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At least 91 records · Page 5

NOAA PSL Microwave Radiometer Block Island / Thermodynamic retrievals TROPoe

This dataset contains daily files with thermodynamic profiles retrieved with the optimal estimation physical retrieval TROPoe (Turner and Löhnert 2014; Turner and Blumberg 2019; Turner and Löhnert 2021). The profiles are retrieved every 10 minutes from instantaneous brightness temperature measurements at 35 channels observed with a microwave radiometer MP3000A operated by NOAA Physical Sciences Laboratory on the Block Island for WFIP3. Additional input data in TROPoe are cloud base height from a collocated ceilometer operated by NOAA GML and temperature, water vapor mixing ratio, and pressure from a sensor attached to the MWR housing. In addition to these temporally resolved input data, TROPoe requires an a priori dataset (prior) that provides mean climatological estimates of thermodynamic profiles and specifies how temperature and humidity covary with height as an input (for details see, e.g., Djalalova et al. 2022). The prior is a key component of the retrieval and provides a constraint on the ill-posed inversion problem. A monthly prior was computed from operational radiosonde launches at Upton, NY.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

Bias Corrected NOAA HRRR Wind Resource Data for Grid Integration Applications

To address the need for regularly updated wind resource data, NREL has processed the High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) outputs for use in grid integration modeling. The HRRR is an hourly-updated operational forecast product produced by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) (Dowell et al., 2022). Several barriers have prevented the HRRR's widespread proliferation in the wind energy industry: missing timesteps (prior to 2019), challenging file format for wind energy analysis, limited vertical height resolution, and negative bias versus legacy WIND Toolkit data (2007-2013). NREL has applied re-gridding, interpolation, and bias-correction to the native HRRR data to overcome these limitations. This results in the now-publicly-available bias corrected and interpolated HRRR (BC-HRRR) dataset for weather years 2015 to 2023. Bias correction is necessary for wind resource consistency across weather years to be used simultaneously in planning-focused grid integration studies alongside the original WIND Toolkit data. We show that quantile mapping with the WIND Toolkit as a historical baseline is an effective method for bias correcting the interpolated HRRR data: the BC-HRRR has reduced mean bias versus comparable gridded wind resource datasets (+0.12 m/s versus Vortex) and has very low mean bias versus ground measurement stations (+0.01 m/s) (Buster et al., 2024). BC-HRRR's consistency with the legacy WIND Toolkit allows NREL to extend grid integration analysis to 15+ weather years of wind data with low-overhead extensibility to future years as they are made available by NOAA. As with historical datasets like the WIND Toolkit, BC-HRRR is intended for use in grid integration modeling (e.g., capacity expansion, production cost, and resource adequacy modeling) both independently and alongside the legacy WIND Toolkit.

Array↗

Early Results from NOAA-20 (JPSS-1) Viirs On-Orbit Calibration and Characterization

Since launch in November 2018, the VIIRS on-board the NOAA-20 (or JPSS-1) satellite has completed its initial intensive on-orbit check-outs and several key calibration and validation activities scheduled to help evaluate sensor at launch performance. This paper provides a brief overview of NOAA-20 VIIRS on-orbit operation and calibration activities, presents early results derived from its on-board calibrators and lunar observations, and discusses potential improvements and future effort to assure sensor data product quality.

calibration↗

NOAA requirements and programs

Service programs in NOAA that contemplate using the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GEOS) Data Collection System (DCS) are considered. The GEOS DCS will be operated by the National Environmental Satellite Service of NOAA as an integral part of the national operation environmental satellite program. This plan is concerned with that part of the GEOS program connected with collection and relay of data from remote locations. Service programs include: (1) hydrological data collection; (2) oceanographic data collection; (3) marine observations from data buoys; (4) Tsunami warning service; and (5) meteorological service.

Flanders, A. F.↗

Extensive summer upwelling on Lake Michigan during 1973 observed by NOAA-2 and ERTS-1 satellites

Two studies are presented that utilize data from the NOAA-2 and ERTS-1 satellites. The studies are concentrated on two summer upwelling episodes in Lake Michigan when considerable contrast was observed in both surface water temperature as observed by NOAA-2 and surface water color as observed by ERTS-1. Physical, biological and chemical processes support the hypothesis that much of the observed 'whitening' is calcium carbonate precipitating as an immediate result of the upwelling.

Strong, A. E.↗

Operational applications of NOAA-VHRR imagery in Alaska

Near-real time operational applications of NOAA satellite enhanced thermal infrared imagery to snow monitoring for river flood forecasts, and a photographic overlay technique of imagery to enhance snowcover are presented. Ground truth comparisons show a thermal accuracy of approximately + or - 1 C for detection of surface radiative temperatures. The application of NOAA imagery to flood mapping is also presented.

