NOAA TECHNICAL REPORT NESDIS 82

OFFICE OF SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT GROUND SYSTEMS DIVISION

WASHINGTON, D.C.

October 1994

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE GOES I-M IMAGER AND SOUNDER

INSTRUMENTS AND THE GVAR RETRANSMISSION FORMAT

PREPARED BY

RAYMOND J. KOMAJDA

THE MITRE CORPORATION

EDITED BY

KEITH MCKENZIE

OFFICE OF SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION

NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL SATELLITE, DATA, AND INFORMATION SERVICE
PREFACE

 This document is an update of NOAA Technical Report NESDIS 33, published in October, 1987. 

It is addressed to experienced direct readout users of the GOES Mode AAA processed instrument

data. Readers wanting a greater familiarity with Mode AAA are referred to the following documents:

 GOES GH Data Book, Hughes Aircraft Company, March 1986

 Operational VAS Mode AAA Format, Specification, NOAA/NESDIS

 Office of Systems Development, February 1987, SFP002

 The purpose of this document is to acquaint these users with the characteristics of the processed

instrument data that are available from the new series of GOES satellites, GOES I-M. This document

includes a comparison of the GOES D-H VAS instrument with the instruments on the GOES I-M

series of satellites and a definition of the processed instrument data format for GOES I-M. It is the

intent of this document to provide direct readout (Mode AAA) users with sufficient background

information for them to phaseover to GOES I-M.

 The topic of this report is the GVAR processed data as it will be retransmitted to direct readout

users. Information on the spacecraft, the imaging and sounding instruments, and the ground system is

presented only to provide sufficient background and context for an understanding of the GVAR format. 

GVAR contains Imager and Sounder data. The other

on-board instruments and their data and the special purpose transponders are not addressed in this

report.

 GOES I was launched April 13, 1994; redesignated GOES-8 upon attaining geostationary orbit, it

is undergoing checkout through October, 1994. The remaining spacecraft in the GOES I-M series are

in various stages of assembly. GOES-J is scheduled for launch in 1995; its instruments are in test at this

time.

 The defining document for the GVAR format is Section 3 of Space Systems/Loral Operations

Ground Equipment (OGE) Interface Specification DRL 504-02-1, Contract NAS5-29500. The most

recent version available at the time of publication is Revision C dated 01/28/94. Much of the material

contained herein is compiled directly from documents delivered to the

Government under contract by Ford Aerospace and Communications Corporation, Space

Systems/Loral, and their subcontractors.
TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0 INTRODUCTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

 1.1 GOES Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

 1.2 GOES I-M Spacecraft System . . . . . . . . . . . 2

 1.3 GOES I-M Ground System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

2.0 THE IMAGER AND THE SOUNDER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

 2.1 Instrument Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

 2.2 Key Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

 2.3 Instrument Operational Modes . . . . . . . . . .19

3.0 GVAR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

 3.1 Scan Format. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

 3.2 Imager Data--Blocks 0-10 . . . . . . . . . . . .22

 3.4 Bandwidth Considerations and

 Sector Scanning Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

 3.5 Transmission Delays and Preprocessing

 Delays of GVAR Blocks. . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

 3.6 Encoding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

 3.7 Receiver Considerations. . . . . . . . . . . . .30

 3.8 Earth Location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

 3.9 Calibration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

4.0 OPERATIONAL SCHEDULES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

REFERENCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41

GLOSSARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42

APPENDIX A 

OPERATIONAL IN-ORBIT CALIBRATION. . . . . . . . . . . . .44

 LIST OF FIGURES

 

Figure 1-1 GOES I-M Spacecraft. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Figure 1-2 GOES I-M Ground System . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Figure 2-1 GOES I-M Instrument Assemblies . . . . . . . . 8

Figure 2-2 Sounder Filter Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Figure 2-3 Scan Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Figure 2-4 Imager Scan Frame. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Figure 2-5 Sounder Scan Frame . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Figure 3-1 GVAR Format. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Figure 3-2 Imager Detector Configuration. . . . . . . . .24

Figure 3-3 Imager Scan Lines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

Figure 4-1 Routine Mode Schedule. . . . . . . . . . . . .37
Figure 4-2 Rapid Scan Mode Schedule . . . . . . . . . . .38

Figure 4-3 Full Disk Mode Schedule. . . . . . . . . . . .38

 LIST OF TABLES

 

Table 1-1 GOES Comparison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Table 2-1 Imager Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Table 2-2 Sounder Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Table 2-3 Imager Performance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Table 2-4 Sounder Spectral and Sensitivity Performance. .16

Table 3-1 GVAR Format--Information Field. . . . . . . . .21

Table 3-2 Block Sequencing Priority . . . . . . . . . . .26

Table 4-1 Day-1 Sectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35

Table 4-2 GVAR Data Volume for Day-1 Sectors. . . . . . .37

Table 4-3 Imager Priority Frame Flags . . . . . . . . . .39

Table 4-4 Sounder Priority Scan Flags . . . . . . . . . .40
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1.0 INTRODUCTION

 The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) operates a Geostationary

Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) system with multiple satellites to provide continuous

monitoring of the earth's environment. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is

responsible for procuring and launching new satellites for NOAA and the other civilian agencies. The

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) and NOAA have been given responsibility for procuring

the necessary space-segment hardware and support services to meet the mission requirements. In

1985, NASA contracted with the Ford Aerospace and Communications Corporation (FACC),

Western Development Laboratories, Palo Alto, California, for five GOES spacecraft (I, J, K, L, and

M), collectively known as GOES I-M. The GOES Variable (GVAR) format is the retransmission

format for processed instrument data from these spacecraft.

 The primary mission of the GOES program is the continuous and reliable collection of environmental

data in support of weather forecasting and related services. Spacecraft and ground based systems

work together to accomplish this mission.

1.1 GOES Program

 Since 1974, geostationary satellites have been used to collect and disseminate environmental data. 

GOES sensors provide two-dimensional cloud and temperature imagery in both visible and infrared

spectra, radiometric data providing the capability to determine the three-dimensional structure of

atmospheric temperature and water vapor distribution, and solar and near space environmental data. In

addition to broadcasting GVAR, transponders on the GOES spacecraft also support the Data

Collection System (DCS), Search and Rescue, and Weather Facsimile (WEFAX); the DCS relays

data from thousands of environmental sensing platforms distributed throughout the western hemisphere. 

Specific applications of the meteorological data include severe storm detection, monitoring, and

tracking; wind measurements from cloud motion; sea surface thermal features; precipitation estimates;

frost monitoring; rescue operations; and research.

1.2 GOES I-M Spacecraft System

 The GOES spacecraft configuration is based on FACC's Indian Satellite (INSAT) design. Its

six-sided main body carries the Imager, the Sounder, and Space Environment Monitor (SEM)

instruments. A continuous-drive solar array is attached to the south panel through a yoke assembly,

and a solar sail is mounted off the north panel to offset solar pressure torque. See Figure 1-1.

