1. Improved water vapor channel (Imager channel 3)
2. Slightly different visible channel (Imager chanel 1)
3. 13.3 µm IR (Imager channel 6) replaces the 12.0 µm  IR (Imager channel 5)
4. Improved Image Navigation and Registration (INR)
5. Shorter image outages during Spring and Fall season “eclipse periods”
6. Less noise on many of the Sounder channels

GOES-11 vs GOES-15 Imager water vapor channel data as the source for GOES-West

The improvement made to the GOES-15 Imager instrument water vapor channel is likely the most important change that operational users will notice. In the sequence of AWIPS images above, the first 3 images are using the 8-km resolution GOES-11 6.7 µm channel as the source for GOES-West water vapor imagery, while the final 3 images use the 4-km resolution GOES-15 6.5 µm channel. Note the change to slightly warmer/drier water vapor brightness temperatures (brighter yellow color enhancement) after the changeover to GOES-15 — this in part due to the fact that the spectral response function of the 4-km resolution water vapor channel on GOES-12 and beyond is much wider than that of the 8-km resolution water vapor channel on GOES-8 through GOES-11. In addition, notice that the north-south “seam” joining the GOES-West and GOES-East water vapor channel images disappears, since the characteristics of the water vapor channels are now identical on those two satellites.

In the sequence of AWIPS images below, the first 2 images are using the GOES-11 Sounder instrument 6.5 µm channel as the source for GOES-West water vapor imagery, while the final 2 images use the GOES-15 Sounder 6.5 µm channel. Note the improvement in noise seen in the Sounder instrument water vapor images after the changeover to GOES-15. Since the 3 GOES Sounder water vapor channels are a component of the GOES Sounder Total Precipitable Water derived product imagery, the quality of that product should also improve.

GOES-11 vs GOES-15 Sounder 6.5 µm water vapor channel data as the source for GOES-West

In terms of the visible imagery, a comparison using GOES-11 (the first 3 images) vs GOES-15 (the final set of 3 images) Imager visible channel data is seen below (during a test on 29 November). Immediately obvious is the fact that the GOES-15 visible channel imagery appears “brighter” than the GOES-11 visible channel imagery — this is due to the fact that the performance of the GOES visible detectors degrades over time. The 0.63 µm visible channel on GOES-15 is also slightly different than the 0.65 µm visible channel on GOES-11, as is discussed in the “GOES-13 is now the operational GOES-East satellite” blog post. GOES-15 is similar to GOES-13, since it is part of the GOES-N/O/P series of spacecraft.

Using GOES-11 vs GOES-15 as the source for GOES-West visible channel images

One of the benefits of GOES-15 is improved Image Navigation and Registration (INR), which leads to less image-to-image “wobble” when viewing an animation. The improved GOES-15 INR is quite evident when compared to GOES-11 for this blowing dust case on 27 November (below; click image to play animation).

GOES-11 0.65 µm and GOES-15 0.63 µm visible images (click image to play animation)

A comparison of the GOES-15 0.63 µm visible channel, the 10.7 µm “IR window” channel, and the 13.3 µm “CO2 absorption” IR channel (below) shows that high cloud features will show up with more clarity on the 13.3 µm images — by examining the weighting function of the 13.3 µm IR channel, it can be seen that this CO2 absorption channel samples radiation from a much deeper, much higher altitude than the standard 10.7 µm IR window channel.

GOES-15 0.63 µm visible channel, 10.7 µm IR channel, and 13.3 µm IR channel images

The 13.3 µm “CO2 absorption” IR channel is also used for the creation of derived products such as Cloud Top Pressure. An example of a combined GOES-15 (GOES-West) + GOES-13 (GOES-East) Cloud Top Pressure product is shown below (courtesy of Tony Schreiner, CIMSS).

GOES-15 + GOES-13 Cloud Top Pressure product

An example of the value of having larger batteries onboard the GOES-13/14/15 spacecraft during eclipse periods can be seen below, as Hurricane Ike was making landfall along the Texas coast in September of 2008. During the approximately 3 hour image outage from GOES-12 during the eclipse period (when the satellite was in the Earth’s shadow, and the solar panels could not generate the power necessary to operate the GOES imager and GOES sounder instrument packages), GOES-13 IR images continued to be available — and these GOES-13 images showed a strong spiral band that was in the process of intensifying and moving inland along the far northeastern Texas and far southwestern Louisiana coastlines.

