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Javascript is not enabled to display NASA's Earthdata Network navigation bar. You may alternatively view thisApril 7th, 2017 |
EUMETSAT Meteosat-10 Shortwave Infrared (3.9 um) images, with ho Shayrat Air Base is located at the center of the cyan circle [click to play animation]EUMETSAT Meteosat-10 Shortwave Infrared (3.9 um) images (above) showed the thermal signature or “hot spot” (darker black pixels) of fires resulting from US missile strikes at Syria’s
on 07 April 2017. The warmest infrared brightness temperature was 300.22 K on the 0030 UTC image (the SEVIRI instrument was scanning the Shayrat region at 00:40 UTC), which was about 25 K warmer than the surrounding bac though the fires were much smaller than the nominal 3 km spatial resolution of the 3.9 um detector, the sub-pixel effect enables a signal of the fire radiative power to be registered.
A toggle between the 0015 and 0030 UTC images displayed using McIDAS-V ( courtesy of William Straka, SSEC) highlights the appearance of the thermal signature at Shayrat Air Base. Two persistent hot spots located northeast of Palmyra could have been due to refinery or mining activities.
EUMETSAT Meteosat-10 Shortwave Infrared (3.9 um) images at 0015 and 0030 UTC [click to enlarge]
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March 16th, 2017 |
GOES-16 Visible (0.64 um, left), Near-Infrared (1.61 um, center) and Shortwave Infrared (3.9 um, right) images [click to enlarge]** The GOES-16 data posted on this page are preliminary, non-operational data and are undergoing testing. **
Visible and thermal signatures of the SpaceX
rocket launch were seen with GOES-16 imagery on . The set of 3 images above consists of 5-minute CONUS sector scans at 05:54:33 UTC (about 5 minutes before launch), 05:59:33 UTC (around launch time) and 06:04:33 UTC (about 5 minutes after launch). The 05:59:33 UTC image was actually scanning the NASA Kennedy Space Center (station identifier KXMR)
area at 06:00:38 UTC, just after the 06:00 UTC launch time. A faint bright glow of the rocket booster was seen on the 0.5-km resolution Visible () the 1-km resolution Near-Infrared () rocket signature was much brighter, because this spectral band senses radiation from both visible and infrared portions of the electromagnetic radiation spectrum (which of the two was a stronger contributor to the bright signal is difficult to determine); the 2-km resolution Shortwave Infrared () image displayed a warm (dark black enhancement) “hot spot”, although it was not exceptionally warm (with a 306.8 K maximum brightness temperature).
A “warm signal” was also observed on the three GOES-16
Water Vapor bands: Lower-Level ), Mid-Level () and Upper-Level (), as shown below. While water vapor is certainly a by-product of rocket booster combustion, it is important to remember that the Water Vapor bands are first and foremost Infrared bands that sense the brightness temperature of a layer of moisture (which can vary in both altitude and depth, depending on the temperature/moisture profile of the atmosphere and/or the satellite viewing angle). In this case, the atmosphere was relatively dry over the region, with little moisture aloft to attenuate the rocket signature — shifting the roughly-corresponding GOES-13 Sounder (had the GOES-13 Sounder instrument been )
(available from ) to lower altitudes. However, moisture considerations aside, the rocket signature seen on the 05:59:33 UTC water vapor imagery was primarily a thermal anomaly.
GOES-16 Lower-Level Water Vapor (7.3 um, left), Mid-Level Water Vapor (6.9 um, middle) and Upper-Level Water Vapor (6.2 um, right) images [click to enlarge]McIDAS-V images of GOES-16 Near-Infrared ( and ) and Shortwave Infrared () data at 05:59:33 UTC ( courtesy of William Straka, SSEC) provided another view of the rocket launch signature.
GOES-16 Near-Infrared (1.61 um and 2.2 um) and Shortwave Infrared (3.9 um) images [click to enlarge]
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December 27th, 2016 |
Himawari-8 Water Vapor Imagery (6.2 um, 6.9 um, 7.3 um, bottom),
UTC on 27 December 2016 [click to enlarge]
Turbulence over the Pacific Ocean affected at least one flight on Tuesday 27 December 2016 near 24? N, 162? E, as indicated by a pilot report issued at 1745 UTC:
PGUA UUA /OV 24N 162E/TM 1745/FL340/TP B777/TB MOD-SEV/RM ZOA
In the animation above of the three Himawari-8 Water Vapor bands (sensing radiation emitted at 6.2 um, 6.9 um and 7.3 um), a characteristic banded gravity wave structure is evident which is associated with the pilot report of moderate to severe turbulence (Note: the
series of satellites will feature these same 3 ,
water vapor bands). In contrast to a turbulence event earlier this month, documented
on this blog, the wave features responsible for this turbulence were more distinct in 8-bit McIDAS-X imagery, and were also apparent in all three water vapor bands.