 There are significant differences between the GOES I-M series of spacecraft and the predecessor

GOES D-H series that impact the requirements for the ground system. The GOES D-H satellites were

built by the Hughes Aircraft Company using a passive spin-stabilized attitude control system. The

GOES I-M satellites use a three-axis attitude control system, implying thatthe three axes of the satellite
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will remain stationary relative to their pointing axis. These satellites use internal momentum wheels to

provide attitude control. The satellites require corrective action from the ground to compensate for the

effects of thermal gradients, solar winds, and radiance gradients. The mirror in each instrument moves

in two dimensions. Unlike the GOES D-H series, GOES I-M series satellites have separate Imager

and Sounder instruments that operate independently and simultaneously. 

 

 These differences necessitate major changes in the product processing systems. The navigation

accuracy (the ability to point to a specific latitude and longitude on the earth's surface) and registration

accuracy (the ability to point to the same point on earth on successive images) are fundamental to the

value of GOES I-M meteorological data. Table 1-1 compares the major

characteristics of the present series GOES D-H satellites with the GOES I-M series.

1.3 GOES I-M Ground System

 As with the predecessor GOES System, the GOES I-M Ground System is physically divided

between two locations, the Satellite Operations Control Center (SOCC) at Suitland, Maryland, and the

Command and Data Acquisition (CDA) station at Wallops, Virginia (see Figure 1-2). The SOCC is

responsible for continuous monitoring and supervision of the spacecraft and instruments. The SOCC

plans and schedules spacecraft and ground system activities to satisfy the mission requirements. The

CDA station is the principal terrestrial interface with the GOES satellites. It provides communication

with the GOES spacecraft. In general, those components closely associated with real time production

of the GVAR data stream derived from the raw instrument data, and with retransmitting this stream

through the spacecraft, are located at the CDA. The remaining components primarily those associated

with scheduling and planning and off-line engineering and analysis functions, are located at the SOCC

for normal operation, but are backed up by redundant copies at the CDA for continued operation

during communication outages or catastrophic failures of the SOCC. 

 Command schedule generation is performed at the SOCC with commands being relayed to the

CDA station by way of the telemetry and command system. Commands are uplinked to the spacecraft

by the transmit/receive systems at the CDA, which also receives and processes spacecraft telemetry

data.

 The GOES I-M Imager and Sounder data communications system function similarly to its

counterpart in the GOES D-H system. The raw output data stream from the spacecraft is received at

the CDA station, where it is demodulated, processed, and output in the GVAR format by the Sensor

Processing System (SPS) component of the OGE. After processing by the SPS, the calibrated,

earth-located, GVAR formatted data stream is transmitted from the CDA to the spacecraft which, in

turn, retransmits it to Direct Readout earth stations.

 The Orbit and Attitude Tracking System (OATS) component of the OGE assists in navigation
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(Orbit and Attitude Determination) of the GOES I-M Spacecraft. The Product Monitors (PMs) assist

the OATS by extracting landmark information from the Imager and Sounder data in

addition to providing image quality control and coefficients for SPS normalization and coregistration

functions.
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2.0 THE IMAGER AND THE SOUNDER

 The GOES I-M Imager and Sounder have increased capabilities compared with the instruments

onboard the GOES D-H satellites. The GOES I-M instruments have more spectral channels, higher

resolution IR and Sounder, increased sensitivity, more rapid area coverage, and much improved

location accuracy over previous GOES systems. They have flexibility of scan parameters and complete

independence of the two instruments.

 A body-stabilized satellite with one surface continually oriented toward the earth provides the

platform for the instruments. The full-time operation of the Imager and Sounder permits maximum

sensitivity and flexibility of control, enhancing synoptic, aperiodic, and mesoscale observations.

 The GOES I-M satellites carry a five-channel (four infrared and one visible) Imager and a

19-channel (18 infrared and one visible) Sounder. This system provides capabilities not available in the

predecessor GOES in that the GOES I-M Imager has: a) simultaneous imaging from all infrared and

visible channels and b) higher IR resolution (4km) in the surface and cloud detection channels. GOES

I-M Sounder quality is improved by having: a) total isolation and independence from imaging, b) more

and narrower spectral channels, c) spatial resolution reduced to 8km and d) sufficient sensitivity for full

quality soundings to be derived from each atmospheric column.

2.1 Instrument Description

 The GOES Imaging and Sounding Subsystem shown in Figure 2-1 is made up of two instruments,

each having very similar functional capability. Scan control and data collection for the instruments are

independent of each other and of most other activity on the spacecraft. An on-board computer

provides a method of automatic motion compensation unique to this
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 Each instrument is under operator control to command the start time, location, and size of earth

areas to be imaged or sounded. Radiance from the earth is sampled by identical two-axis scan systems

and nearly identical telescopes in each unit. Spectral separation in the two instruments differs to meet

their separate requirements. Separation in the Imager is by fixed dichroic beam splitters, permitting

simultaneous sampling of all five spectral channels. In the Sounder, the visible spectrum and three IR

bands are separated by dichroic beam splitters; the three IR bands then pass through three concentric

rings of a filter wheel (see Figure 2-2) where channel filters provide sequential sampling of the seven

longwave, five midwave, and six shortwave channels. The infrared detectors operate at three patch

temperatures: 94oK for seven or eight months that include the winter season, 101oK for the four or five

months that include the summer season, and 104oK for radiative cooler contingencies.

 Each linear scan of the Imager samples an 8-km NS swath (at nadir). The Sounder has four

detector's in each band. Each detector's Field of View (FOV) is 8-km at nadir and a scan swath is

40-km wide (NS) at nadir. The Imager has a highly linear scan in the West-East or East-West

direction at a rate of 20.021o per second. It then drops 224 μr (8 km at nadir) to scan in the opposite
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direction to continue a frame. The Sounder steps at a fixed pattern rate of 0.1 seconds for each 280 μr

(10 km at nadir) in the West-East or East-West direction, then steps down (or up) 1120 μr (40 km) to

the next contiguous scan to continue a frame. See Figure 2-3.

 Interactive operation of the instruments and spacecraft permits independent operation of the

individual scan systems, yet maintains the pointing accuracy of each optical system. This is

accomplished by a Mirror Motion Compensation (MMC) algorithm on the spacecraft which recognizes

the scan mirror motions and their physical effect on the spacecraft. A counteracting signal is developed

and fed to both instruments to apply the appropriate corrections that maintain the scan mirror angle

accuracy with respect to the earth. 
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 Star reference data collection is performed by each instrument. This permits regular determination

of optical references. These features that reduce pointing errors permit the total system to achieve high

accuracies with respect to ground coordinates.

 Each instrument's optical assembly measures approximately 18" x 18" x 42". A 9" long sun shield

extends from the scan cavity and a 24" square by 12" extension shields the radiative cooler. The

separate electronics module for each instrument, containing nearly all the control and signal processing

circuitry, is located across from the optical assembly.

 Raw Imager data is transmitted at 2.6208 Mbps. The Sounder has a much lower rate at 0.040

Mbps.

2.2 Key Features

 General characteristics of the two units are summarized and their performance is given in Tables

2-1, 2-2, 2-3, and 2-4. Figures 2-4 and 2-5 show the coordinate frames and scan limits for the

instruments. Prime features of these instruments are as follows:

 + Scan control

 - Commandable frame size and location.

 - Imager and Sounder mechanically independent and fully stable against other instrument's motion

(MMC).

 - Capability to interrupt long duration frames to permit priority (storm watch) observations -- not

expected to be used operationally.

