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Eruption of Volcán de Fuego in Guatemala

By Scott Bachmeier •

Following several days of unrest, there was a moderate eruption of Volcán de Fuego in Guatemala beginning around 0630 UTC on 19 November 2018. GOES-16 (GOES-East) Upper-level (6.2 µm), Mid-level (6.9 µm) and Low-level (7.3 µm) Water Vapor images (above) displayed a signature of the volcanic plume, which drifted slowly northward and eastward for several hours. Since... Read More

GOES-16 Upper-level (6.2 µm, top), Mid-level (6.9 µm, center) and Low-level (7.3 µm, bottom) Water Vapor images [click to play animation | MP4]

GOES-16 Upper-level (6.2 µm, top), Mid-level (6.9 µm, center) and Low-level (7.3 µm, bottom) Water Vapor images [click to play animation | MP4]

Following several days of unrest, there was a moderate eruption of Volcán de Fuego in Guatemala beginning around 0630 UTC on 19 November 2018. GOES-16 (GOES-East) Upper-level (6.2 µm), Mid-level (6.9 µm) and Low-level (7.3 µm) Water Vapor images (above) displayed a signature of the volcanic plume, which drifted slowly northward and eastward for several hours. Since the 7.3 µm spectral band is also affected by SO2 absorption, the longer-lasting signal in the Low-level Water Vapor imagery suggests the plume contained SO2 as well as ash (since the 7.3 µm band is also sensitive to SO2 absorption).

A GOES-16 multiispectral Ash/Dust Cloud Height product from the NOAA/CIMSS Volcanic Cloud Monitoring site (below) indicated that the ash reached a maximum height of 7-8 km in the general vicinity of the summit between 1100-1200 UTC. A low-altitude plume of ash was seen drifting westward at heights of 1-5 km.

GOES-16 Ash Height product [click to play animation | MP4]

GOES-16 Ash/Dust Cloud Height product [click to play animation | MP4]

Along the southern coast of Guatemala, a 1400 UTC METAR from San Jose (MGSJ) reported a surface visibility of 5 statute miles with Volcanic Ash in the vicinity (VCVA) as the current weather type (below). At that time, the GOES-16 Split Window (10.3-12.3 µm) Brightness Temperature Difference was highlighting  concentrations of middle-tropospheric volcanic ash (yellow enhancement) farther inland closer to the volcano.

GOES-16 Split Window difference (10.3-12.3 µm) image, with METAR surface reports [click to enlarge]

GOES-16 Split Window difference (10.3-12.3 µm) image, with METAR surface reports [click to enlarge]

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Thermal signature of an Antares rocket launch

By Scott Bachmeier •

An Antares rocket was launched from the NASA Wallops Flight Facility on the Eastern Shore of Virginia (Space.com article) at 0901 UTC (4:01 AM local time) on 17 November 2018. At 0902 UTC a subtle thermal signature was seen just southeast of the launch site on GOES-16 (GOES-East) Near-Infrared “Snow/Ice” (1.61 µm). Near-Infrared “Cloud... Read More

GOES-16 Near-Infrared

GOES-16 Near-Infrared “Snow/Ice” (1.61 µm, left), Near-Infrared “Cloud Particle Size” (2.24 µm, center) and Shortwave Infrared (3.9 µm, right) images [click to play animation | MP4]

An Antares rocket was launched from the NASA Wallops Flight Facility on the Eastern Shore of Virginia (Space.com article) at 0901 UTC (4:01 AM local time) on 17 November 2018. At 0902 UTC a subtle thermal signature was seen just southeast of the launch site on GOES-16 (GOES-East) Near-Infrared “Snow/Ice” (1.61 µm). Near-Infrared “Cloud Particle Size” (2.24 µm) and Shortwave Infrared (3.9 µm) images (above). The thermal signature appeared at the center of each 0902 UTC image (where map outlines have been erased for clarity).

A corresponding thermal signature was also evident on 0902 UTC GOES-16 Low-level (7.3 µm). Mid-level (6.9 µm) and Upper-level (6.2 µm) Water Vapor images (below) — since the Water Vapor spectral bands are essentially Infrared bands, the signal was due to superheated air from the powerful First Stage rocket (which burned for 3.5 minutes after launch).

GOES-16 Low-level (7.3 µm, left). Mid-level (6.9 µm, center) and Upper-level (6.2 µm, right) Water Vapor images [click to play animation | MP4]

GOES-16 Low-level (7.3 µm, left), Mid-level (6.9 µm, center) and Upper-level (6.2 µm, right) Water Vapor images [click to play animation | MP4]

Taking a closer look with AWIPS, similar thermal signatures could be seen. Note that for the hottest pixel southeast of Wallops KWAL, the 3.9 µm Shortwave Infrared brightness temperature increased from 3.4ºC to 7.3ºC between 0857 and 0902 UTC — while the corresponding 10.3 µm “Clean” Infrared Window brightness temperature only increased from 3.7ºC to 4.0ºC.