The Himawari-8 satellite data were used in the subsequent issuance of a SIGMET (Significant Meteorological Information) advisory:
WSPA06 PHFO 271824
KZAK SIGMET SIERRA 1 VALID 225 PHFO-
OAKLAND OCEANIC FIR MOD OCNL SEV TURB FCST BTN FL280 AND FL360.
WI N – N – N – N
– N. MOV E 25KT. BASED ON ACFT AND SAT.
The full 11-bit McIDAS-V imagery from the 6.2 um Water Vapor band on Himawari-8, below, shows multiple ephemeral signatures of potential turbulence. In contrast to , the gravity waves in this event perturbed clouds enough that they were also apparent in the Infrared Window band, as shown in
between the 10.4 um and 6.2 um images. Himawari-8
brightness temperatures exhibited by the gravity wave were in the -30? to -40?C range at , which roughly corresponded to altitudes of 30,000-34,000 feet according to data from the 12 UTC rawinsonde report from Minamitorishima RJAM ( | ) located about 890 km or 550 miles to the west of the wave feature. Additional Himawari-8 Water Vapor images created using AWIPS II are
for the 6.2 um imagery (from
is a toggle between 6.2 um and 7.3 um imagery at 1720 UTC.
Himawari-8 Water Vapor (6.2 um) Imagery,
UTC on 27 December 2016 [click to animate]The superior spatial resolution of Himawari-8 (2-km at the sub-satellite point) was vital in detecting the gravity wave features causing the turbulence. Water Vapor imagery from COMS-1, with a nominal resolution of 4 km, does not show the features associated with the turbulence report.
COMS-1 Water Vapor (6.75 um) Imagery,
UTC on 27 December 2016 [click to animate]Similarly, HimawariCast data that is broadcast at reduced resolution was insufficient to monitor this event. See the toggle below from 1740 UTC.
Himawari-8 Water Vapor (6.2 um) Imagery at 1740 UTC on 27 December 2016, at native resolution and as distributed via Himawaricast [click to enlarge]
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December 14th, 2016 |
Himawari-8 Water Vapor (6.2 um) images, with pilot reports of turbulence [click to play animation]Himawari-8 Water Vapor (6.2 um) images ( also available as
animations) revealed the presence of a subtle packet of upper-tropospheric gravity waves propagating southeastward near the International Date Line (180? longitude over the central Pacific Ocean), just to the west/southwest of
on 14 December 2016 — and there were a few pilot reports of moderate to severe turbulence (which were responsible for at least one injury) in the general vicinity of this gravity wave feature from 1530 to 1740 UTC, at altitudes of 35,000 to 38,000 feet:
PHNL UUA /OV W/TM 1530/FL380/TP B767/TB MOD-SEV/RM ZOA CWSU
PHNL UUA /OV W/TM 1732/FL350/TP A330/TB SEV/RM ZOA CWSU
PHNL UUA /OV W/TM 1740/FL360/TP B747/TB SEV/RM ZOA CWSU
A larger-scale view using all 3 water vapor bands of the
instrument on the Himawari-8/9 satellites ( also available as an
animation) showed that a broad trough was moving eastward away from the International Date Line, with the signature of a jet streak diving southward toward the region of the turbulence reports (Note: the
series of satellites will feature these same 3 ,
water vapor bands).
Himawari-8 Water Vapor (6.2 um, 6.9 um, 7.4 um, bottom) images [click to play animation]GFS model 250 hPa analyses ( |
| ) confirmed that the region of turbulence reports was located within the exit region an approaching 50-70 m/s or 97-136 knot upper tropospheric jet, where convergence (red contours) was maximized.
——————————————————————————–Similarly, Himawari-8 water vapor image , below, also indicated increasing upper-tropospheric convergence along the International Date Line (180? longitude) between 25? and 30? N latitude from 12 UTC to 18 UTC ( ).
