A New Satellite-Derived Irradiance Algorithm for the GOES-R Generation

The GOES-R satellites have a number of new imager channels and higher spatial and temporal resolution than the GOES-S generation. We describe a new algorithm to estimate the solar irradiance on the Earth’s surface from GOES-R satellite images. Parts of the algorithm are trained with data from the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) satellite for precise cloud geometry and optical properties. We also train and evaluate the algorithm on a number of sites throughout the continental United States. The algorithm, all code, and all data are open source and available for others to study and modify.