GOES-16 Near-Infrared "Snow/Ice" (1.61 µm, left). Near-Infrared "Cloud Particle Size" (2.24 µm, center), Shortwave Infrared (3.9 µm, right) and "Clean" Infrared Window (10.3 µm) images [click to play animation | MP4]

GOES-16 Near-Infrared “Snow/Ice” (1.61 µm, top left),. Near-Infrared “Cloud Particle Size” (2.24 µm, top right), Shortwave Infrared (3.9 µm, bottom left) and “Clean” Infrared Window (10.3 µm, bottom right) images [click to play animation | MP4]

A 4-panel comparison of Near-Infrared and Water Vapor bands is shown below. The difference between spatial resolution is quite evident: 1 km at satellite sub-point for the 1.61 µm band vs 2 km for the Water Vapor (and all other Infrared) spectral bands.

GOES-16 Near-Infrared "Snow/Ice" (1.61 µm, top left). Low-level Water Vapor (7.3 µm, top right), Mid-level Water Vapor (6.9 µm, bottom left) and Upper-level Water Vapor (6.2 µm, bottom right) images [click to play animation | MP4]

GOES-16 Near-Infrared “Snow/Ice” (1.61 µm, top left), Low-level Water Vapor (7.3 µm, top right), Mid-level Water Vapor (6.9 µm, bottom left) and Upper-level Water Vapor (6.2 µm, bottom right) images [click to play animation | MP4]

A thermal signature was also apparent using the Split Water Vapor (6.2-7.3 µm) and Split Fire (2.24-1.61 µm) band differences.

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Dry air within an Atlantic subtropical ridge

By Scott Bachmeier •

GOES-16 (GOES-East) Low-level (7.3 µm), Mid-level (6.9 µm) and Upper-level (6.2 µm) Water Vapor images (above) showed a large region of very dry air within a subtropical ridge over the central North Atlantic Ocean on 16 November 2018. Infrared brightness temperatures were unusually warm (brighter yellow to red enhancement) on all 3 Water Vapor bands,... Read More

GOES-16 Low-level (7.3 µm), Mid-level (6.9 µm) and Upper-level (6.2 µm) Water Vapor images [click to play animation | MP4]

GOES-16 Low-level (7.3 µm), Mid-level (6.9 µm) and Upper-level (6.2 µm) Water Vapor images [click to play animation | MP4]

GOES-16 (GOES-East) Low-level (7.3 µm), Mid-level (6.9 µm) and Upper-level (6.2 µm) Water Vapor images (above) showed a large region of very dry air within a subtropical ridge over the central North Atlantic Ocean on 16 November 2018. Infrared brightness temperatures were unusually warm (brighter yellow to red enhancement) on all 3 Water Vapor bands, especially along the western edge of the dry air.

A GOES-16 Upper-level Water Vapor image at 1700 UTC (below) showed a swath of NUCAPS sounding availability close to that time. The swath passed directly over the driest air within the subtropical ridge.

GOES-16 Upper-level (6.2 µm) Water Vapor image at 1700 UTC, with a swath of NUCAPS sounding availability [click to enlarge]

GOES-16 Upper-level Water Vapor image at 1700 UTC, with a swath of NUCAPS sounding availability [click to enlarge]

One of the green (high-quality) NUCAPS soundings within the arc of driest air (below) revealed a remarkably dry profile above the trade wind inversion — dewpoint values were -50ºC and colder within the 500-620 hPa layer, and dewpoint depressions were about 50ºC near the 550 hPa level.

NUCAPS sounding profile within the driest air [click to enlarge]

NUCAPS sounding profile within the driest air [click to enlarge]

Even though the middle to upper tropozphere was quite dry, note that the Total Precipitale Water (TPW) value calculated from the NUCAPS profile was 0.73 inch — there was still abundant tropical moisture within the marine boundary layer of the warm central Atlantic. The GOES-16 TPW product (below) showed minimum values of 0.6-0.8 inch in the region of driest air on the Water Vapor imagery (1800 UTC comparison). In contrast, TPW values over a large portion of the Lower 48 states were 0.6 inch or less, even in regions that appeared to be “moist” on the Water Vapor imagery.

GOES-16 Upper-level Water Vapor + Total Precipitable Water [click to play animation | MP4]

GOES-16 Upper-level Water Vapor + Total Precipitable Water [click to play animation | MP4]

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GOES-17 arrives at its GOES-West position of 137.2º W longitude

By Scott Bachmeier •

* GOES-17 images posted here are preliminary and non-operational *GOES-17 arrived at its GOES-West position of 137.2º W longitude on 13 November 2018, and began to transmit imagery via GOES Re-Broadcast (GRB) at 1500 UTC and the AWIPS Satellite Broadcast Network (SBN) at 1700 UTC on 15 November (NOAA/NESDIS article). A... Read More

Full Disk images of the 16 ABI bands from GOES-17 [click to play MP4 animation]

1500 UTC Full Disk images of the 16 ABI bands from GOES-17 [click to play MP4 animation]

* GOES-17 images posted here are preliminary and non-operational *

GOES-17 arrived at its GOES-West position of 137.2º W longitude on 13 November 2018, and began to transmit imagery via GOES Re-Broadcast (GRB) at 1500 UTC and the AWIPS Satellite Broadcast Network (SBN) at 1700 UTC on 15 November (NOAA/NESDIS article). A toggle between Full Disk images of the 16 ABI spectral bands from GOES-17 at 1500 UTC is shown above, with a 16-panel multi-band animation from 1515-2300 UTC shown below..