 - Repeat-frame option, similar to Rapid Interval Scan Operations (RISOPS) -- not expected to

be used operationally due to lack of control of frame start time.

 + Position Location and Frame Overlay Accuracies

 - Imager pixel locations accurate to 4 km at nadir, at noon ± 8 hours; registration between

repeated images from 53 μr and 210 μr depending upon time of day and time between frames.

 - Sounder sample locations accurate to 10 km at nadir, at all times; registration between repeated

soundings of 280 μr. 

 + Long Term Stability and Calibration
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 - Space reference used for short term radiance reference.

 - Full aperture blackbody reference used for regular slope (radiance per output count) calibration

approximately every half hour to offset diurnal variation.

 + Application to Weather and Climate. Typical imaging scenarios, based on some approximations of

time required for image generations, are

 - A full earth image requires 30 minutes, including overhead functions.

 - An area scan of 3000 km by 3000 km requires 3 minutes.

 - A 1000 km by 1000 km area requires 45 seconds.

 Combinations of these frames may be pre-programmed and repeated. It is possible, though not

operationally planned, to interrupt one frame with another (priority), such as for continuous storm watch

through a period of scheduled synoptic images. Small area (mesoscale) images may be positioned

precisely and repeated as required for the planned purpose.
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2.3 Instrument Operational Modes

 At any given time, each instrument is in one of six modes:

 + Normal Scan Frame -- The instrument is scanning some portion of the earth/space within

commanded rectangular scan limits.

 + Priority Scan Frame -- Scanning in this mode is identical to scanning in a normal scan frame. 

However, a priority scan frame may be started when the instrument is in idle mode or when it is

in normal scan frame mode. That is, a priority scan frame may interrupt a normal scan frame. If a

priority frame interrupts a normal frame, then when the priority scan frame is completed the normal scan

frame resumes from the point of interruption. In the Imager, upon returning to a normal frame from

a completed priority frame, scanning is resumed at the beginning of the scan line that was interrupted. 

There are two levels of priority. See Section 4 for the operational uses of this mode.

 + Star Sense/Sequence -- The instrument slews to just beyond the location of a star, and holds

that position for a commanded period of time as the star drifts across the field of view.

 + Space Look -- Based on the expiration of a timer, the ongoing operation, e.g., frame scan, is

interrupted while the instrument slews to space, collects data for a fixed period of time, and resumes the

interrupted operation.

 + Blackbody Calibration -- Based on the expiration of a timer (10 minutes for the Imager and then

only out of frame; 20 minutes for the Sounder, either in or out of frame), the instrument performs a

space look followed by a view of the internal blackbody. Operationally the timer is disabled and

blackbody calibrations are commanded approximately every 30 minutes for the Imager between scan

frames, and every 15 minutes for the Sounder.

 + Idle -- The instrument remains in idle mode whenever no other operation is being performed. 

 Any of the above modes can be terminated by a scan reset command. In response to a scan reset,

the instrument slews to nadir, performs a blackbody calibration, returns to nadir, and enters idle mode,

and performs system reinitialization.
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3.0 GVAR

 This section defines the structure and content of the GVAR (GOES I-M Variable) processed

instrument data transmission format. This format is primarily used to transmit meteorological data

measured by the Imager and Sounder instruments. Additionally, parameters associated with the

measuring instrumentation are transmitted in the format, as are auxiliary products.

 The GVAR format has its origins in the Operational VAS Mode AAA (Triple A) format. The AAA

format featured a fixed length format composed of twelve equal size blocks. These blocks are

transmitted synchronous with the spin of the earlier GOES, i.e., one complete 12-block sequence

occurs for each rotation of the satellite.

 With the advent of the three-axis stabilized GOES employing a two-degree of freedom imaging scan

mirror and a separate independent sounding instrument, the range and flexibility of satellite operations

are increased. The use of a fixed length transmission format would have required that operational

limitations be placed on the satellite's capabilities. The GVAR format was developed to permit full use

of the new capabilities while maintaining as much commonality with AAA reception equipment as

possible.

 GVAR is generated by the Sensor Processing System (SPS), a portion of the Operations Ground

Equipment (OGE). Each SPS, one per spacecraft, generates a separate GVAR data stream. The SPS

calibrates and normalizes Imager and Sounder data and generates gridding and earth location data for

Imager data.

 GVAR data words are in Gould floating point format.

3.1 Scan Format

 The GVAR transmission sequence is depicted in Figure 3-1. It consists of twelve distinct blocks

numbered 0 through 11. Blocks 0 through 10 are transmitted as a contiguous set for each Imager scan

swath (eight lines). Block 10 will be followed by a variable number of Block 11s according to what

data is available for transmission. Each GVAR Block is transmitted with a 10,032-bit synchronization

code, a 720-bit header (3 copies of a 240-bit sequence), the variable length information field containing

1-4 records and a 16-bit Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) trailer. Blocks 0 and 11 are fixed, equal

length blocks of 64,320 bits each in the information field. The information fields in Blocks 1 through 10

vary in length directly in accordance with the width of the Imager scan line. The formula for computing

the total number of bits downlinked in GVAR Blocks 0-10, including synchronization fields, headers

and trailers, in a single scan is 185,168 + 390 x N, where N is the number of mirror 4-pixel groups (4 x

16 μr pixels) in the scan line. The formula for computing the number of words in the Information Fields

only in GVAR Blocks 0-10 for a single scan is 8,280 + 39 x N, yielding a range of 8,280 to 212,484

words. Table 3-1 provides further details about the structure of the GVAR format information field.
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 The Block 1-10 formats are shown with a maximum of 5236 4- pixel groups, corresponding to a

19.2o field of view (FOV), an operational limit imposed to avoid vignetting from the shield around the

optical port. This accommodates scans wider than a full disc (earth edge to earth edge at the equator is

17.4o). Operationally, the instruments are limited to a NS scan of 19o for earth viewing, 21o for star

viewing. These scan limits would normally be earth centered, but not necessarily centered within the

23ox25o instrument aperture (see Figure 2-4). A NS scan of 19o equates to 1480 swaths (11,840

visible lines) for the Imager and 296 swaths (1184

lines) for the Sounder. 
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3.2 Imager Data--Blocks 0-10

 The layout of the Imager instrument detectors is provided in Figure 3-2. There are a total of 22

detectors split into three groups:
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 1. Eight visible detectors, V1 through V8

 2. Seven primary infrared detectors, P1 through P7

 3. Seven redundant infrared detectors, R1 through R7

 During any frame the detectors will be active in either a primary or a redundant (corresponding to

Side 1 and Side 2 of the instrument electronics) configuration as illustrated in Figure 3-2. In both

configurations the visible detector group (V1-V8) and one of the two infrared groups are active. The

resultant swath on the earth's surface generated by either of these two configurations is misaligned in the

infrared and visible bands as indicated in Figure 3-3. This misalignment is removed in the GVAR

format by lagging data from appropriate detectors. The lagged data is combined with detector data

from a subsequent scan, forming earth scan swaths in which the visible and infrared detector data are

coincident.