Himawari-8 water vapor image Derived Motion Winds at 12 UTC, with corresponding contours of Upper-tropospheric divvergence [click to enlarge]Himawari-8 water vapor image Derived Motion Winds at 15 UTC, with corresponding contours of Upper-tropospheric divergence [click to enlarge]Himawari-8 water vapor image Derived Motion Winds at 18 UTC, with corresponding contours of Upper-tropospheric divergence [click to enlarge]A comparison of 2-km resolution Himawari-8 and 4-km resolution GOES-15 Water Vapor images ( also available as an
animation) showed that the gravity wave feature was not readily apparent on the lower spatial resolution GOES-15 images (which were only available every 30 minutes, in contrast to every 10 minutes from Himawari-8). The same color enhancement is applied to both sets of images — but because of differences between the Himawari-8 vs GOES-15 water vapor band characteristics (namely the central wavelength and the spectral response function, but also the water vapor weighting function profiles as influenced by the dissimilar satellite viewing angles) the resulting water vapor images differ in their general appearance.
Himawari-8 Water Vapor (6.2 um, left) and GOES-15 Water Vapor (6.5 um, right) images, with pilot reports of turbulence [click to play animation]This case demonstrated well the importance of viewing all 11 bits of information contained in the Himawari-8 Imagery. The
shows an 8- a similar 8-bit display that uses a different color enhancement is , courtesy of Dan Lindsey at CIRA. All 8-bit displays are limited to 256 different colors. The image below compares 8-bit (McIDAS-X on the left) and 11-bit (McIDAS-V on the right) displays at 1530 UTC.
Himawari-8 Water Vapor (6.2 um) image at 1530 UTC, as viewed using 8-bit McIDAS-X (left) and 11-bit McIDAS-V (right) displays [click to enlarge] that compares 11-bit and 8-bit displays. The feature causing the turbulence is quite subtle, and 11-bit displays (which allow 2048 different colors) are necessary to accurately show it.
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Satellite imagery sourcesData Ordering Tools & Resources
Listed below are a variety of tools and resources that can be utilized with MODIS Data.
Each listing provides a link to the tool or resource and a short summary of its use.
Built on top of middleware services, the AppEEARS interface enables users to input precise sample locations - such as a
field study site or a flux tower - and access analysis-ready data from
land MODIS products held by NASA's LP DAAC. AppEEARS provides interactive time series and scatter plots, allowing users to
preview and interact with their query results before downloading them.
Users are also able to view quality information and pixel values in
table format in addition to the interactive plots.
Earth Data
Earth Data is a website containing a vast amount of information on use and access of all NASA Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) data products.
All MODIS data products can be accessed from the website.
The Earth Data website provides many user resources, including tutorials, webinars, as well as data search, discovery and processing information.
Discipline specific information (e.g. Atmosphere, Cryosphere, Land, Ocean, Human Dimensions) is also featured on the website.
Earthdata Search
This application allows you to search, discover, visualize, refine, and access NASA Earth Observation data. The site provides hundreds of MODIS data collections across mutliple disciplines.
EarthExplorer (EE)
EarthExplorer is an U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) data search and order website that provides access to multi-sensor satellite and airborne data sets in the long term earth science USGS data archive. The MODIS Land data products available from this websites include Land Surface Reflectance (M*D09), Land Surface Temperature and Emissivity (M*D11), Land Cover (MCD12), Vegetation Indices (M*D13, MOD44A,B), LAI/FPAR (M*D15), Water Mask (MOD44W), Thermal Anomalies and Fire (M*D14, MCD45), Gross Primary Productivity (M*D17) and BRDF and Albedo (MCD43).
EOS Clearing House (ECHO) / Reverb
The Reverb | ECHO website is a metadata and data service search tool. The Reverb | ECHO website contains a data catalog of NASA Earth Observing System data and a registry for related data services (e.g. reformatting, pattern recognition). There are 200 MODIS related data sets available through Reverb. These MODIS data sets include standard products as well as in situ and satellite comparison data sets (e.g. SAFARI 2000 campaign, with ASTER and MODIS fire data).
Giovanni and Giovanni 4 are Web applications developed by the GES DISC&to provide a simple, intuitive way to visualize, analyze, and access Earth science remote sensing data, including large data volumes, particularly from satellites, without having to download the data. The MODIS Atmosphere data products are available to analyze with this tool.
Giovanni 4 is the next generation of Giovanni, designed to be faster, more interactive and easier to learn than its predecessor.
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD)
NASA's Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) provides a directory listing of Earth science data sets and service descriptions, including all MODIS data products. The GCMD is one of the largest public earth and environmental science metadata inventories currently known.
HDF-EOS to GeoTIFF converter (HEG)
The HDF-EOS to GeoTIFF converter (HEG) tool converts MODIS hdf formatted data files into GeoTIFF, native binary or HDF-EOS Grid. The HEG tool also has reprojection, resampling, subsetting, mosaicing and metadata creation capabilities.
