A view of California wildfires from 4 GOES

August 13th, 2020 |

From left to right, GOES-17, GOES-15, GOES-14 and GOES-16 Visible images [click to play animation | <a href="https://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/satellite-blog/images/2020/08/200813_goes17_goes15_goes14_goes16_visible_RedSalmonComplex_wildfire_smoke_anim.mp4"><strong>MP4</strong></a>]

From left to right, GOES-17, GOES-15, GOES-14 and GOES-16 Visible images [click to play animation | MP4]

On 13 August 2020, Visible images from GOES-17 (GOES-West, positioned at 137.2ºW), GOES-15 (GOES-West backup, positioned at 128ºW), GOES-14 (on-orbit spare, positioned at 104.5ºW) and GOES-16 (GOES-East, positioned at 75.2ºW) (above) showed the morning dispersion of smoke from the Red Salmon Complex that had been burning in northern California. The images are displayed in the native projection of each satellite.

In southern California, Shortwave Infrared images from all 4 satellites (below) displayed thermal signatures (dark black to red pixels) from wildfires burning near Los Angeles. Thermal signatures varied between the 4 satellites, based upon differences in spatial resolution, viewing angle, and intermittent fire thermal signal attenuation by high clouds moving over the area. In the GOES-15 images, the occasional appearance of white pixels was due to a “roll-over” issue  — where extremely hot temperatures get displayed as cold (white).

From left to right, GOES-17, GOES-15, GOES-14 and GOES-16 Shortwave Infrared images [click to play animation | MP4]

From left to right, GOES-17, GOES-15, GOES-14 and GOES-16 Shortwave Infrared images [click to play animation | MP4]

GOES-15 was providing supplemental operations for GOES-17 during a period of maximum ABI Loop Heat Pipe thermal anomaly; GOES-14 had been brought out of storage for its annual 10-day test checkout.

The raw GOES data was acquired and processed by SSEC Satellite Data Services.

Posted in Fire detection, GOES-14, GOES-15, GOES-16, GOES-17 | No Comments »

GOES-15 is no longer sending data

March 2nd, 2020 |

GOES-15 Clean Window (10.7 µm) Infrared imagery at 1552 UTC over the southern hemisphere (Click to enlarge)

As scheduled, GOES-15 has sent its last image (More information from NOAA’s Office of Satellite and Product Operations OSPO)  .  The final image sent was a 1552 UTC Southern Hemisphere sector, shown above (courtesy Tim Schmit).   (One of the final Sounder images is here). However, the satellite is not gone for good:  it is scheduled to transmit data again in August of this year, when the GOES-17 Loop Heat Pipe issue again renders GOES-West imagery incomplete during the eastern/central Pacific Ocean Hurricane season.  (This website shows more specifics)

GOES-15 became the operational GOES-West satellite — replacing GOES-11 — back in early December 2011 (Blog Post;  GOES-11 replaced GOES-10 as GOES-West back in 2006 (Blog Post)).  GOES-15 ceased being the operational GOES-West when GOES-17 became operational (February 12, 2017), but GOES-15 has continued to transmit data to supplement imagery lost because of the GOES-17’s Loop Heat Pipe.

Added: The Science Test for GOES-15 is available here.

Posted in GOES-15 | No Comments »

Tropical Depression Flossie near Hawai’i

August 5th, 2019 |

GOES-17

GOES-17 “Red” Visible (0.64 µm), “Clean” Infrared Window (10.35 µm) and Upper-level Water Vapor (6.2 µm) images [click to play animation | MP4]

An animation that cycles through GOES-17 (GOES-West) “Red” Visible (0.64 µm), “Clean” Infrared Window (10.35 µm) and Upper-level Water Vapor (6.2 µm) images (above) showed Tropical Depression Flossie just northeast of Hawai’i on 05 August 2019. Note that (1) the exposed low-level circulation center (LLCC) was very apparent in the visible imagery, (2) deep convection offset to the east/northeast of the LLCC exhibited cloud-top infrared brightness temperatures as cold as -83ºC , and (3) a series of gravity waves were propagating westward away from the convection, moving toward Hawai’i.

GOES-15 Infrared imagery and deep-layer wind shear data from the CIMSS Tropical Cyclones site (below) showed that the tropical cyclone was in an environment of strong shear, which was responsible for the displacement between the exposed LLCC and the convection. In addition to the wind shear, the weakening trend of the system was also due to its motion over cold Sea Surface Temperatures and low Ocean Heat Content.

GOES-15 Infrared Window (10.7 µm) images, with contours and streamlines of deep-layer wind shear [click to enlarge]

GOES-15 Infrared Window (10.7 µm) images, with contours and streamlines of deep-layer wind shear at 18 UTC [click to enlarge]

Posted in GOES-15, GOES-17, Satellite winds, Tropical cyclones | No Comments »

Severe thunderstorms in the Dakotas, as viewed by 4 GOES

August 3rd, 2019 |

 

Visible images from GOES-17, GOES-15, GOES-14 and GOES-16, with SPC Storm Reports plotted in red [click to play animation | MP4]

Visible images from GOES-17, GOES-15, GOES-14 and GOES-16, with SPC Storm Reports plotted in red [click to play animation | MP4]

With GOES-14 undergoing its annual INR testing and evaluation, it afforded the ability to monitor features such as severe thunderstorms in the western Dakotas from 4 GOES — GOES-17 (GOES-West) at 137.2ºW, GOES-15 at 128ºW, GOES-14 at 105ºW and GOES-16 (GOES-East) at 75.2ºW longitude (above). These storms produced hail as large as 2.0 inches in diameter and damaging winds to 75 mph (SPC Storm Reports). The images are displayed in the native projection of each satellite.

Posted in GOES-14, GOES-15, GOES-16, GOES-17, Severe convection | No Comments »

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