GOES-12 vs GOES-13 IR images (Hurricane Ike making landfall)

Additional information can be found on the VISIT training lesson “GOES-15 Becomes GOES-West“.

HISTORICAL NOTE: GOES-15 became GOES-West on the 45th anniversary of the launch of ATS-1 on 06 December 1966. ATS-1 was the first meteorological satellite to provide geostationary images — an example of an early ATS-1 visible image is seen below, and QuickTime movies are available which show animations of some of the early ATS-1 images.

ATS-1 visible image (11 December 1966)

Using GOES-11 vs GOES-15 as the source for GOES-West water vapor channel images

GOES-15 is scheduled to replace GOES-11 as the operational GOES-West satellite on 06 December 2011. On 29 November 2011, a test was conducted by NOAA/NESDIS which briefly substituted GOES-15 data for GOES-11 data as the source of GOES-West satellite imagery in AWIPS. In the sequence of AWIPS images shown above, the first 3 images are using GOES-11, while the final set of 3 images are using GOES-15 as the source for GOES-West Imager water vapor channel data. The changes to the GOES-15 Imager water vapor channel are quite obvious — GOES-15 uses a 4-km resolution channel centered at 6.5 µm that has a wider spectral response, compared to the 8-km resolution 6.7 µm channel with a more narrow spectral response on GOES-11. Even at high latitudes (where the large satellite viewing angle shifts the GOES water vapor weighting function to higher altitudes) the improved GOES-15 water vapor channel imagery will do a better job of depicting the moisture gradients and structure associated with mid-tropospheric dynamical features (Gulf of Alaska example | Nunavut, Canada example).

A similar comparison using GOES-11 (the first 3 images) vs GOES-15 (the final set of 3 images) Imager visible channel data is seen below. Immediately obvious is the fact that the GOES-15 visible channel imagery appears “brighter” than the GOES-11 visible channel imagery — this is due to the fact that the performance of the GOES visible detectors degrades over time (GOES-11 was launched in 2000, and became the operational GOES-West satellite in 2006). The 0.63 µm visible channel on GOES-15 is also slightly different than the 0.65 µm visible channel on GOES-11, as is discussed in the “GOES-13 is now the operational GOES-East satellite” blog post. GOES-15 is similar to GOES-13, since it is part of the GOES-N/O/P series of spacecraft.

Using GOES-11 vs GOES-15 as the source for GOES-West visible channel images

Finally, below is a comparison of GOES Sounder data, using GOES-11 as the source of GOES-West 6.5 µm Sounder water vapor channel data (the first 2 images) vs GOES-15 (the final set of 2 images). Note that the GOES-15 Sounder water vapor channel imagery has less noise than that from GOES-11.

Using GOES-11 vs GOES-15 as the source for GOES-West Sounder water vapor channel images

GOES-15 0.63 µm visible channel images (click image to play animation)

Strong northeasterly winds created large plumes of blowing dust across parts of the Baja California region of Mexico on 27 November 2011. GOES-15 0.63 µm visible channel images (above; click image to play animation) showed the development of one blowing dust plume originating near the west coast of mainland Mexico, with another more broad plume fanning out from the Baja California peninsula.

GOES-15 will be replacing GOES-11 as the operational GOES-West satellite on 06 December 2011 — and one of the benefits is improved Image Navigation and Registration (INR), which leads to less image-to-image “wobble” when viewing an animation. The improved GOES-15 INR is quite evident when compared to GOES-11 for this blowing dust case (below; click image to play animation).

GOES-11 0.65 µm and GOES-15 0.63 µm visible images (click image to play animation)

A 250-meter resolution MODIS true color Red/Green/Blue (RGB) image from the SSEC MODIS Today site (below) revealed more complex details about the structure of the blowing dust features.

MODIS true color Red/Green/Blue (RGB) image

AWIPS images of GOES-11 0.65 µm visible channel data with an overlay of MADIS 1-hour interval satellite winds (below) indicated that the airborne dust feature was moving southwestward at speeds of 15-20 knots.