Full Disk images from the 16 ABI bands of GOES-17 [click to play MP4 animation]

Full Disk images from the 16 ABI bands of GOES-17 [click to play MP4 animation]

Full Disk GOES-17 Low-level (7.3 µm), Mid-level (6.9 µm) and Upper-level (6.2 µm) Water Vapor images  are shown below.

GOES-17 Low-level (7.3 µm), Mid-level (6.9 µm) and Upper-level (6.2 µm) Water Vapor images [click to play animation | MP4]

GOES-17 Low-level (7.3 µm), Mid-level (6.9 µm) and Upper-level (6.2 µm) Water Vapor images [click to play animation | MP4]

The improved spatial resolution of GOES-17 (vs GOES-15) was very obvious at higher latitudes — a closer look at GOES-17 Water Vapor imagery (below) showed good detail associated with a gale-force occluded low in the Gulf of Alaska and a weaker low in the Bering Sea (surface analyses). Note that signatures of the higher terrain of mountain ranges across south-central and southeastern Alaska could be seen on the 7.3 µm and to a lesser extent the 6.9 µm images.

GOES-17 Low-level (7.3 µm), Mid-level (6.9 µm) and Upper-level (6.2 µm) Water Vapor images [click to play animation | MP4]

GOES-17 Low-level (7.3 µm), Mid-level (6.9 µm) and Upper-level (6.2 µm) Water Vapor images [click to play animation | MP4]

After sunrise, GOES-17 “Red” Visible (0.64 µm) images (below) provided a compelling view of the snow-covered Alaska Range (which includes Denali at 20,320 feet / 6,194 meters), the Wrangell Mountains (which includes Mt. Wrangell at 14,163 feet / 4,317 meters) and the Chugach Mountains (which includes Mount Marcus Baker, 13,176 feet / 4,016 meters). In particular, note the long shadows cast by Denali and the Alaska Range in the upper left portion of the images.

GOES-17

GOES-17 “Red” Visible (0.64 µm) images, with hourly plots of surface reports [click to play animation | MP4]

For a short time a GOES-17 Mesoscale Domain Sector was positioned over Hawai’i, providing images at 1-minute intervals (below).

GOES-17

GOES-17 “Red” Visible (0.64 µm) images, with hourly plots of surface observations [click to play animation | MP4]

Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands could be seen on the far western limb of Full Disk GOES-17 images (below). A few isolated tropical thunderstorms could be seen developing and collapsing in the vicinity of the islands.

GOES-17 "Red" Visible (0.64 µm) images, with hourly plots of surface observations [click to play animation | MP4]

GOES-17 “Red” Visible (0.64 µm) images, with hourly plots of surface observations [click to play animation | MP4]

A portion of West Antarctica could be seen on the far southern limb of GOES-17 Full Disk images, along with a storm system in the South Pacific Ocean (below). Through gaps in the clouds, the northern edge of the Antarctic sea ice (source) was also evident in the Visible imagery.

GOES-17 "Red" Visible (0.64 µm) images [click to play animation | MP4]

GOES-17 “Red” Visible (0.64 µm) and “Clean” Infrared Window (10.3 µm) images [click to play animation | MP4]

Over the Lower 48 states, AWIPS images of 1-minute GOES-17 “Red” Visible (0.64 µm) and Shortwave Infrared (3.9 µm) data (below) showed the smoke and thermal anomaly (darker red pixels near the center of the images) associated with the ongoing Camp Fire in northern California.

GOES-17

GOES-17 “Red” Visible (0.64 µm) and Shortwave Infrared (3.9 µm) images, with hourly plots of surface reports [click to play animation | MP4]

Farther to the south in central California, a comparison of 1-minute Shortwave Infrared images from GOES-16 (GOES-East) and GOES-17 revealed differences in the size and orientation of hot pixels of the Adler/Mountaineer/Moses Fires burning northeast of Porterville KPTV  in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. These differences were due to the view angle from the 2 satellites — 62 degrees from GOES-16 over the Atlantic Ocean, vs. only 41 degrees from GOES-17 over the Pacific Ocean. There was a navigational jump with GOES-17 from 1831-1837 UTC, so those images were removed from the animation.

GOES-16 vs GOES-17 Shortwave Infrared (3.9 µm) images [click to play MP4 animation]

GOES-16 vs GOES-17 Shortwave Infrared (3.9 µm) images [click to play MP4 animation]

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