 In the primary detector configuration, data from visible detectors V5 through V8 is lagged. This

lagged data will be combined with infrared (P1 through P7) and visible (V1 through V4) detector data

gathered during the next scan to create a GVAR block sequence. For the redundant detector

configuration, data from visible detectors V5 through V8 and infrared detectors R1 through R7 is

lagged. The lagged data is combined with data from visible detectors V1 through V4 gathered during

the next scan to create a GVAR block sequence. In the cases of scan-type calibration sequences of

space look and blackbody, no data lagging is performed.

 Coregistration of the VIS and IR detectors is performed on the ground by the SPS. Coregistration

of the VIS and IR detectors is necessary because of thermal distortion of IR FOV relative to VIS

FOV. Additional leading/lagging of data is possible depending on the coregistration requirements, e.g.,

±8 visible pixels NS, ±64 visible pixels EW.
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3.3 Non-Imager Data--Block 11

 A scan by the Imager instrument will result in the generation of GVAR Blocks 0-10. The

transmission of Blocks 0-10 will be followed by the transmission of a variable number of Block 11s (0

to n) according to the nature of the data available for transmittal. The priority followed in determining

what data to transmit next is shown in Table 3-2.

 When the Imager is actively scanning, there is not always sufficient time to transmit all of the

generated Block 11s between consecutive Block 0-10 sets. There is always sufficient time for all

Sounder data Block 11s generated during simultaneous operation of both instruments. The number of

Block 11s that appear contiguously is the number there is time for, i.e., until the next Block 0-10 set is

ready for output.

 Note in Table 3-2 that the total effective rate of generation of non- fill Block 11s is about 80 per

minute (1.3 per second) when both instruments are actively scanning. A full width Imager scan takes

1.16 seconds including turnaround. So, while Block 11s are being generated at about the same rate

as Block 0-10 sets, and while it is true that the SPS will generate fill Block 11s in otherwise idle time

between Block 0-10 sets, it is NOT true that a Block 11 will necessarily appear every few Block 0-10

sets. Rather, because the SPS buffers many scan lines of Imager data before assembling and outputting

GVAR Block 0-10 sets, the GVAR data stream can contain many consecutive Block 0-10 sets without

any intervening Block 11s.
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3.4 Bandwidth Considerations and Sector Scanning Limits

 The output bandwidth available for GVAR is 2,111,360 bps. All GVAR blocks must fit within this

channel without significant delays or else a data overflow, i.e., data loss, will occur within the SPS. The

bandwidth requirements can be calculated a priori for each of the instrument block types. For scan

related data, the required bandwidth is a function of instrument scanning width. For non-scan

instrument related data (calibrations, statistics, NLUTs, star senses) the required bandwidths can be

treated as a constant time-dependent overhead.

 A lower limit has been established for the size of any GVAR block. The lower limit is 32,208 bits,

which includes the block synchronization code (10,032 bits), the block header (720 bits), the block

CRC (16 bits), and information field (21,440 bits). The lower limit is established to insure that a

minimum processing time of 15.25 milliseconds is available at the GVAR receiver for each GVAR

block. This limit prevents overrunning the receivers with too many blocks per second and permits a

maximum of 65.5 GVAR blocks per second. The minimum information field length of 21,440 bits

equates to a 1.9o scan for the Imager blocks. Imager scan widths of less than 1.9o will require that

Blocks 1-10 be zero filled. The effect of the minimum block length is to raise the bandwidth overhead

associated with smaller Imager scans.

 Since all of the Sounder data is transported through Block 11s, there is no direct effect on Imager
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block length. However, Blocks 11s may contain only small amounts of meaningful data when

transporting non-Sounder data, e.g., text messages.

 The Imager and Sounder each has a bandwidth requirement component that is dependent on the

scan width of the instrument and a component that is nearly independent of the scan width. Spare

bandwidth available for any combination of Imager and Sounder scan widths is measured in units of

spare Block 11s (75,088 bits) available per second. There are conditions under which the available

bandwidth of 2,111,360 bps will be exceeded by the requirements of the two instruments. These

conditions arise from three primary sources of GVAR overhead:

 1. The 10,032-bit block synchronization code (13.4% of each Block 11).

 2. The 21,440-bit minimum data length requirement imposed for small GVAR blocks (1-10).

 3. The Sounder Documentation Block 11 prefixing each Sounder scan line output.

 For each of these three sources, the most negative effects are found at small scan width where the

overheads outweigh the instrument data being transported. For the Imager, the synchronization code

and the minimum data length represent over 90% of the visible data bandwidth requirement for a 0.2o

scan width. A similar scan width for the Sounder yields 57% of bandwidth requirement being allocated

for non-instrument data. As the scan widths for each instrument are increased, the percentage of the

GVAR output bandwidth allocated to overheads declines, approaching 5% for the Imager visible data,

and 13.4% for Sounder scan data.

 In addition to the instrument data, the GVAR stream must also provide transport for auxiliary data

and text messages (from the SPS operator and the telemetry & command system). The text messages

are low-rate in the sense that the ingest channels available for their reception at the SPS are narrow,

9600 bps. Additionally, their expected frequency of occurrence is very small. The auxiliary data, on

the other hand, has a relatively wide ingest channel (57,344 bps) and its expected usage rate is to be

determined. To provide room for each of these three sources within the GVAR stream, time for one

spare Block 11 per second has been allocated. Adequate bandwidth exists to support all functions for

both instruments as well as the text and auxiliary data if the following scan width constraints are

observed:

 Imager: No constraints if Sounder is inactive (not scanning). If Sounder is active, then Imager scan

width should be greater than 0.3o.

 Sounder: No constraints if Imager is inactive. If Imager scan width is less than 14.4o, then the

Sounder scan width should be greater than 0.3o. If the Imager scan width is greater than 14.4o, then

the Sounder scan width should be greater than 0.6o.
Page 29

 These constraints can be violated without the loss of any instrument data. The only penalty incurred

by doing so is to increase the time required to complete the transmission of any text and auxiliary data

that may be ready for GVAR output.

3.5 Transmission Delays and Preprocessing Delays of GVAR Blocks

 The GVAR data stream is transmitted from the spacecraft at a carrier rate of 2,111,360 bps. The

GVAR formatted data is received by a user after some variable amount of time delay from the point at

which the data was actually measured by the satellite instrumentation.

 Block delays have four components:

 1. Satellite-to-Sensor Processing System (SPS): raw data (raw downlink)

 2. SPS processing time (two to 40 seconds)

 3. SPS-to-Satellite: GVAR transmission (processed uplink)

 4. Satellite-to-user: GVAR transmission (processed downlink)

The block transmission time for each of items 1,3, and 4 above, is approximately 0.5 seconds. SPS

processing time, however, can be up to 40 seconds in duration. SPS processing transforms the raw

data into GVAR formatted data. The raw Imager data arrives in alternate west-to- east and

east-to-west scans; reordering the east-to-west scans to appear in west-to-east order in GVAR

necessitates a minimum delay of one scan, which can be a full second for a large frame. The buffering

process is used to perform west-to-east ordering and to lag visible detector data to enable creation of

visually overlaid (coregistered) infrared scan lines. Additionally, data for four of the visible detectors

will be delayed (lagged) one more instrument scan time to overlay the next set of infrared data. 