GOES-11 0.65 µm visible images + MADIS satellite winds

A comparison of 1-km resolution MODIS 0.65 µm visible channel, 3.7 µm “shortwave IR” channel, and 11.0 µm “IR window” channel images (below) showed that (1) the thickest portions of the blowing dust plumes appeared several degrees warmer (darker black enhancement) on the shortwave IR channel image, due to reflection of incoming solar radiation off the small airborne dust particles, and (2) swaths of land which had significant amounts of blowing dust overhead exhibited a slightly cooler (lighter gray enhancement) signaure on the IR window channel image, since the dust was reducing the amount of solar radiation reaching the surface.

MODIS 0.65 µm visible, 3.7 µm "shortwave IR", and 11.0 µm "IR window" images

In fact, the corresponding 1-km resolution MODIS Land Surface Temperature (LST) product (below) displayed LST values in the 80s F in areas beneath the blowing dust plumes, in contrast to LST values in the 90s to around 100º F over adjacent areas.

MODIS 0.65 µm visible channel + MODIS Land Surface Temperature product

CIMSS participation in GOES-R Proving Ground activities includes making a variety of MODIS images and products available for National Weather Service offices to add to their local AWIPS workstations. Currently there are 49 NWS offices receiving MODIS imagery and products from CIMSS.

GOES-13 0.63 µm visible channel images

Strong northerly winds in the wake of a cold frontal passsage caused widespread blowing dust across parts of west Texas during the afternoon hours on 26 November 2011. The hazy plumes of blowing dust could be seen on GOES-13 0.63 µm visible channel images (above). At Midland, Texas (located near the center of the images) the winds gusted to 51 mph, and surface visibility was reduced to 0.5 mile at times.

After sunset, when visible imagery was no longer available, the southward progress of the airborne dust could still be tracked using a GOES-11 IR difference product (below), created by subtracting the 12.0 µm IR brightness temperature from the 10.7 µm IR brightness temperature. The larger IR difference values (around 2-3 degrees Kelvin, yellow color enhancement) represented the portions of the airborne dust cloud that were the most concentrated.

GOES-11 0.65 µm visible images + GOES-11 IR difference product images

It is important to note that GOES-11 (GOES-West) is the only remaining operational GOES satellite that still has the 4-km resolution 12.0 µm IR channel on the Imager instrument (a 10-km resolution 12.0 µm channel is still on the Sounder instrument on all GOES satellites) — and GOES-11 will soon be replaced by GOES-15 on 06 December 2011. After that time, using such an IR difference product to track areas of blowing dust will have to be done using polar orbiting satellites (such as POES, MODIS, or NPP) or the GOES Sounder that still have the 12.0 µm IR channel.

GOES-11 0.65 µm visible channel images + ship reports

According to the National Hurricane Center, on 20 November 2011 Tropical Storm Kenneth became the latest-forming named tropical storm in the eastern North Pacific basin since Hurricane Winnie formed on 04 December 1983. GOES-11 0.65 µm visible channel images from the CIMSS Tropical Cyclones site (above) showed a well-defined circulation, with a ship report of tropical storm force winds north of the storm center.

The corresponding GOES-11 10.7 µm IR images (below) showed a trend of increasing convection withing the northern semicircle of the storm.

GOES-11 10.7 µm IR images + ship reports

AWIPS images of the MIMIC Total Precipitable Water (TPW) product (below; click image to play animation) indicated that TPW values associated with Tropical Storm Kenneth were in the 50-60 mm range (darker orange colors), as rich moisture was sill in place along the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) / Monsoon Trough.

MIMIC Total Precipitable Water (TPW) product (click image to play animation)

======== 21 November Update ========

GOES-15 0.63 µm visible images (click image to play animation)

Kenneth was upgraded to a Hurricane on 21 November. GOES-15 0.63 µm visible channel images (above; click image to play animation) showed a ragged eye forming as curved convective bands wrapped around the center of the tropical cyclone. Kenneth was able to intensify in part because it was in an environment that possessed uncharacteristically low values of deep layer wind shear (below).

GOES-11 10.7 µm IR image + deep layer wind shear

======== 22 November Update ========

GOES-15 0.63 µm visible channel images (click image to play animation)

Hurricane Kenneth strengthened to a Category 4 storm on 22 November, becoming the most intense major hurricane to form so late in the season in the satellite era. GOES-15 0.63 µm visible channel images (above; click image to play animation) showed the well-defined eye of Kenneth.

