During the past 25 years of NOAA operational polar satellites, the problem of providing reliable and timely monitoring and scientific validation of operational measurements and derived meteorological products has been an ongoing issue. The systems to provide this function have significantly evolved from hardcopy printouts of software system diagnostics and statistical summaries to elaborate in-house and web based protocols allowing NESDIS scientists and national and international users alike to analyze operational data using enhanced graphical illustrations of real-time data using a variety of geographical orientations and display options.

The following report provides a system summary of the current Environmental Data Graphics and Evaluation (EDGE) system which provides the bulk of operational monitoring at NESDIS for polar orbiting satellites. The EDGE system is comprised of three basic functions; 1) the horizontal graphical display of sounder measurements and derived meteorological products including sounding profile display and cross-sections, 2) vertical display of collocated satellite and ground truth radiosondes observations including numerous user options for collocation selection, and 3) vertical statistical analysis of collocated radiosonde and satellite observations including options for regional analysis of current and past data. Examples from each of these functions are presented.

Another important component of the NESDIS monitoring protocol is the Polar Orbiting Satellite Sounding Evaluation (POSSE) system, which is web based and available to national and international users for real-time evaluation of NESDIS data and products. POSSE allows remote users to access and analyze operational sounder data and associated products in a horizontal graphical display scenario similar to EDGE. NESDIS also provides a more basic validation function through its official web site “poes.nesdis.noaa.gov” but without the numerous options provided by POSSE, although the “poes” site does contain a complete vertical statistical analysis capability and includes the latest system and scientific documentation concerning NOAA/NESDIS polar operational products systems and future plans.

The EDGE system was recently delivered to EUMETSAT to assist that agency in the development and deployment of METOP scheduled in 2006, and is expected to provide a benchmark capability for operational monitoring systems for future next generation systems (NPP and NPOESS) planned by NOAA beginning in 2006 and beyond.