water
boundaries, snow, ice,
vegetation monitoring
3A
1.58-1.64
1.09
Clouds, sea surface
temperature
3B
3.55-3.93
1.09
Clouds, sea surface
temperature
4
10.3-11.3
1.09
Clouds, sea surface
temperature
5
11.5-12.5
1.09
Clouds, sea surface
temperature
CIRA & NOAA/NESDIS/RAMM
AVHRR Products
SST
• Sea Surface Temperature (SST)
• Normalized Difference Vegetation
Index (NDVI)
• Atmospheric aerosols
• Volcanic Ash detection
• Fire detection
NDVI
Aerosols
Fires
Volcanic Ash
CIRA & NOAA/NESDIS/RAMM
AMSU-A AMSU-B
Channel
Frequencies (GHz)
and Polarizations
Frequencies (GHz)
and Polarizations
1
23.8 R
89.0R
2
31.4R
157.0R
3
50.3R
183.3 +/- 1R
4
52.8R
183.3 +/- 3R
5
53.6R
183.3 +/- 7R
6
54.4R
7
54.9R
8
55.5R
9
57.2R
10
57.29 +/- .217R
11
57.29 +/- .322 +/- .048R
12
57.29 +/- .322 +/- .022R
13
57.29 +/- .322 +/- .010R
14
57.29 +/- .322 +/- .0045R
15
89.0R
Source: Kidder and Vonder Haar (1995)
Notation: x±y±z; x is the
center frequency. If y appears,
the center frequency is not
sensed, but two bands, one on
either side of the center
frequency, are sensed; y is the
distance from the center
frequency to the center of the
two pass bands. If z appears,
it is the width of the two pass
bands.
Polarization: R = rotates with
scan angle.
CIRA & NOAA/NESDIS/RAMM
SSM/I – Microwave Imager
Frequency (GHz)
Polarization
Spatial Resolution
19.35
V, H
43 x 69 km
22.35
V
40 x 60 km
37.0
V, H
29 x 37 km
85.5
V, H
13 x 15 km
Polarization: V = vertical, H = horizontal
Source: Kidder and Vonder Haar (1995); POES Microwave Applications CD - COMET
CIRA & NOAA/NESDIS/RAMM
Meteorological Parameters
Summary of Key Interactions and Potential Uses
Frequencies
AMSU SSMI
Microwave Processes
Potential Uses
23 GHz
22GHz
Absorption and emission by
water vapor
Oceanic precipitable water
31, 50,
89 GHz
19, 37,
85 GHz
Absorption and emission by
cloud water
Oceanic cloud water and
rainfall
89 GHz
85 GHz
Scattering by cloud ice
Land and ocean rainfall
31, 50,
89 GHz
19, 37,
85 GHz
Variations in surface emissivity:
Land/water boundaries
Soil moisture/wetness
Surface vegetation
Ocean surface wind speed
Snow and ice cover
–Land vs. water
–Different land types
–Differenc ocean surfaces
Scattering by snow and ice
Polar Satellite Products for the Operational Forecaster – COMET CD
CIRA & NOAA/NESDIS/RAMM
AMSU/SSMI Products
TPW
•
•
•
•
Total Precipitable Water (TPW)
Cloud Liquid Water (CLW)
Rain rate
Snow and Ice cover
CLW
Ice cover
Rain rate
Snow cover
http://amsu.cira.colostate.edu/
CIRA & NOAA/NESDIS/RAMM
QuikSCAT
Orbit: Sun-synchronous, 803 km, 98.6° inclination orbit
Seawinds Instrument: Microwave Radar (active sensor)
• 13.4 GHz
• Retrieval of near surface wind speed and direction
• Resolution on ground: 25 km
1800 km wide swath
NASA/JPL web pages: http://winds.jpl.nasa.gov/aboutScat/index.cfm
CIRA & NOAA/NESDIS/RAMM
Example from NOAA’s Marine Observing Systems Team Web Page
http://manati.orbit.nesdis.noaa.gov/quikscat/
CIRA & NOAA/NESDIS/RAMM
Example from NOAA’s Marine Observing Systems Team Web Page
http://manati.orbit.nesdis.noaa.gov/quikscat/
