Calibration and Validation of the S-NPP Sensor Data Records and Environmental Data Records

The Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) is the next generation of low earth orbiting environmental satellites. The JPSS and the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (S-NPP) satellites are sun-synchronous polar orbiters with a period of approximately once every 100 minutes. The S-NPP satellite launched on October 28, 2011, and the scheduled launch dates for the JPSS-1 and JPSS-2 satellites are 2016 and 2022 respectively. Together with the Interface Data Processing Segment (IDPS), the system provides global measurements of environmental conditions by collecting, disseminating, and processing data about the Earth's weather, atmosphere, oceans, land, and near-space environment with precision and detail never before achieved by operational weather satellites. This volume of data allows scientists and forecasters to monitor and predict weather patterns with greater speed and accuracy.

The IDPS produced Sensor Data Records (SDRs) and Environmental Data Records (EDRs) are calibrated and validated by the JPSS Ground Project Algorithm and Calibration/Validation teams to the JPSS Level 1 Requirements. The teams are led by scientists from the NOAA Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR) and include members from across the data product user community. The JPSS program is responsible for the SDRs created from the Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS), the Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS), the Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite (OMPS), and the Visible/Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) and has an SDR Algorithm and Cal/Val team for each instrument. These teams work with the mission operations team to ensure safe activation of the instruments and implementation of key calibration activities into the on orbit schedule during the instrument commissioning phase. This phase is also known as the Early Orbit Check-out (EOC) phase of the validation program. During the next phase, the Intensive Cal/Val phase (ICV), each team is responsible for adjusting the algorithms and/or associated Look-up Tables (LUTs) to bring the products to Beta, Provisional, and Validated Status. The EDR teams are divided by discipline, with a team for the aerosol, cloud, imagery, sounding, sea surface temperature, ocean color, and land products. Each EDR team provides information on sensor performance to the SDR teams during the EOC and ICV phases of the Cal/Val program and begins to adjust the EDR algorithms and associated LUTs as the SDR stabilizes.

As the NPP calibration/validation program continues the ICV phase, the Algorithm and Cal/Val teams will continue to identify and resolve bugs and advance the science of the algorithms to meet the JPSS Program requirements. Progress on achieving the Beta, Provisional, Validated status of the data products will be presented to inform the community of data product quality and changes in the algorithms that are necessary to meet program requirements.