Seifert, R. D.↗

Classification of simulated and actual NOAA-6 AVHRR data for hydrologic land-surface feature definition

An examination of the possibilities of using Landsat data to simulate NOAA-6 Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) data on two channels, as well as using actual NOAA-6 imagery, for large-scale hydrological studies is presented. A running average was obtained of 18 consecutive pixels of 1 km resolution taken by the Landsat scanners were scaled up to 8-bit data and investigated for different gray levels. AVHRR data comprising five channels of 10-bit, band-interleaved information covering 10 deg latitude were analyzed and a suitable pixel grid was chosen for comparison with the Landsat data in a supervised classification format, an unsupervised mode, and with ground truth. Landcover delineation was explored by removing snow, water, and cloud features from the cluster analysis, and resulted in less than 10% difference. Low resolution large-scale data was determined useful for characterizing some landcover features if weekly and/or monthly updates are maintained.

Ormsby, J. P.↗

The outlook for the NOAA Operational LANDSAT Program

The impact of the current federal budget on the establishment of an operational LANDSAT system is examined with particular emphasis on NOAA responsibilities and efforts to transfer operation of the land satellite system to the private sector. In order to recover the cost of maintenance and operations, the price of system data and products must be raised. Cooperative efforts needed for NASA, EDC, and NOAA to implement the operational system are discussed.

Yates, H. W.↗

Use of NOAA-N satellites for land/water discrimination and flood monitoring

A tool for monitoring the extent of major floods was developed using data collected by the NOAA-6 advanced very high resolution radiometer (AVHRR). A basic understanding of the spectral returns in AVHRR channels 1 and 2 for water, soil, and vegetation was reached using a large number of NOAA-6 scenes from different seasons and geographic locations. A look-up table classifier was developed based on analysis of the reflective channel relationships for each surface feature. The classifier automatically separated land from water and produced classification maps which were registered for a number of acquisitions, including coverage of a major flood on the Parana River of Argentina.

Tappan, G.↗

NOAA satellite-derived operational sea surface temperature products

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) began processing global measurements of emitted radiation in the 10.5 to 12.5 micron atmospheric window for purposes of deriving weekly composite and mean monthly sea surface temperature fields in the early 1970s. Atmospheric attenuation corrections, begun with empirical means, were accomplished chiefly with the aid of coarser resolution measurements from atmospheric sounders aboard the same polar orbiting spacecraft. Cloud filtering depended heavily upon the use of histogram techniques applied to 11 x 11 arrays of 8 km resolution Scanning Radiometer Infrared (SRIR) data. Details of the SRIR processing for SST are found in a NOAA Technical Memorandum.

Mcclain, E. P.↗

Case studies of NOAA 6/TIROS N data impact on numerical weather forecasts

The impact of satellite temperatures from systems which predate the launching of the third generation of vertical sounding instruments aboard TIROS N (13 Oct 1978) and NOAA 6 (27 June 1979) is reported. The first evaluation of soundings from TIROS N found that oceanic, cloudy retrievals over NH mid latitudes show a cold bias in winter. It is confirmed for both satellite systems using a larger data base. It is shown that RMS differences between retrievals and colocated radiosonde observations within the swath 30-60N during the 1979-80 winter were generally 2-3K in clear air and higher for cloudy columns. A positive impact of TIROS N temperatures on the analysis of synoptic weather systems is shown. Analyses prepared from only satellite temperatures seemed to give a better definition to weather systems' thermal structure than that provided by corresponding NMC analyses without satellite data. The results of a set of 14 numerical forecast experiments performed with the PE model of the Israel Meteorological Service (IMS) are summarized; these were designed to test the impact of TIROS N and NOAA 6 temperatures within the IMS analysis and forecast cycle. The satellite data coverage over the NH, the mean area/period S1 and RMS verification scores and the spatial distribution of SAT versus NO SAT forecast differences are discussed and it is concluded that positive forecast impact occurs over ocean areas where the extra data improve the specification which is otherwise available from conventional observations. The forecast impact for three cases from the same set of experiments was examined and it is found that satellite temperatures, observed over the Atlantic Ocean contribute to better forecasts over Iceland and central Europe although a worse result was verified over Spain. It is also shown that the better scores of a forecast based also on satellite data and verified over North America actually represent a mixed impact on the forecast synoptic patterns. A superior 48 hr 500 mb forecast over the western US due to the better initial specification afforded by satellite observed temperatures over the North Pacific Ocean is shown.