However, calibration is performed on recently received data after a spacelook occurs; i.e., the first

group of scan lines in a frame are buffered until a spacelook occurs and all subsequent scan lines are

buffered between spacelooks; the time between spacelooks, and therefore the buffer accumulation time

prior to the first Block 0-10 set, is 36.6 (or 9.2) seconds for frames narrower than full disk. Instead of

requiring actual spaceclamps to obtain calibration data, full disk frames are calibrated by overscanning

the image to include 400 IR samples beyond earth edge on one side -- this effectively provides

spacelook data for calibration at an interval of approximately every two seconds. At this point,

transmission of Blocks 0-10 is enabled. Regardless of the calibration mechanism, 9.2 second

spaceclamp, 36.6 second spaceclamp, or alternate scan scanclamp, calibration samples are included in

GVAR as a set of four Block 11s queued up for transmission every two minutes -- the four Block 11s

contain the most recent spacelook samples from the two-minute interval.
Page 30

 A similar buffering process is performed on the Sounder data by the SPS, primarily to permit

west-to-east ordering. Calibration of the Sounder data is performed after all of the raw data for a scan

line swath has been received. The calibration procedure generates 76 arrays (one array for each of 19

Sounder channels by four detectors) of calibrated pixel information plus sounder visible information. 

These arrays, along with the original raw downlinked Sounder Data blocks, are then sectioned and

packaged into the Block 11 format for Sounder sensor data. A full-width (19.2o) Sounder scan will

require 101 Block 11s for complete transmission. It takes the Sounder 120 seconds to scan 19.2o at

its fastest rate of 0.16o/sec (two and four times as long at its slower rates). Consequently, the buffering

process for the Sounder data takes that long. The subsequent calibration and Block 11 sectioning will

take between 10 and 15 seconds to perform. Calibrated Sounder blocks are then queued for output

along with other Block 11 products. Finally, transmission of the 101 Block 11s could take anywhere

from 3.1 (no concurrent imaging) to 38 seconds (concurrent full-width imaging).

3.6 Encoding

 Prior to biphase modulation, the data to be retransmitted undergoes three stages of encoding. The

encoding scheme is identical to that used with Mode AAA:

 1. All even number eight-bit bytes (regardless of word length) are complemented; the first byte

following initial synchronization is byte number one.

 2. The second stage involves PN coding. The PN sequence is generated by a shift register whose

input is the output of an exclusive-OR gate. Bits 8 and 15 (MSB) of the shift register are the

inputs to this gate. The output of the gate is combined with a data line using a second exclusive-OR

gate.

 3. The PN coded data stream described above is passed through an NRZ-S differential encoding

process. This process produces a transition for each logic zero input and none otherwise.

3.7 Receiver Considerations

 Direct read-out stations configured for the GOES-7 Mode AAA processed data stream require

some modifications to receive GOES-8 imagery in the GVAR format.

 + If the front end demodulator is tunable, it must be retuned to the new 65.7 MHz IF-- 

assuming the Local Oscillator (L.O.) frequency is 1620 MHz., since GVAR is 1685.7 MHz. vs.

1687.1 MHz. for Mode AAA. 

 

 + If the demodulator is not tunable, it must be replaced it with one tuned to 65.7 MHz. 
Page 31

This can sometimes be done by replacing crystal oscillator and matched filter components without

replacing the whole demodulator unit. Users are advised to check with the manufacturer. This assumes

the Local Oscillator (L.O.) frequency is 1620 MHz. since GVAR is 1685.7 MHz. vs. 1687.1

MHz. for Mode AAA.

 

 + The bit synchronizer should handle GVAR with no changes. 

 

 + If the frame synchronizer reads the Mode AAA header (with particular regard to word and

block sizes) and responds accordingly, and if it ignores block type and block ordering, then it will

probably operate correctly with GVAR. Users should contact the frame synchronizer manufacturer

regarding this. 

 

 When processing GVAR, a user device should not use the data valid flag in the header to turn itself

on or off. This flag merely indicates the validity of the data in the block, and not the frame status. 

There are separate flags for frame status in the Imager documentation block (Block 0) and the Sounder

documentation block (one of the Block 11 types). 

 

 

3.8 Earth Location

 GVAR does not contain an earth location array for the Imager due to bandwidth limitations. An

earth location array is provided with GVAR Sounder data that maps each pixel into a specific lat/lon

point. An algorithm to convert Imager scan line and pixel coordinates to earth Lat/Lon is available in

software programmed in Fortran 77. The software, and its accompanying documentation, known as

the Earth Location User's Guide (ELUG), was produced by Integral Systems, Inc. (ISI - Lanham,

Maryland).

3.9 Calibration

 In orbit, the infrared channels of both the Imager and Sounder are calibrated with data taken as they

view space and their on-board blackbodies. The SPS at Wallops, VA applies calibration to the

scene data in real time. The SPS also normalizes the visible-channel data to minimize east-west striping

in the images. The visible channels are not calibrated in orbit because the GOES I-M instruments do

not have on- board calibration targets in the visible.

 The calibration coefficients (three per channel/detector) and the scaling coefficients (two per

channel) are also contained in GVAR. Users can derive the radiances from counts in the retransmitted

data stream by inverting the scaling operation. They can retrieve the raw data from the radiances by

inverting the calibration. For the Sounder, GVAR will contain both raw and calibrated data. For the

Imager, it will only contain the calibrated data, because the GVAR data stream has insufficient
Page 32

bandwidth to contain both. GVAR also contains statistical data and telemetry information for

monitoring the calibration and instrument performance.

 When an instrument receives radiation emitted and/or reflected from a scene, it puts out a signal

related to the intensity of the received radiation. Calibration is the process quantifying that relationship. 

Since the relationship is nearly linear (see reference 8), it can be determined by measuring the

instrument's responses (in digital counts) to radiation from two targets at known, but different,

temperatures. The imager and sounder make these measurements by observing space (whose

temperature is effectively zero in the infrared) and internal blackbodies, whose temperatures are

constantly monitored. In orbit, an instrument's calibration relationship is almost always varying, because

it depends on the temperatures of the instrument's components, transmissivities of the mirrors and other

optics components, etc., and these properties may vary diurnally, seasonally, and with instrument age. 

Therefore, the instruments need to be calibrated frequently. 

 Blackbody calibration is based on the expiration of a timer, 10 minutes for the Imager and 20

minutes for the Sounder. Imager calibration occurs only out of frame, i.e., not while a frame scan is in

progress; if the timer expires while a scan is in progress, the blackbody calibration occurs upon

completion of the frame. Sounder blackbody calibration occurs either in or out of frame, upon

expiration of the timer, but after any dwell that might be in progress. The instrument performs a space

look followed by a view of the internal blackbody. Operationally the timer is disabled and blackbody

calibrations are commanded approximately every 30 minutes for the Imager between scan frames, and

every 15 minutes for the Sounder.

 The Imager can perform spacelooks in two ways. The scan can be interrupted and the mirror

pointed to space to take a reading; this is called a spaceclamp. Or the scan frame can be made such

that either the east side or the west side extends beyond earth edge, beyond earth shine, into space,

making the instrument scan space; this is called a scanclamp.

