Validation of the S-NPP NOAA-Unique CrIS/ATMS Processing System (NUCAPS) Operational EDR Products

The Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS) and the Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS) together comprise an advanced operational satellite sounding system synergistically designed to retrieve key environmental data records (EDRs), namely atmospheric vertical temperature and moisture profiles (AVTP and AVMP, respectively) with optimal vertical resolution under non-precipitating (clear to partly cloudy) conditions. The CrIS/ATMS sounder suite (also called the Cross-track Infrared Microwave Sounder Suite, CrIMSS) serves as the low earth orbit satellite sounding system onboard the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (S-NPP) satellite and will span the future JPSS-1 and JPSS-2 satellites. This presentation overviews the ongoing validation and long term monitoring (LTM) strategy for the NOAA-Unique CrIS/ATMS Processing System (NUCAPS) operational EDR products. The NUCAPS algorithm is the current operational EDR algorithm for AVTP, AVMP and trace-gas profile retrievals, superseding the original CrIMSS IDPS algorithm in September 2013. The NUCAPS EDR validation strategy is based upon the validation methods described in Nalli et al. (2013), which are briefly reviewed. Focus is given to the core datasets being used, consisting of dedicated and reference radiosondes launched at ARM and GRUAN sites, as well as from special sites located at Kauai, Hawaii (PMRF) and Beltsville, Maryland (BCCSO), and ship based launches over open ocean (NOAA AEROSE). These data are considered near the top of the validation hierarchy (e.g., Nalli et al., 2013) and are being used to provide the validated-maturity status assessment of the NUCAPS algorithm performance for AVTP, AVMP and trace gas profiles (e.g., ozone).