Updates on SNPP/JPSS Data Products Performance and Calibration/Validation (Cal Val)

The Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) polar-orbiting satellites provide continued environmental observations that are currently carried by NOAA Polar Operational Environment Satellites (POES). The first JPSS satellite mission, the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (S-NPP) satellite, was successfully launched in October 2011. S-NPP boasts five state-of-the-art instruments including the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS), the Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS), the Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS), and the Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite (OMPS). These instruments are similar to the instruments that will be onboard the JPSS-1, which is scheduled to be launched in early 2017. JPSS STAR (JSTAR) Sensor Data Record (SDR) and Environment Data Record (EDR) science teams have been formed to conduct calibration and validation of SNPP/JPSS data products, and work on maintain and update the algorithms for generating the operational SDR and EDR products. To assure the performance of the algorithms meeting the requirements, tools for assessing and monitoring the performance of SDR and EDR products have been developed and implemented. Based on specific algorithm readiness levels, the JSTAR teams established a schedule of anticipated dates for the algorithms to achieve Beta, Provisional and Validated statuses. Declaring SDR/EDR product maturity is the result of a specific review of artifacts that document that the products meet a series of criteria defined for each maturity stage. By far, most of the SNPP data products have reached the validated maturity level. These data are now available to the public through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Comprehensive Large Array-data Stewardship System (CLASS), and ready for operational use and evaluation. Further algorithm and product developments, refinements, and improvements have been identified for JPSS-1 by the science teams. Work plans towards NOAA Enterprise Algorithms have been defined, including developments, testing and integration into the operational production system as well as the verification and validation of the data products pre-launch and post-launch.

In the presentation, we will provide an update of the latest SNPP data products' quality status and report on lessons learned from SNPP calibration and validation. Plan forward for JPSS-1 algorithm update, testing data preparation, as well as plans for pre-launch, post launch calibration/validation will also be presented.