Extended Abstract (80K)JP5.13
NetCDF SSM/I data publicly available: an improved and extended period of record
Hilawe Semunegus, NOAA/NESDIS/NCDC, Asheville, NC; and J. J. Bates
Satellite measurements from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program's (DMSP), Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) have been produced since July 1987 and used extensively to generate climate data sets (including rain, snow, ice, cloud liquid water, and total precipitable water). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) has served as the active archive of SSM/I data which are produced by Navy's Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center. Quality flags based on threshold parameters were used to identify errors in temporal, geolocation and radiance values in the SSM/I period of record. A climatology quality flag was also developed to identify SSM/I radiances that were found to be +/- 10 standard deviations from climatology mean. Statistical parameters such as minimum, maximum, mean, standard deviation, skewness and kurtosis were calculated for radiance data to monitor SSM/I instrument health. All SSM/I data were reformatted to network Common Data Format (netCDF) in order to insulate users from previous format changes, preserve the original data and to add quality flag variables in the orbital dataset. NetCDF SSM/I data can be accessed publicly at NOAA's Comprehensive Large-Array Stewardship System (CLASS). NetCDF Special Sensor Microwave Imager/Sounder (SSMIS) data are also available from CLASS without quality flags. Data quality flags and reprocessing in a self-describing format significantly improved the quality of SSM/I data for use in support of both national and international programs.
Joint Poster Session 5, Climate
Wednesday, 14 January 2009, 2:30 PM-4:00 PM, Hall 5
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