Thanks also to

1
The GOES-N Sounder and Imager Data and Products
The Geostationary Operational Environmental
Satellite (GOES) Sounders and Imagers have
provided quality hourly radiances and derived
products over the continental U.S. and adjacent
oceans for approximately 10 years. The Sounder
products derived include clear-sky radiances
temperature and moisture profiles Total
Precipitable Water vapor (TPW) and layer PW
atmospheric stability indices such as Convective
Available Potential Energy (CAPE) and Lifted
Index (LI) cloud-top properties clear-sky water
vapor winds via radiance tracking and, total
column ozone (experimental). Imagers products
include retrieved Atmospheric Motion Vectors
(AMVs) Quantitative Precipitation Estimates
(QPEs) cloud parameters clear-sky radiances
surface (skin) temperature and, detection and
characterization of fires, volcanic ash, fog, and
(experimentally) cloud-top information. These
products are used for a number of numerical
weather prediction and forecasting applications.
Timothy J. Schmit Gary S. Wade NOAA/NESDIS,
SaTellite Applications and Research (STAR)
Advanced Satellite Products Branch (ASPB) Jaime
Daniels NOAA/NESDIS, SaTellite Applications and
Research (STAR) Operational Products Development
Branch (OPDB) Donald W. Hillger NOAA/NESDIS,
SaTellite Applications and Research
(STAR) Regional And Mesoscale Meteorology Branch
(RAMMB) Mathew M. Gunshor James P. Nelson
III Anthony J. Schreiner Jun Li Cooperative
Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies
(CIMSS)

• The GOES-N/O/P instruments will be less noisy. 
• Lower (colder) patch (detector) temperature due
  to new boom placement allows a better view for
  radiating to space.
• Patch temperatures may (seasonally) range from
  81 to lt88 K

Thanks also to Tom Wrublewski, NOAA Liaison
Office Steve Kirkner, GOES Program Office Scott
Bachmeier, CIMSS Ed Miller, NOAA Liaison
Office Eric Chipman, NOAA/NESDIS/Office of
Systems Operation Mike Weinreb, General Dynamics
Advanced Information Systems Sandy Ashton,
Swales Fred Wu, NOAA/NESDIS/STAR Tim Walsh,
NOAA/NESDIS/Office of Systems Development GOES-N,O
,P Booklet GOES-I DataBook GOES-N DataBook Many
others

• Spring and fall outages will be avoided by
  onboard batteries. Keep Out Zone outages will be
  reduced.

Note no data during the fall eclipse period
http//rsd.gsfc.nasa.gov/goes/text/goes.databook.h
tml
GOES-N SCIENCE TEST PLANS

1. Investigate and quantify/characterize the
   quality of the GOES-N radiance measurements.
2. Investigate and quantify/characterize the
   quality of the GOES-N navigation and
   registration.
3. Investigate the utility of nearly continuous
   rapid scan imager imagery for improving forecasts
   of severe weather.
4. Generate Level-2 products from radiance
   measurements and characterize their quality by
   validating them against similar
   observations/derived quantities from other
   observational systems.
5. Archive continuous rapid scan imagery
   accompanying ancillary data for select severe
   weather cases in support of GOES-R risk reduction
   activities.

GOES-N Check-out Web page
http//rammb.cira.colostate.edu/projects/goes_n/
The upcoming GOES-N Sounder PLT (Post Launch
Test) is an important step in preparing for
operational use of the Imager and Sounder for
generation of numerous products. The new
GOES-N/O/P bus means there will effectively be no
eclipse outages, much reduced Keep Out Zone
outages, better calibration, and improved
navigation and registration. Similar to previous
GOES checkouts, there will be a period during
which the instruments are run in various routine
schedules for validation of radiance
measurements, as well as for generation of
products from the radiances. These post-launch
check-out periods are essential to the subsequent
successful operational use of the satellite
assets.
May 2006