GOES-13 NOAA/Science
Post Launch Test (PLT)

A similar Science Test will be conducted for GOES-O sometime in 2009. See the GOES-O Scence Test page for information on that event.

GOES-13 RAMSDIS Online page, see http://rammb.cira.colostate.edu/ramsdis/online/goes-13.asp

CIMSS Satellite Blog: Archive for the 'GOES-13' Category, see http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/goes/blog/category/goes-13/

CIMSS GOES Realtime Derived Products (includes GOES-13 products), see http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/goes/rt/

For general GOES-13 information/documentation see the bottom of this page.

30 August 2007: Below is a link to three examples showing the better Image Navigation and Registration (INR) for GOES-13 over GOES-12.

• Fires, River Fog, and Ice Floes (PowerPoint presentation, prepared by Scott Bachmeier, CIMSS, and Tim Schmit, NOAA/NESDIS)

22 June 2007: Below is a link to the final memo regarding the bias in GOES-13 Imager band-6 (13.3 µm).

• Apparent cold bias in the GOES-13 Imager band 6 (13.3 µm) (Word document, prepared by Tim Schmit, NOAA/NESDIS, and Mat Gunshor, CIMSS)

27 April 2007: Below are preliminary Sounder Derived Product Images (DPIs) of Lifted Index (LI) and Total Precipitable Water (TPW) from GOES-13 compared to GOES-12 (both in the GOES-12 projection) for 1746 UTC on 13 December 2006 (J. Nelson, CIMSS).

17 April 2007: Below is an analysis of Sea-Surface Temperature Images for GOES-13.

• GOES-13 SST Images and Analyses (PowerPoint presentation, prepared by Eileen Maturi, NOAA/StAR/SOCD)

26 February 2007: Below is a four-panel comparison of east-limb vs. west-limb detector-to-detector striping for separate space-only and earth-only measurements for the GOES-13 Sounder. Note that striping is much larger for earth-only measurements (right side) compared to space-only measurements (left side). For earth-only measurements, striping is much larger (on the order of a factor of 2) for the west-limb (bottom right) vs. the east-limb (top right). For space-only measurements, striping is not that much different between the two limbs. See the PowerPoint presentation for additional details.

• GOES-13 Sounder striping (PowerPoint presentation)

02 February 2007: Below is an analysis of detector-to-detector striping for the GOES-13 Sounder. Both images show striping for all 18 IR bands for 24 hours of data collected on Julian Days 343-344. The first image is the analysis for data collected from the east-limb of the earth (times ending in xx46 UTC) and the second image is the same analysis for data collected from the west-limb of the earth (times ending in xx16 UTC). Both data sets include both earth and space views. Note the much-increased striping for all bands on the west-limb vs. the east-limb. Striping in all bands is elevated by a ratio of 1.24 (for band 15) to 2.55 (for band-11). An explanation for the difference in striping between the data from the two limbs is being investigated. These results are unlike those previously-reported for noise analysis, in which the results from both limbs of the earth were nearly identical.

29 January 2007: Below the image are two GOES-13 30-second visible Rapid Scan Imagery loops from 22 December 2006 over Washington DC. (prepared by Dan Lindsey, NOAA/NESDIS/StAR/RAMMB)

• 22 December 2006 (1913 - 2027 UTC) (Java animation)

• 22 December 2006 (2027 - 2133 UTC) (Java animation)

04 January 2007: Below the image are links to five GOES-13 1-minute Rapid Scan visible image loops from the 20-21 December 2006 Colorado front range snowstorm. The images are split into 5 loops so that each one is no more than 100 images. Each may still take awhile to load. (prepared by Dan Lindsey, NOAA/NESDIS/StAR/RAMMB)

• Visible Loop 1 (20 December 2006, 1418 to 1656 UTC) (Java animation)

• Visible Loop 2 (20 December 2006, 1657 to 1945 UTC) (Java animation)

• Visible Loop 3 (20 December 2006, 1946 to 2153 UTC) (Java animation)

• Visible Loop 4 (20 December 2006, 2154 to 2330 UTC) (Java animation)

• Visible Loop 5 (21 December 2006, 1420 to 1628 UTC) (Java animation)

04 January 2007: A comparison of GOES-12 and GOES-13 visible channel images centered over northeastern Minnesota on 25 December 2006 shows the improvement in navigation accuracy with the new GOES-13 satellite. Click on the links below the image to view animations. (prepared by Scott Bachmeier, CIMSS)

• GOES-13 vs. GOES-12: Improved navigation accuracy (GIF animation)
• GOES-13 vs. GOES-12: Improved navigation accuracy (Java animation)

28 December 2006: Below are results of a noise analysis for space-view measurements from the GOES-13 Sounder as determined by CIRA/RAMMB. Results of a similar analysis by CIMSS/ASPB are farther below. Conclusions are: 1) there is an increase in Sounder noise at and around 0800 UTC which is yet unexplained, 2) the noise estimates from RAMMB/CIRA are very similar to those calculated independent by ASPB/CIMSS, and 3) GOES-13 Sounder noise appears to be lower than previous GOES in the longwave IR bands in particular, while other bands have noise similar to GOES-12, but noise in all bands is much lower than instrument specifications. See the PowerPoint presentation for additional details.