GOES-11, GOES-13, GOES-15, and MODIS water vapor channel images

A comparison of 8-km resolution GOES-11 6.7 µm water vapor channel, 4-km resolution GOES-13 and GOES-15 6.5 µm water vapor channel, and 1-km resolution Aqua MODIS 6.7 µm water vapor channel images (above) demonstrated how differences in satellite viewing angle as well as differences in satellite sensor spatial resolution have an impact in being able to resolve the structure and areal coverage of small-scale features such as the mountain waves that existed across much of southeastern Colorado and northeastern New Mexico around 19:45 UTC on 12 November 2011.

There were a number of pilot reports of moderate to severe turbulence aloft across the region – and at the surface, wind gusts as high as 115 mph were reported. As can be seen in a comparison of 1-km resolution MODIS 0.65 µm visible channel and MODIS 6.7 µm water vapor channel images (below), many of the mountain waves were located in cloud-free areas — this highlights the value of water vapor channel imagery for identifying such regions of potential aircraft turbulence.

MODIS 0.65 µm visible channel + MODIS 6.7 µm water vapor channel images

MTSAT-1R 6.7 µm water vapor channel images

McIDAS images of MTSAT-1R 6.7 µm water vapor channel data (above) showed an intense extratropical cyclone that was moving toward the Bering Sea region during the 07 November – 08 November 2011 time frame. Of particular interest was the presence of a very warm/dry (dark black) circular region within the dry slot sector of the developing cyclone, which could have been associated with a strong potential vorticity anomaly.

A color-enhanced comparison of MTSAT-1R and GOES-11 6.7 µm water vapor channel data (below; click image to play animation) demonstrated the difference that satellite viewing angle (MTSAT looking from the west; GOES-11 looking from the east) and satellite sensor spatial resolution (the MTSAT-1R water vapor channel is “4 km” at nadir, while the GOES-11 water vapor channel is “8 km” at nadir) play in the ability to resolve such potentially important dynamical features. The core of the aforementioned MTSAT-1R dry feature moved directly over Shemya Island around 12:00 UTC on 08 November (MODIS IR image with surface analysis), where a surface wind gust of 83 mph was recorded at Shemya Air Force Base. Then, once the storm began to move northward over the Bering Sea, a more “curved banding” structure was seen on water vapor imagery as the cyclone began to wrap filaments of dry air around the deepening storm center. Although the sun angle was low, some of the “banding structure” could be seen in GOES-11 0.65 µm visible channel images.

MTSAT-1R (left) and GOES-11 (right) 6.7 µm water vapor channel images (click image to play animation)

While the dry slot features began to lose their definition in the geostationary MTSAT-1R and GOES-11 water vapor images (in part due to the upward shift in the peak of the water vapor channel weighting function with increasing satellite viewing angle), a direct overpass of the Aqua satellite around 23:45 UTC on 08 November provided a nice view using the 6.7 µm water vapor channel on the MODIS instrument (below). Using the MODIS imagery, good dry slot structure could be seen, even after the storm had moved northward over the Bering Sea.

Aqua MODIS 6.7 µm water vapor channel image

A sequence of AWIPS images of 1-km resolution MODIS 11.0 µm and POES AVHRR 12.0 µm InfraRed data (below; click image to play animation) showed the storm at various phases as it was rapidly deeping during its northward trek over the Bering Sea.

MODIS 11.0 µm and POES AVHRR 12.0 µm InfraRed images (click image to play animation)

This ended up being one of the strongest Bering Sea storms on record — the winds exceeded hurricane force across a very expansive area, producing high seas and major coastal flooding and beach erosion along parts of western Alaska. At the Tin City Airways Facility Sector (located near the western tip of the Seward Peninsula), they reported sustained winds of 72 mph with gusts to 85 mph — and the minimum altimeter air pressure was 28.46 inches. A peak gust of 89 mph was reported nearby at Wales. As the storm moved over St, Lawrence Island, minimum altimeter air pressure readings were 28.21 inches and 28.28 inches at Gambell and Savoonga, respectively.