 Spaceclamps are performed upon the execution of a timer. The timer is selectable at 9.2 seconds

or 36.6 seconds; the timer restarts upon expiration so that spacelooks are at fixed intervals. Upon

timer expiration, the Imager completes the line it is scanning, slews horizontally to the preselected side

to a point 10.4E from nadir to perform the spacelook, performs a turnaround sequence, and resumes

scanning the frame. Therefore, the time between two spacelooks may vary by up to two seconds (plus

or minus) from the timer interval. The turnaround sequence includes retracing the last line three times,

so the duration of the interruption is proportional to the width of the frame. And, of course, the total

amount of time the scan is interrupted is proportional to the number of spacelooks performed, and

therefore, to the total size of the frame. A set of six Block 11s containing spacelook data will be

generated every two minutes, or once at the end of the frame for shorter duration frames.

 In scanclamp mode the frame scan is never interrupted, but the frame actually scanned extends out

into space, beyond the area of meteorological interest. The frame edge extends beyond earth edge,
Page 33

beyond earth shine (a 0.5E wide ring around the earth), and out into space far enough to acquire a

preset number of samples. Initially, the number of samples obtained by the GOES-8 Imager will be

400 IR samples, 64 r on center, for a displacement of 1.47E beyond earth shine. Scanclamp mode

will typically be used for full disk frames, making the frame boundary lie 1.97E beyond earth edge at the

equator, or 10.67E from nadir. In a full disk frame scanned thusly, with the overscan into space applied

only to one side of the earth, i.e., every other scan line, space calibration data is obtained every 2.2

seconds. The full width of an Imager frame scanned in this mode typically will not be seen in the

GVAR data. Instead, in GVAR the frame will contain only the portion of meteorological interest, the

width of the frame typically truncated at earth edge. As in spaceclamp mode, a set of six Block 11s

containing spacelook data will be generated every two minutes.

 The Sounder operates only in spaceclamp mode with a 2 minute timer, asynchronous to the frame

start. The spaceclamp occurs upon expiration of the timer and after completion of any 0.1 second

sounding.
Page 34

4.0 OPERATIONAL SCHEDULES

 Sector scanning, as opposed to full disk scanning, is the standard mode of operation for the GOES

I-M series with the scanning of almost any local sector area technically possible. There are three

defined modes of operation -- Routine, Rapid Scan, and Full Disk. The Imager and the Sounder each

has its own schedule. Due to spacecraft housekeeping requirements every six hours, each daily

schedule consists of four repetitions of a basic six-hour schedule. This has the effect of synchronizing

Imager and Sounder operation every six hours. Each six- hour schedule is composed of six one-hour

schedules, which also repeat, but with major exceptions, first to accommodate the spacecraft

housekeeping, and, secondly if necessary, to accommodate a sector that is not scanned every hour. 

The hourly schedule for each instrument is a result of National Weather Service requirements for

products. 

 + The Routine mode is the normal mode of operation. In this mode the Imager will scan a full

disk every three hours, with a Northern Hemisphere, CONUS, and Southern Hemisphere sector

scanned in each half-hour not occupied by a full disk scan or spacecraft housekeeping. The 

Sounder's Routine Mode will scan a Full Region Northern Hemisphere sector each hour for the first

four hours of each six-hour cycle; the fifth hour contains seasonally dependent sectors, and the sixth

hour contains a Limited Regional sector. See figure 4-1.

 + The Rapid Scan mode will be enacted when the onset of severe weather is suspected. The

Imager, in the half-hour periods not devoted to Full Disk sectors, will scan a Northern hemisphere

sector, three repetitions of the CONUS sector, and a Small Souther Hemisphere sector. This

effectively rescans the CONUS four times each half- hour except during full disk scans and spacecraft

housekeeping. The Sounder will scan a Limited Regional sector for a 45-minute period each three

hours; otherwise it will repeatedly scan a half-hour Mesoscale sector. See figure 4-2.

 + Full Disk mode is reserved for non-routine operations. In this mode the Imager will repeatedly

scan the Full Disk every half-hour except for spacecraft housekeeping. the Sounder's Full Disk

Mode schedule is the same as its Routine schedule. See figure 4-3.

 Sectors are described in Table 4-1. These sectors and schedules support the operational

requirements of the National Centers and other, non-NWS users of GOES imagery (e.g., international

WEFAX). These products and schedules are subject to change due to changing spacecraft operational

requirements or changing requirements of the National Weather Service.
Page 35

 Estimates of the GVAR data volumes associated with these sectors were calculated by the

GIMCALC software program and are given in Table 4-2. For the Imager, the number of blocks

shown in the table is that generated directly by frame scanning and does not include Block 11s

generated by Imager star looks or blackbody calibrations (BBCALs) that may occur immediately

before or after the scanning of a particular frame. Imager star looks and BBCALs are scheduled

activities; their placement in schedules may be rearranged from time to time to best support instrument

performance and operational requirements. Sounder star looks and BBCALs are timer triggered,

interrupting an active scan; Sounder starlook and BBCAL Block 11s are included in the block counts
Page 36

in the table. Actual block counts may be slightly different if sector boundaries are adjusted or if the

spacecraft is situated at a different longitude. Storage requirements in megabytes are based on two

bytes per GVAR data word.
Page 37
Page 38
Page 39

 Each instrument maintains four command registers, corresponding to command levels numbered 0

through 3. Level numbers indicate command priority, with 3 being the highest. Level 0 is used for

normal frame commands, levels 1 and 2 are priority frame commands, and level 3 is star

sense/sequence. Operationally, only one frame command will be sent at a time, so only one priority

level will be in use at any time.

 While NESDIS is not presently planning to interrupt GOES-8 Imager frame scans with "nested"

(interrupting) priority frames, the various priority levels will appear in the GVAR Block-0 ISCAN flag. 

These priority levels are associated with frame execution registers in the instrument; the various

spacelook modes are constrained to certain registers; so each frame will have the "priority" associated

with its spacelook mode. Full disk frames, which will be scanned in scanclamp spacelook mode, will

be of priority 2; all other frames will be of priority 1. Register 0 is currently reserved for special

operations -- appearance of a "normal frame" (ISCAN flags 4 & 5 set to 00) may indicate an

exceptional situation and the frame may not be useable for production applications or operational

purposes. Tables 2-5 and 2-6 summarize the use of the registers/priorities for the Imager and the

Sounder, respectively. NESDIS may change this practice on GOES-8 or following satellites and

implement priority frame interrupts (nested frames) as a part of the operational scenario.
Page 40
Page 41

 

 The Sounder Scan Data Block (Block 11 priority 11 in Table 3-2) contains fields that indicate

whether the current stream of Sounder data (Block 11s) are parts of a normal or a priority Sounder

frame and whether the Block 11 is the first, last, or an intermediate Block in the frame.

