GPM Ground Validation GOES 13 Visible and Infrared Images
GCPEx, MC3E

Table of Contents

Introduction

The GPM Ground Validation GOES 13 Visible and Infrared Images files (ir3, ir4, vis) were produced and archived in near real time here at the Global Hydrology and Climate Center throughout the GPM Cold-Season Precipitation Experiment (GCPEx) and the GPM Midlatitude Continental Convective Clouds Experiment (MC3E). These image files were created for use with the Real Time Mission Monitor (RTMM); more information is available here http://rtmm.nsstc.nasa.gov/. Generally, GOES-13 images are available for all dates between January 1, 2012 and March 13, 2012 (GCPEx) and May 6, 2011 and June 30, 2011 (MC3E), at 15 minute intervals throughout the time periods.

The following example shows how to cite the use of this dataset in a publication. For more information, please see our Citing GHRC DAAC and Data page.

Hall, J. 2014. GPM Ground Validation GOES 13 Visible and Infrared Images GCPEx [indicate subset used]. Dataset available online, [http://ghrc.nssstc.nasa.gov] from the NASA EOSDIS Global Hydrology Resource Center Distributed Active Archive Center Huntsville, Alabama, U.S.A. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.5067/GPMGV/GCPEX/GOES-IM/DATA301

Hall, J. 2014. GPM Ground Validation GOES 13 Visible and Infrared Images MC3E [indicate subset used]. Dataset available online, [http://ghrc.nssstc.nasa.gov] from the NASA EOSDIS Global Hydrology Resource Center Distributed Active Archive Center Huntsville, Alabama, U.S.A. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.5067/GPMGV/MC3E/GOES-IM/DATA301

The Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission Ground Validation (GV) campaign used a variety of methods for validation of GPM satellite constellation measurements prior to launch of the GPM Core Satellite, which launched on February 27th, 2014. The validation effort included numerous GPM-specific and joint-agency/international external field campaigns, using state of the art cloud and precipitation observational infrastructure (polarimetric radars, profilers, rain gauges, disdrometers). Surface rainfall was measured by very dense rain gauge and disdrometer networks at various field campaign sites. These field campaigns accounted for the majority of the effort and resources expended by Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission Ground Validation (GV). More information about the GPM mission is available here http://pmm.nasa.gov/GPM.

The GPM Cold-season Precipitation Experiment (GCPEx) occurred in Ontario, Canada during the winter season of 2011-2012. GCPEx addressed limitations in the GPM snowfall retrieval algorithm through the collection of microphysical properties, associated remote sensing observations, and coordinated model simulations of precipitating snow. The dataset was collected to aid in achieving the overarching goal of GCPEx, to characterize the ability of multi-frequency active and passive microwave sensors to detect and estimate falling snow. Further information on the GCPEx campaign is available at http://gpm.nsstc.nasa.gov/gcpex.

The Midlatitude Continental Convective Clouds Experiment (MC3E) took place in central Oklahoma during the April–June 2011 period. The experiment was a collaborative effort between the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission Ground Validation (GV) program. The field campaign leveraged the unprecedented observing infrastructure currently available in the central United States, combined with an extensive sounding array, remote sensing and in situ aircraft observations, NASA GPM ground validation remote sensors, and new ARM instrumentation purchased with American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding. The overarching goal was to provide the most complete characterization of convective cloud systems, precipitation, and the environment that has ever been obtained, providing constraints for model cumulus parameterizations and space-based rainfall retrieval algorithms over land that had never before been available. More information about the MC3E campaign is available here http://gpm.nsstc.nasa.gov/mc3e/.

Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) 13 is the 13th in a series of U.S. satellites in geostationary orbit over the equator in earth synchronous orbit; it is part of the GOES N-Series (including GOES 13 through 15), and was launched on May 24, 2006. GOES-13 carries the usual set of GOES monitors: imager, sounder, SEM package, X-ray imager, energetic particle detector, and ground-data relaying equipment. GOES-13 has been the operational weather satellite for GOES-EAST since April 14, 2010. The GOES-13 Imager is a five channel (one visible, four infrared) imaging radiometer designed to sense radiant and solar reflected energy from sampled areas of the Earth.

John Hall
NSSTC
320 Sparkman Drive
Huntsville, Al 35805

The GPM Ground Validation GOES 13 Visible and Infrared Images datasets include browse images in PNG format. The files are named using the following convention:

YYYY-MM-DD_hh-mm-ss_GE_GOES-13_***_#####.png

Where,

YYYY-MM-DD = year, month, day of the image
hh-mm-ss = hour, minute, second (UTC) of the image
GE_GOES-13 = satellite name
*** = channel (IR3, IR4, or VIS)
##### = type (ACE, EXT, GCPEX, CONUS, or FULL)
.png = image file type

The GPM Ground Validation GOES 13 Visible and Infrared Images dataset files are available in PNG format and contain images over the GCPEx and MC3E campaign areas.

References

GOES 13. NASA website: http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraftDisplay.do?id=2006-018A
GOES-N Series. NASA website: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/goes-n/index.html#.VOymYvnF8n0

To order these data or for further information, please contact:

Global Hydrology Resource Center
User Services
320 Sparkman Drive
Huntsville, AL 35805
Phone: 256-961-7932
E-mail: ghrcdaac@itsc.uah.edu
Web: http://ghrc.nsstc.nasa.gov/