NPOESS Preparatory Project Validation Program for the Atmospheric Profile Data Products

The National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) Integrated Program Office (IPO), in partnership with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), will launch the NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP), a risk reduction and data continuity mission, prior to the first operational NPOESS launch. The NPOESS program, in partnership with Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, will execute the NPP Calibration and Validation (Cal/Val) program to ensure the data products comply with the requirements of the sponsoring agencies. The Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS) and the Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS) are two of the instruments that make up the suite of sensors on NPP Together, CrIS and ATMS will produce three Environmental Data Records (EDRs) including the Atmospheric Vertical Temperature Profile (AVTP), Atmospheric Vertical Moisture Profile (AVMP), and the Atmospheric Vertical Pressure Profile (AVPP). The AVTP and the AVMP are both NPOESS Key Performance Parameters (KPPs). The validation plans establish science and user community leadership and participation, and demonstrated, cost-effective Cal/Val approaches. This presentation will provide an overview of the collaborative data, techniques, and schedule for the validation of the NPP CrIS and ATMS environmental data products.