GOES-8 Sounder Practical Implications
GOES-8 Sounder Practical Implications
The full-time availability of the GOES-8 sounder enables operational
hourly sounding products for the first time. These are some of the
practical implications.
- First operational geostationary sounder providing
full time coverage
(no untimely gaps). Much better radiometric performance (signal to noise
better by factors of 5 to 10) especially in the water sensitive bands will
provide positive forecast model impact. GOES-8 will yield greatly enhanced
depiction of changes in
atmospheric moisture
and hence atmospheric
stability from soundings.
- Hourly
cloud definition
supplement to the Automated Surface Observing
System (ASOS) with upper level cloud information. Accurate delineation of
clouds above 12,000 feet is very important to aviation and weather outlooks.
- Better depiction of boundary layer thermodynamics. Using the shortwave
bands on the sounder, we expect to improve low atmospheric temperature and
moisture determinations which are critical for improved severe weather watch
box determination.
- Higher quality thermal gradient winds derived from the
temperature soundings. This means that improved hurricane
trajectory forecasts from cloud motion, moisture drift, and thermal gradient
winds are possible. Better definition of landfall has huge financial
implications for inhabitants on the east coast and the Gulf of Mexico.
- Improved
moisture determinations
for precipitable water monitoring.
This capability should allow us to better isolate areas where very heavy rains
are likely.
- First ever continuous monitoring of ozone. We can watch for diurnal,
seasonal, and annual changes in total ozone content in the atmosphere over the
northern hemisphere.
- The carbon dioxide bands on the sounder will allow continuation of an 8-year study of
the fluctuations in diurnal and seasonal cirrus cloud cover over North America.
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Last Modified: 06-Jan-95