![](\"https:\/\/cimss.ssec.wisc.edu\/satellite-blog\/images\/2021\/12\/211223_goes17_goes16_nearInfrared_shortwaveInfrared_Baytown_TX_refinery_fire_anim.gif\")
<\/a>GOES-17 (left) and GOES-16 (right) Near-Infrared and Shortwave Infrared images [click to play animated GIF | MP4<\/strong>]<\/p><\/div>An explosion and fire occurred at the ExxonMobil refinery<\/strong><\/a> in Baytown, Texas around 12:50 AM (0650 UTC) on 23 December 2021 — and a comparison of GOES-17 (GOES-West)<\/em> vs GOES-16 (GOES-East)<\/em> Near-Infrared (1.61 \u00b5m<\/strong><\/a> and 2.24\u00b5m<\/strong><\/a>) and Shortwave Infrared (3.9\u00b5m<\/strong><\/a>) images (above)<\/strong><\/em> displayed the thermal signature of the fire. The maximum 3.9 \u00b5m infrared brightness temperature sensed by GOES-16 was 343.02 K (compared to 337.82 K by GOES-17).<\/p>\n GOES-16 Plume RGB images (credit: Tim Schmit, NOAA\/NESDIS\/ASPB) [click to play animated GIF | MP4<\/strong><\/a>]<\/p><\/div>GOES-16 (above)<\/strong><\/em> and GOES-17 (below)<\/strong><\/em> Plume RGB<\/strong><\/a> images created using Geo2Grid<\/strong><\/a> also helped to highlight the thermal signature of the fire (red pixels).<\/p>\n GOES-17 Plume RGB images (credit: Tim Schmit, NOAA\/NESDIS\/ASPB) [click to play animated GIF | MP4<\/strong><\/a>]<\/p><\/div>In a time-matched comparison of Shortwave Infrared images from GOES-16 and Suomi-NPP about 1.5 hours after the initial refinery explosion (below)<\/strong><\/em>, the GOES-16 thermal signature was beginning to diminish (exhibiting an infrared brightness temperature of 14.7\u00baC) while the higher spatial resolution Suomi-NPP VIIRS<\/span> shortwave infrared brightness temperature was notably warmer at 26.2\u00baC.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a>