• GOES-13 Sounder noise (PowerPoint presentation)

22 December 2006: Below is a link to a presentation on Characteristics of GOES-13 Sounder IR Detectors. It includes comparisons of spectral response functions for the GOES-12 and GOES-13 Sounders, striping due to spectral response function differences (showing one detector behaving differently from the other three), and GVAR count profiles and temperature differences for controlled targets during ITT’s pre-launch spacecraft thermal/vacuum tests.

• Characteristics of GOES Sounder Detectors (PowerPoint presentation, prepared by Dejiang Han)

15 December 2006: Below are PRELIMINARY REULTS of a noise analysis for space-view measurements from the GOES-13 Sounder as determined by CIMSS/ASPB. Results of a similar analysis by CIRA/RAMMB followed soon (see above), before any conclusions were reached. See the PowerPoint presentation for additional details.

• Preliminary GOES-13 Sounder noise (PowerPoint presentation, prepared by Mat Gunshor, CIMSS)

14 December 2006: Below the image are two GOES-13 Rapid Scan Imagery loops from 12 and 13 December 2006. (prepared by Dan Lindsey, NOAA/NESDIS/StAR/RAMMB)

• GOES-13 30-second visible loop over Huntsville AL (Java animation)

• GOES-13 1-minute visible loop over Argentina (Java animation)

12 December 2006: Below is a GOES-13 visible image of the partially-full moon. The slight line-shifts every 8 lines in the image are due to the fact that that 8 lines are collected with each scan and the moon is moving to the right relative to the fixed-earth earth view of GOES. The larger line-shift in the middle of the moon is due to a longer hesitation between respective scans across the moon.

11 December 2006: During the first weekend of the GOES-13 Science Test, continuous full-disk images were taken every 30 minutes for 2 consecutive days. Click on the links below the images to view animations. (prepared by Scott Bachmeier, CIMSS)

• Continuous full-disk water vapor imagery every 30 minutes for 2 consecutive days (GIF animation)
• Continuous full-disk water vapor imagery every 30 minutes for 2 consecutive days (Java animation)

• Continuous full-disk visible imagery every 30 minutes for 2 consecutive days (GIF animation)
• Continuous full-disk visible imagery every 30 minutes for 2 consecutive days (Java animation)

08 December 2006: Below is a GOES-13 visible image showing the development of lake-effect snow (LES) bands across the Great Lakes region, depicting well-defined, persistent LES bands that had developed over Lake Huron. Click on the link below the image to view animations. (prepared by Scott Bachmeier, CIMSS)

• Lake-effect snow animation for Great Lakes (GIF animation)
• Lake-effect snow animation for Great Lakes (Java animation)

07 December 2006: Below is a report on solar contamination during eclipse operations for the GEOS-13 Imager.

• Initial Analysis of GOES-13 Imager Solar Contamination During Eclipse (Word document, prepared by Fred Wu, GOES calibration)

17 November 2006: Below are examples of detector-to-detector striping for the GOES-13 Sounder band-7 (12.0 µm) compared to GOES-12. It appears that there is about twice as much striping with current GOES-13 Sounder data than with current GOES-12 data, at least in certain Sounder bands.

• GOES-13 Sounder striping for November 2006 (PDF document)

31 October 2006: The NOAA Science Test is scheduled to begin 4 December 2006 and continue for 3 weeks. For the calendar, see the entry below dated 28 August 2006.

• Suggested GOES-13 Science Tests (PDF document)

31 October 2006: Below is a link to an extended abstract submitted to the AMS Annual Meeting (Future National Operational Environmental Satellites (FNOES)) to be held in San Antonio TX, 14-18 January 2007.

• An Overview of the GOES-13 Science Test (PDF document)

6 October 2006: Below are preliminary Sounder Cloud Top Pressures (CTP) from GOES-13 compared to GOES-12 (both in the GOES-12 projection) for 1200 UTC on 6 October 2006 (T. Schreiner, CIMSS).