Druyan, L. M.↗

Dependence of NOAA-AVHRR recorded radiance on scan angle, atmospheric turbidity and unresolved cloud

Experimental evidence on the scan angle and sun angle dependence of radiance recorded by the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) devices on the NOAA-6 and NOAA-7 satellites is presented. The effects of atmospheric turbidity at various scan angles is shown, and simulations of angular anisotropy and recorded radiance are compared with the recorded digital data from the AVHRR obtained over the Great Plains area of the US. Evidence is presented on the effects of unresolved cloud on the recorded radiance and vegetative indices from uniform, vegetative targets.

Piwinski, D. J.↗

Monitoring global vegetation using NOAA-7 AVHRR data

The NOAA-7 polar orbiting, sun-synchronous, operational satellite carries the 5 channel Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR). Data are acquired globally at a resolution of 4 km on a daily basis. This data provides the means of frequently monitoring global vegetation on continental scales. Techniques for compositing and cloud screening a vegetation index for Africa are presented. The sample data set covers 9 days beginning August 16, 1983 and is compared with a semi-operational vegetation index product produced by NOAA.

Gatlin, J. A.↗

NOAA 26.5 Ah LEO characterization test

The General Electric (GE) 26.5 Ah NOAA-G flight nickel-cadmium cells were obtained from RCA-Astro Electronics to undergo performance characterization testing at the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). This lot of cells was manufactured with passivated positive plate, to control nickel structure attack duing active material impregnation, and less electrolyte than normal (less than 3cc/Ah). The cells were tested in a parametric low Earth orbit (LEO) cycling regime that was previously used to test and characterize standard 50 Ah cells. Life cycle testing at the Naval Weapons Support Center (NWSC), in Crane, followed. The results of the test showed nominal performance in comparison with previous test data on the standard 50. Life cycle testing in the NOAA orbital regime is continuing at NWSC.

Morrow, G. W.↗

NOAA WP-3D instrumentation and flight operations on AGASP-II

One component of the second Arctic Gas and Aerosol Sampling Program conducted in March and April 1986 was supported with an instrumented NOAA WP-3D atmospheric research aircraft, which was used to conduct measurements of wind, temperature, ozone, water vapor, the concentration of condensation nuclei, and aerosol scattering extinction coefficient in order to determine the locations and properties of haze layers. The WP-3D flights consisted of three missions north of Alaska and three in the Canadian Arctic near Alert. This paper describes the NOAA WP-3D aircraft; the meteorological, gas, and aerosol sampling systems utilized; and the flight operations of the six WP-3D flights.

Schnell, R. C.↗

Degradation rates of the AVHRR visible channel for the NOAA 6, 7, and 9 spacecraft

The stability of the AVHRR scanners on board the NOAA 6, 7, and 9 satellites was assessed using the Libian Desert as a target site and a directional reflectance model for determinations of the degradation rates for the channel 1 (0.57-0.69 micron) of the scanners. It was found that the degradation rates determined for 68 months of observations (May 1980-October 1987) were 0, 3.5, and 6.0 percent per year for NOAA 6, 7, and 9, respectively. An analysis based on zonal measurements covering half of the earth's surface showed that these rates are applicable to all surface types and other spacecraft-based earth-viewing scanners subject to shortwave degradation.

Staylor, W. Frank↗

NOAA-11 AVHRR visible and near-IR inflight calibration

An inflight calibration method for NOAA-11 AVHRR visible and near-infrared bands using desert reflectance is discussed. The results show a decrease in sensor systems response of 22 percent and 32 percent for the visible and near-infrared bands, respectively, relative to the published preflight calibration. The relative accuracy of the present calibration to the calibration of NOAA-9, published elsewhere, is + or - 3 percent. The absolute accuracy is around + or - 6 percent. An approximate correction to the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index ratio suggests that an increase of 0.06 is required.

Holben, B. N.↗

Ozone measurements from the NOAA-9 and the Nimbus-7 satellites - Implications of short and long term variabilities

An overview of the measurements of total ozone and ozone profiles by the SBUV/2 instrument on the NOAA-9 spacecraft relative to similar measurements from the solar backscatter ultraviolet (SBUV) and TOMS instruments on Nimbus-7 is presented. During the three-year period from March 14, 1985 to February 28, 1988, when these data sets overlap, it is shown that there have been significant changes in the calibrations of the three instruments that may be attributed to diffuser plate degradation (for SBUV/TOMS) and to the drift of the NOAA-9 orbit to later equator crossing times (for SBUV/2). Though these instrument characteristic changes have effected the absolute values of the trends derived from the three instruments, their geophysical characteristics and response to short-term variations are accurate and correlate well among the three instruments. It is seen that the total column ozone measured by the three instruments shows good agreement with respect to its day-to-day, seasonal, and latitudinal variabilities.

Chandra, S.↗