 Star Sense, Space Look, and BBCAL for the Imager and for the Sounder are later indicated by the

occurrence of the corresponding Block 11, see Table 3-2. When both instruments are in Idle mode

and no other Block 11s are incoming, GVAR consists of a stream of Fill Block 11s (priority 22 in

Table 3-2).
Page 42

REFERENCES

Ford Aerospace and Communications Corporation (1987), Operations Ground Equipment (OGE)

Interface Specification (from NASA S-480- 21A), Palo Alto, CA; superseded by Space

Systems/Loral (1994), Operations Ground Equipment (OGE) Interface Specification, DRL 504- 02,

Palo Alto, CA (with Section 3 commonly known as the GVAR Format specification)

Ford Aerospace and Communications Corporation (1987), Operations Ground Equipment (OGE)

System Design, Analysis, and Implementation Plan (SDAIP), DRL 504-01, Palo Alto, CA.;

superseded by Space Systems/Loral (1994), Operations Ground Equipment (OGE) Operations and

Maintenance Manual, DRL 504-06, Palo Alto, CA

Integral Systems, Inc. (1987), The Imager/Sounder To Operations Ground Equipment (OGE) Interface

Control Document Of The GOES I,J,K,L, & M Spacecraft, ISI-SP-36-004, Lanham, MD (commonly

known as the downlink document); superseded by Space Systems/Loral (1992), Imager/Sounder To

Operations Ground Equipment (OGE) Interface Control Document, Palo Alto, CA

E. W. Koenig (1986), The GOES-NEXT Imager and Sounder, Ft. Wayne, IN, Aerospace/Optical

Division ITT

R. J. Komajda and K. McKenzie (1987), An Introduction To the GOES I- M Imager and Sounder

Instruments and the GVAR Retransmission Format, NOAA Technical Report NESDIS 33,

Washington, DC

ITT Aerospace/Communications Division (1993), Imager Operational Reference Manual, SDRL-60,

Fort Wayne, IN

ITT Aerospace/Communications Division (1993), Sounder Operational Reference Manual, SDRL-61,

Fort Wayne, IN

John Savides (1992), Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite GOES I-M System

Description, Palo Alto, CA, Space Systems/Loral

Space Systems/Loral (undated, available 1994), GOES I-M DataBook, DRL 101-08, Palo Alto, CA

R. J. Komajda (1994), GIMCALC Users Manual, McLean, VA

Space Systems/Loral (1994), Earth Location Users Guide For The GOES I-M Spacecrafts, DRL

504-11, Palo Alto, CA
Page 43

GLOSSARY

Acronyms

AAA Mode Triple-A (Processed instrument data format for 

 current GOES)

BB Blackbody

BBCAL Blackbody calibration

bps bits per second

CDA Command and Data Acquisition Station (NOAA)

CONUS The contiguous 48 of the United States

CRC Cyclic Redundancy Check

ECAL Electronic calibration

EW East-West

FACC Ford Aerospace and Communications Corporation

FOV Field of View (given in either angular or earth

surface spatial units)

GSFC Goddard Space Flight Center (NASA)

GOES Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite

GVAR GOES Variable (processed instrument data format for 

 GOES I-M)

IFOV Instantaneous Field of View

IGFOV Instantaneous Geometric Field of View

IMC Image Motion Compensation

IR Infrared

K Kilo (thousand) or Kelvin degrees (temperature)

Kbps Kilobits per second (thousand bits per second)

μr microradians

mr milliradians

μm micro-meters

MMC Mirror Motion Compensation

Mbps Megabits per second (million bits per second)

n/a not applicable

NLUTS Normalization Look-up Tables

NS North-South
Page 44

OATS Orbit and Attitude Tracking System (of OGE)

OGE Operations Ground Equipment (i.e., SPS , OATS, PM,

and ODAPS)

PID Processed Instrument Data (e.g., AAA or GVAR)

RID Raw Instrument Data

RISOPS Rapid Interval Scan Operations

SAR Search and Rescue (GOES transponder)

SEM Space Environment Monitor (GOES instruments)

SOCC Satellite Operations Control Center (NOAA)

SPS Sensor Processing System (of OGE)

T&C Telemetry and Command

TCS Telemetry and Command System

WEFAX Weather Facsimile
Page 45

APPENDIX A

OPERATIONAL IN-ORBIT CALIBRATION

This paper was presented at the American Meteorological Society 7th Conference on Satellite

Meteorology and Oceanography, Monterey, CA, June 6-10, 1994.

OPERATIONAL IN-ORBIT CALIBRATION OF GOES-I IMAGER AND SOUNDER

Michael P. Weinreb*

NOAA/NESDIS

Washington, DC 20233

William C. Bryant, Jr., Marvin S. Maxwell, and James C. Bremer

Swales and Associates, Inc.

Beltsville, MD 20705

 

1. INTRODUCTION

 Radiometric calibration of the GOES I-M imagers and sounders is a multi-stage process

beginning before the launch of each satellite and extending throughout its life. Before launch, the

instruments' performance is characterized under controlled conditions by their manufacturer (ITT, Ft.

Wayne, IN) and by the GOES I-M prime contractor (Space Systems/Loral Palo Alto, CA). In orbit,

the infrared channels will be calibrated with data taken as they view space and their on-board

blackbodies. The calibration will be applied to the scene data in real time in the ground system at

NOAA's Command and Data Acquisition Station at Wallops, VA. At the same time, the

visible-channel data will be normalized to minimize east-west striping in the images. The visible channels

will not be calibrated in orbit, because the GOES I-M instruments do not have on-board calibration

targets in the visible.

2. CALIBRATION OF INFRARED CHANNELS

 In orbit, each instrument views space and its on- board warm blackbody to provide data to

calibrate its infrared channels. Each instrument's blackbody is in front of its optical chain and fills its

optical aperture, providing a full-system calibration. The calibration equation (one for each infrared

channel), which relates sensor output x (in digital counts) to scene radiance R (mW/[m2-sr-cm-1]) is

 R = qx2 + mx + b.
Page 46

The coefficients m and b, termed the slope and intercept, respectively, are determined by the in-orbit

calibration. The value of q, the coefficient of the quadratic term, is known a priori, having been

determined from measurements made before launch. The quadratic term allows for possible

non-linearities in sensor response. Since the GOES-I satellite will be three-axis stabilized, temperatures

in the instruments will vary diurnally by tens of degrees Kelvin. The instruments must be calibrated often

to preserve the precision of the measurements. In addition, since the imager clamps its electronic zero

on space, it must view space frequently to avoid excessive 1/f noise. (The sounder clamps on its filter

wheel, not space.) Space-look intervals are programmed into the scan pattern, whereas blackbody

measurements occur on command. The intervals between calibration measurements are listed in Table

1. These values represent compromises between considerations of radiometric integrity and operational

scheduling. For the imager, current plans are to use the 2.2-sec space-look interval when imaging the

full Earth and the 36.6-sec interval for imaging smaller sectors. Studies of image quality with

thermal-vacuum test data suggest that image quality is approximately the same for the 9.2- and 36.6-sec

intervals.

TABLE 1

 

 Interval between

 Calibration Measurements

 Sounder Imager

____________________________________________________________

Space 2.2, 9.2, 2 min

 or 36.6 sec

____________________________________________________________

Blackbody 30 min 20 min

____________________________________________________________

2.1 Slopes and Intercepts

 For the sounder, the slopes m will be determined from each blackbody measurement and the

space measurement that precedes it. The intercepts b will normally be computed once every two

minutes from each space measurement. To account for rapid changes in intercepts driven by severe

variations in on-board temperatures near midnight, we have the option to update the intercepts once

every 1.1 sec, utilizing their observed correlations with those temperatures.

 For the imager, the processing includes devices to reduce potential effects of 1/f noise--most
Page 47

notably low frequency "drifts" in the signal. Since the blackbody and space measurements are not

simultaneous, drift may render them incompatible and corrupt the computation of the calibration slope. 