13 September 2006: Below are more examples of stray solar radiation from the sun next to the earth during "eclipse" of GOES-13. It appears that there is a temperature effect on the longwave IR bands as well as the shortwave (3.9 µm) band. For details see the presentation that follows the image.

• More GOES-13 Eclipse images (PPT file)

13 September 2006: Below are two sequences of images comparing GOES-13 imagery through eclipse to GOES-12. Rather than one long gap while the sun is behind the earth, there are two gaps when the sun is within view on each side of the earth. For details see the two presentations that follow the images.

• GOES-13 and GOES-12 eclipse frames (PPT file)
• GOES-13 and GOES-12 eclipse loop (PPT file)

11 September 2006: Below is an example of stray solar radiation from the sun next to the earth during "eclipse" of GOES-13. Suggest a smaller/reduced keep out zone (KOZ), since the radiation affects some areas/bands only. For details see the presentation that follows the image.

• GOES-13 Eclipse (PPT file)

11 September 2006: Below are before and after plots showing east-west scan-mirror emissivity correction as applied to GOES-13 band-4 (10.7 µm) space-view measurements. In the "before" plot, coefficients for GOES-12 were applied to GOES-13; in the "after" plot, coefficients for GOES-13 were generated and applied. For details see the presentation that follows the images.

• GOES-13 Scan Mirror Eeast-West Emissivity Correction (PPT file)

05 September 2006: Scott Bachmeier of CIMSS has a loop showing the better temporal coverage from GOES-12 during a normal eclipse outage: A comparison of InfraRed channel imagery from GOES-12 and GOES-13 satellites shows the improvement in temporal coverage from GOES-13 during the daily fall season "eclipse period" (when the GOES satellites are briefly in the Earth's shadow). No data is available from GOES-12 during the 2 hour eclipse period on 31 August, but enhanced battery capacity aboard GOES-13 allows continuous monitoring of convective rainbands associated with Tropical Storm Ernesto as they move inland along the Georgia coast. Images and an animation is available on the CIMSS Satellite Blog at http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/goes/blog/category/goes-13/.

28 August 2006: Below are likely dates for the 3-week NOAA Science Test. These dates are subject to change, being at the end of the Post Launch Testing for GOES-13. This slide was part of the GOES-13 Contingency Operational Readiness Review (CORR) presented on this date.

25 July 2006: Below are a plot and links to two presentations that summarize the first estimates of noise and detector-to-detector striping for the GOES-13 Imager:

• Preliminary estimates of Noise for Infrared Data from the GOES-13 Imager (PPT file)
• Preliminary estimates of Striping for Infrared Data from the GOES-13 Imager (PPT file)

20 July 2006: Below are links to two presentations that show the first GOES-13 calibrated IR data from the Imager and Sounder:

• First GOES-13 Imager calibrated radiances (PPT file)
• First GOES-13 Sounder calibrated radiances (PPT file)

20 July 2006: The first GOES-13 calibrated infrared images were captured at 1800 UTC:

Band-2 (3.9 µm) - Shortwave Window

Band-3 (6.7 µm) - Water Vapor

Band-4 (10.7 µm) Longwave Window

Band-6 (13.3 µm) Cloud Heights

13 July 2006: Below are links to two presentations that show some of the first GOES-13 visible (Imager and Sounder) and IR (Sounder and Imager) data:

• First GOES-13 visible radiances (Imager and Sounder) (PPT file)
• First GOES-13 infrared radiances (Imager and Sounder) (PPT file)

12 July 2006: The first preliminary, un-calibrated GOES-13 infrared images were captured at 1820 UTC:

12 July 2006: For a comparison of GOES-13 Sounder images for all 19 bands vs. GOES-11 Sounder images, see the link to http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/goes/g13_report/first_sndr.html. The GOES-13 Sounder images are below:

06 July 2006: An adjustment to Sounder calibration coefficients was applied by NOAA OSO (Office of Satellite Operations). A comparison showing "before" and "after" this adjustment are shown below:

22 June 2006: The first GOES-13 Souder visible images were captured as well. These first un-official images appear quite dark over land surfaces.

22 June 2006: The first GOES-13 visible images were captured. After the first few preliminary sectored images, a full-disk visible image was captured for 1801 UTC. The first full-disk image at 1730 UTC was collected as well, but is not currently available. Fellow collaborators at UW/CIMSS/ASPB and NESDIS/StAR in Washington DC were able to process the first image, see http://www.ssec.wisc.edu/media/spotlight/goes13/.

04 June 2006: GOES-N successfully completed the necessary Liquid Apogee Motor Firings to get to geosynchronous orbit at 89.5 west longitude to became GOES-13.

24 May 2006: GOES-N was successfully launched at 2211 UTC.