CIRA & NOAA/NESDIS/RAMM
MODIS
Moderate Resolution Imaging
Spectroradiometer
36 spectral bands
2330 km swath width
55° view angle
Resolution on ground at nadir:
– 1 km for all channels
– 250 m for bands 1 and 2 (0.645 and 0.865 um)
– 500 m for bands 3 – 7 (0.470, 0.555, 1.240, 1.640,
2.130 um)
CIRA & NOAA/NESDIS/RAMM
MODIS
Reflective Bands
Band
Central wavelength (um)
Primary Use
1, 2
0.645, 0.865
Land/Cloud/Aerosols Boundaries
3, 4
0.470, 0.555
Land/Cloud/Aerosols Properties
5–7
1.240, 1.640, 2.130
8 – 10
0.415, 0.443, 0.490
11 – 13
0.531, 0.565, 0.653
14 – 16
0.681, 0.750, 0.865
Ocean Color/
Phytoplankton/
Biogeochemistry
17 – 19
0.905, 0.936, 0.940
Atmospheric Water Vapor
26
1.375
Cirrus Clouds
20 – 23
3.750(2), 3.959, 4.050
Surface/Cloud Temperature
24, 25
4.465, 4.515
Atmospheric Temperature
27, 28
6.715, 7.325
Cirrus Clouds, Water Vapor
29
8.550
Cloud Properties
30
9.730
Ozone
31, 32
11.03, 12.02
Surface/Cloud Temperature
33 – 36
13.335, 13.635, 13.935, 14.235
Cloud Top Altitude
Emissive Bands
MODIS Aqua coverage (2330 km swath)
Space Science and Engineering Center (SSEC)
http://www.ssec.wisc.edu/datacenter/aqua/
CIRA & NOAA/NESDIS/RAMM
MODIS Products
Cloud fraction (daytime)
Surface albedo
Clear sky precipitable water (IR)
Normalized difference vegetation index
Cloud optical thickness (water)
Ecosystem classification
Aerosol optical depth
AND MANY MORE
http://modis-atmos.gsfc.nasa.gov/index.html
Summary of swath widths for select
POES
AVHRR
3000 km
AMSU
2200 km
SSMI
1400 km
QuikSCAT
1800 km
MODIS
2330 km
CIRA & NOAA/NESDIS/RAMM
References
CDs produced by the COMET program (see meted.ucar.edu)
Polar Satellite Products for the Operational Forecaster
POES Introduction and Background
POES Microwave Applications
An Introduction to POES Data and Products
Satellite Meteorology: Remote Sensing Using the New GOES Imager
Satellite Meteorology: Using the GOES Sounder
Space Systems Loral, 1996 : GOES I-M DataBook
Can be found online at: http://rsd.gsfc.nasa.gov/goes/text/goes.databook.html
NOAA KLM User’s Guide http://www2.ncdc.noaa.gov/docs/klm/index.htm
NOAA/NESDIS Office of Satellite Operations: http://www.oso.noaa.gov/goes/index.htm
NOAA/NESDIS Office of Satellite Data Processing and Distribution http://www.osdpd.noaa.gov/
Hastings, D. and W. Emery. 1992. The Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR): a brief reference guide.
Photogrammetric Engineering & Remote Sensing 58(8):1183-1188.
Kidder, S.Q., and T.H. Vonder Haar, 1995: Satellite Meteorology. Academic Press, 466 pp.
Stan Kidder’s AMSU webpage at CIRA: http://amsu.cira.colostate.edu/
Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) http://dmsp.ngdc.noaa.gov/dmsp.html
NASA/JPL web pages: http://winds.jpl.nasa.gov/aboutScat/index.cfm
NOAA’s Marine Observing Systems Team Web Page http://manati.orbit.nesdis.noaa.gov/doc/oceanwinds1.html
MODIS Rapid Response System http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/
NASA MODIS Home page http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/
CIRA & NOAA/NESDIS/RAMM