Performance of the ATMS Intermediate Product Suite

The Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS) on the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (NPP) satellite has been operating since November, 2011. The instrument provides measurements that are incorporated into the Cross Track Infrared/Microwave Sounding Suite (CrIMSS) Environmental Data Product (EDR) operational algorithm for atmospheric profile retrievals. Besides the EDR products, a number of the microwave products are retained intermediate products that are readily accessible to the sounding community. Some additional by-products of the retrieval algorithm are not currently retained for dissemination but could provide relevant environmental data for selected applications. This paper provides an evaluation of the performance of the full suite of these CrIMSS microwave-only products, which includes surface emissivity and temperature, cloud liquid water, cloud top pressure, and the 101 level temperature and moisture profiles. The paper also explores the potential for the CrIMSS algorithm to provide additional products beyond those already produced, such as total precipitable water and tropopause height.