To ameliorate this problem, we estimate the signal from space at the time of the blackbody measurement

by interpolating the signal linearly between the preceding and following space looks.

 If there is drift between two successive space looks, the calibration intercepts may become

invalid during the interval between them. We remove the effect of the linear component of the drift by

interpolating the intercept values to the time of each scene pixel. This means that the intercepts are

updated pixel by pixel.

 The use of detector arrays may make some subtle effects of noise in the calibration more

apparent. The imager and sounder use north-south arrays of detectors in most spectral channels--all, in

fact, except channel 3 of the imager. With each scan of the earth, adjacent detectors sweep out

adjacent east-west lines. Because the noise is uncorrelated among the detectors of an array,

noise-induced errors in slope computations may cause line-to-line radiance biases. In images, this could

cause east-west stripes. The pattern of the stripes would change after each blackbody measurement. 

Although pre-launch test results suggest that this effect should be relatively weak, we plan to incorporate

algorithms in the ground system shortly after launch to minimize it.

2.2 Quadratic Term

 The coefficient q of the quadratic term was determined in pre-launch thermal-vacuum tests as

a function of two parameters--the temperature of the instrument's detector patch and the temperature of

its baseplate. A table of q vs these two temperatures is stored in the ground system. When GOES-I is

in orbit, we measure those temperatures and estimate the appropriate value of q by interpolating in the

table.
Page 48

 In the thermal vacuum tests, for each setting of baseplate temperature and patch temperature,

the values of q were determined as follows: The instrument was illuminated by an external blackbody

equipped with temperature sensors whose calibration is traceable to the National Institute of Standards

and Technology. The output of the instrument (in digital counts) was recorded as the temperature of the

blackbody was stepped between 200K and 320K in seven approximately equal-radiance increments. 

Radiances in each channel were computed from the temperatures of the blackbody. The value of q was

then determined from a least square fit of a quadratic to the radiance-vs-count data. As an example of

this process, Figure 1 shows the residuals of linear and quadratic fits to the data in channel 3 (6.7 um) of

the GOES-I imager.

 Figure 1. Residuals from linear fit (filled circles) and quadratic fit (triangles) to calibration data in

channel 3 of GOES-I imager (from Cousins et al., 1993).

(The residuals are in units of percent of the peak radiance, which corresponds to approximately 320K,

and are plotted against radiance. The error bar at the right side of the plot is an estimate of the single

sample noise.) The residuals of the linear fit exhibit a distinct curvature, indicating the need for a
Page 49

higher-order fit. The quadratic is sufficient, since its residuals and any pattern they may exhibit are

insignificant in comparison to measurement noise.

2.3 Data Flow

 When the GOES-I is in orbit, raw imager and sounder data will be transmitted to the

Command and Data Acquisition Station (CDA) continuously in real time. Raw imager data will be in

10-bit words, raw sounder data in 13-bit words. Calibration processing for the infrared channels,

culminating in the retransmission of the data to users, will take place at the CDA in real time. In the

processing, the calibration coefficients will be computed as previously discussed, and they will be

applied to the raw data, converting them to radiances. The radiances will then be scaled linearly so that

they utilize the full 10-bit (imager) or 16-bit (sounder) word length of the retransmitted data stream. The

calibration coefficients (three per channel/detector) and the scaling coefficients (two per channel) will

also be in the retransmitted data stream. Users can derive the radiances from counts in the retransmitted

data stream by inverting the scaling operation. They can retrieve the raw data from the radiances by

inverting the calibration. (For the sounder, the retransmitted data stream will contain both raw and

"calibrated" data. For the imager, it will only contain the "calibrated" data, because the retransmitted

data stream has insufficient bandwidth to contain both.) The data stream will also contain statistical data

and telemetry information for monitoring the calibration and instrument performance.

3. NORMALIZATION OF VISIBLE-CHANNEL DATA

 The imager uses a north-south array of eight silicon diode detectors to image the earth, and the

sounder uses an array of four similar detectors, primarily for cloud detection. With each rotation of the

scan mirror, the imager thus produces eight adjacent east-west lines and the sounder, four. The visible

detector-channels are not calibrated in orbit, but the retransmitted data stream will contain coefficients

determined before launch that convert instrument output (in counts) to radiance (W/[m2-sr-u]) and

reflectance factor or albedo (on a scale of 0-1). Since detector responsivities can vary unpredictably,

the pre-launch calibration may not be valid after launch.

 Without in-orbit calibration, the images will be susceptible to striping. Striping will be reduced by

the normalization of each detector's output to the output of a stable reference detector (see below). The

normalization will be applied in real time at the CDA at Wallops, VA through application of

normalization look-up tables (NLUTs) to the raw scene data.

 Image quality will be monitored daily off line at NESDIS in Suitland, MD. If striping becomes

significant, new NLUTs will be generated at NESDIS and transmitted electronically to Wallops. 

Because detector responsivities are expected to vary slowly, at least in the short term, it is expected that

a given NLUT will remain valid for periods of the order of a month or longer.

 The technique for generating NLUTs involves matching the empirical distribution functions (EDFs)
Page 50

of the raw data from each detector to the EDF of the raw data from the reference detector (Weinreb et

al., 1989). The reference detector will be chosen after launch as the one with the best combination of

such characteristics as long-term stability and maximum use of the count range of the data system

without clipping at the upper and lower limits.

 When the GOES-I is in orbit, the data flow for the visible-channel data will be similar to that for the

infrared. The raw data from the imager and sounder will be transmitted to the CDA as 10-bit and 13-bit

words, respectively. In the CDA, the raw data will be normalized, but no calibration will be applied. The

retransmitted data stream will contain the normalized data in 10-bit words (imager) and 16-bit words

(sounder). The retransmitted data stream will also carry the normalization look-up tables, the identity of

the reference detector, and the date the normalization look-up tables were created. In addition, it will

contain the pre-launch calibration coefficients (three per detector, but with the quadratic coefficients

identically zero) and the factor that converts radiance to reflectance factor. If users wanted to apply the

pre-launch calibration to the normalized data, they should apply the calibration coefficients for the

reference detector to the data from all detectors.

4. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

 We are grateful to Roy Galvin of ITT and R. Heinrichs, D. Cousins, and E. Wack of MIT/Lincoln

Laboratory, who analyzed the infrared calibration data from the thermal/vacuum tests. The GOES I-M

grounds system, including the calibration-processing software, was developed by Internal Systems, Inc.

(ISI) of Lanham, MD. We appreciate the assistance and cooperation we received from numerous ISI

employees.

5. REFERENCES

Cousins, D., E.C. Wack, and R.M. Heinrichs, 1993: GOES SN03 imager final thermal vacuum IR 

calibration results. MIT Lincoln Laboratory Project Report NOAA-5, 163pp.

Weinreb, M.P., R. Xie, J.H. Lienesch, and D.S. Crosby, 1989: Destriping GOES images by matching

empirical distribution functions. Remote Sens. Environ.,29, 185-195.

 

* Corresponding author address:

 Michael P. Weinreb,

 Satellite Research Laboratory, NOAA/NESDIS, 

 Washington, D.C. 20233.