Observing Geophysical Phenomena from Polar-Orbiting Satellites Using the New JSTAR Mapper

The Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR) Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) Environmental Data Record (EDR) Long-Term Monitoring (LTM) web site has been producing static daily global maps of all EDR products from Suomi NPP since 2015. This website provides a one-stop shop for JPSS data products users and algorithm scientists to quickly assess the state of the data products and to investigate possible anomalies. However, the image set is limited to relatively low resolution maps updated 24-72 hours after the data is acquired.

In order to expand on the base EDR LTM system, the JPSS STAR (JSTAR) EDR LTM team has designed a new product visualization system - the JSTAR Mapper. This zoomable, interactive, web-based mapping system allows users to go beyond the functionality of the EDR LTM site to display JPSS EDR products and selected SDR imagery in their full resolution in near real time for Suomi NPP, NOAA-20, and GCOM-W data products.

Additionally, the site allows users to composite products on top of one another to investigate events more interactively. Further features such as the ability to overlay the location of JPSS data granules and extract data values from the map will give users the tools to begin more in depth investigations of JPSS data products.With these capabilities users can use JSTAR Mapper to explore geophysical events as local as small fires and as large as synoptic-scale storms.