The entire evolution of the storm during the 08-09 November time period can be seen on an animation of 15-minute interval GOES-11 10.7 µm IR images (below; click image to play animation).

15-minute interval GOES-11 10.7 µm IR images (click image to play animation)

GOES-15 10.7-micrometer image at new 'sub-CONUS' scale

A new scanning schedule that adds more sectors is being followed for GOES-15 as the satellite drifts westward towards 135 W. When GOES-15 becomes the new GOES-West, replacing GOES-11 (planned to occur on December 6th), the augmented scanning schedule will become operational, offering 1 or 2 additional scans per hour of the Continental United States (at the so-called ‘sub-conus scale’ depicted here). There images scans start at 11 and 41 minutes past each hour (except when full-disks are taken every three hours, in which case only the image at 41 minutes past the hour is produced). Visible image sizes are 2400×4800 pixels; infrared images sizes are 600×1200.

This image shows the current operational GOES-West imager scanning schedule. Here is the augmented schedule. Note the addition of small images just before the nn:15 and nn:45 images. Because GOES-15 is moving, the geographic coverage for the sub-CONUS imagery is not yet where it will be when GOES-15 is on station at 135 W Longitude.

Recall that GOES-15 has improved water vapor imagery resolution over GOES-11. (Link). In addition, the 12-micrometer channel on GOES-11 will be replaced by a 13.3 micrometer channel on GOES-15. In addition, the visible channel will subtly shift to a channel with a narrower response with a peak at 0.63 micrometers.

GOES-11, GOES-15, and GOES-13 visible channel images (click image to play animation)

A major blowing dust event occurred in the wake of a strong cold frontal boundary that moved rapidly southward across western Texas and eastern New Mexico late in the day on 17 October 2011 — the blowing dust reduced surface visibilities to near zero in some locations as winds gusted as high as 75 mph (see NWS Lubbock story). McIDAS images of GOES-11 (GOES-West), GOES-15, and GOES-13 (GOES-East) visible channel data during the daylight hours and shortwave IR data after sunset (above; click image to play animation) showed the southward propagation of the well-defined arc of blowing dust (or “haboob”), along with the surge of cooler air behind the cold front. A few wildfire “hot spots” (darker black pixels) were also evident on the GOES shortwave IR images, a result of fires started by downed power lines.

Much of that region had been experiencing long-term extreme to exceptional drought conditions — and an AWIPS image of the MODIS Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (below) showed very low NDVI values across much of western Texas the day before the dust storm.

MODIS Normalized Difference Vegetation Index

GOES-11 10.7 µm IR images

The first “official” 0ºF (-18ºC) temperature of the 2011/2012 winter season in Alaska was recorded at Anaktuvuk Pass on 12 October 2011. AWIPS images of “4-km resolution” GOES-11 10.7 µm IR data (above) indicated that portions of the Brooks Range in northern Alaska were beginning to exhibit IR brightness temperatures of -20ºC and colder (cyan to blue color enhancement), with Anuktuvuk Pass (station identifier PAKP) situated between a quasi-stationary deck of colder (darker blue) clouds to the east and another area of multi-layered clouds approaching from the west. Due to the very large viewing angle from the geostationary GOES-11 satellite positioned over the equator, the effective resolution of the IR pixels over northern Alaska was actually on the order of 10-15 km.

A more detailed view was available using a 1-km resolution POES AVHRR 12.0 µm IR image at 05:40 UTC (below), which did a better job of portraying the arc of colder (-20ºC to -28ºC, cyan to darker blue) high-elevation portions of the Brooks Range, as well as the boundaries of the cloud deck that was covering parts of northeastern Alaska. With calm winds and no clouds at Anaktuvuk Pass, strong radiational cooling allowed the temperature to get much colder than adjacent areas with a blanket of cloud cover.

POES AVHRR 12.0 µm IR image

The corresponding 05:40 UTC POES AVHRR Cloud Top Height product (below) showed that the northeastern Alaska cloud deck extended to heights of 3-4 km (darker violet color enhancement).

POES AVHRR Cloud Height product

A MODIS Cloud Type product at 07:03 UTC (below) indicated that the cloud deck covering northeastern Alaska was primarily a “mixed phase” (supercooled water and ice, darker green color enhancement) feature.

MODIS Cloud Type product