Validation and Long-Term Monitoring of the Operational S-NPP NOAA-Unique CrIS/ATMS Processing System (NUCAPS)

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 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 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. The operational algorithm for retrieving AVTP, AVMP and trace-gas profile EDR products is the NOAA-Unique CrIS/ATMS Processing System (NUCAPS) algorithm, a legacy algorithm based upon the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) science team algorithm. This work overviews the current status of the validation and long term monitoring (LTM) of the S-NPP NUCAPS products. Focus is given to truth datasets, including conventional, dedicated and reference radiosonde observations (RAOBs). RAOB collocations with CrIS/ATMS sensor data record (SDR) granules are facilitated via the NOAA Products Validation System (NPROVS) system and archived at NOAA/STAR for offline retrievals on the Validation Archive (VALAR). S-NPP dedicated RAOBs are launched at Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) 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 and 2015 CalWater/ACAPEX). For ozone profile validation, ozonesonde collocations have been collected from WOUDC and SHADOZ sites, and S-NPP dedicated ozonesondes have been launched during the 2013, 2015 AEROSE and 2015 CalWater/ACAPEX campaigns. These data are considered near the top of the EDR validation hierarchy (Nalli et al., 2013) for providing the validated-maturity status assessments of the NUCAPS algorithm performance for AVTP, AVMP and trace gases (viz., ozone).