HDFExplorer & HDFLook
The above two tools are data visualization programs that read HDF files and allows the user to visualize these files. Both tools are applicable to all MODIS data products in HDF format. Of note, HDFLook is receiving limited update support at this time.
HDF Technologies
The HDF Group provides HDF Technologies products that can be used for data management of HDF4 and HDF5 formatted data. The HDFView java tool can be used for browsing and editing MODIS HDF4 and HDF5 files.
LP DAAC2Disk Download Manager
The LP DAAC2Disk Download Manager allows users to simplify the search and http download process using the LP DAAC's data pool holdings.
Users have the option of using a web-based interface or script to retrieve their data.
The web-based interface is available from the .
The LP DAAC2Disk utility is also available as a script that can be downloaded and executed from the command line (available in Windows, Linux/Unix and Machintosh platforms).
The script and user guide scripting options are available from the .
For more information, please see the.
McIDAS is a free satellite data image viewing tool that can be used on the user's computer or on remote public satellite data. All HDF formatted MODIS data can be used with this tool. Basic quantitative analysis can be completed.
MODIS Atmosphere Global Browse Images
MODIS Level 1 and Atmosphere Products data are available as quick browse images for visual and qualitative inspection within the MODIS atmosphere group website. MODIS Level 1 data is available to browse at the swath and global resolutions, MODIS Atmosphere Products are available to browse at global resolution.
MODIS Interactive Subsetting Tool (MIST)
The MODIS Interactive Subsetting Tool (MIST) provides subsets of certain MODIS products including MOD09, MOD10, MOD11, MCD43 over Greenland and International Arctic Systems for Observing the Atmosphere (IASOA) stations. Data are provided in comma separated value (CSV) format.
MODIS Land Global Browse Images
MODIS Level 1 and select Land data products are available as quick browse images at global resolution. These images allow for a rapid synoptic quality assessment of data. Collections 4, 5, and 6 are included for browsing as available per product.
MODIS Land QA tutorials
The MODIS Land QA tutorials are designed to provide an introduction to the basics of how QA metadata are packaged and implemented, and how users interact with them to parse and interpret the information. The tutorials include four lessons: 1) How to find, understand and use the quality assurance information for MODIS 2) How to interpret and use MODIS QA information in the Vegetation I 3) How to interpret and use MODIS QA information in the Land Surface Refle and 4) How to interpret and use MODIS QA information in the BRDF and Albedo product suite.
MODIS Level 1 Atmosphere Archive and Distribution System (LAADS Web)
LAADS Web is the web interface to the Level 1, Atmosphere Archive and Distribution System. LAADS Web provides quick and easy access to all MODIS Level 1, 2 and 3 Atmosphere and Land data products with a number of post processing options. Post processing options include subset by parameter, area or band, mosaiced, reprojected or masked. The website also provides quick look true color RGB and false color images of selected data sets.
MODIS LDOPE QA Tools
The MODIS LDOPE QA Tools are a subset of software tools designed and developed by LDOPE (Land Data Operational Product Evaluation) that can be used to manipulate, visualize, and analyze MODIS data. The QA tools are part of the operational quality assurance process performed at NASA GSFC, and these tools are made available to the user community to help parse and interpret the MODIS data products. The MODIS LDOPE QA Tools are written in C; they are executed either from the command-line or invoked via scripts.
MODIS Swath-to-Grid Toolbox (MS2GT)
The MODIS Swath-to-Grid Toolbox (MS2GT) reads MODIS swath HDF-EOS data files and produces gridded data binary files. MS2GT can output data in a variety of map projections. MS2GT can also produce a seamless output grid from multiple MODIS swath input files.
MODIS Swath Reprojection Tool (MRT Swath) and MODIS Reprojection Tool (MRT)
The MODIS Swath Reprojection Tool reads MODIS swath HDF-EOS files and produces binary HDF-EOS Grid or GeoTiff files of gridded data in different map projections. The MODIS Reprojection Tool reprojects MODIS Level-2G, Level 3 and Level 4 land data products to a user specified output map projection type and output resolution. The MODIS Reprojection Tool is developed and maintained by the LP-DAAC and is available for free to all registered users.
MODIS Web Service
The MODIS&Web Service is a tool that&provides users with a means to order subsets of MODIS Land Products through standards based&SOAP&(Simple Object Access Protocol) established open source formats. Examples of currently supported open source formats: (1) OPeNDAP DAP, (2) OpenSearch and (3) Web Map Tile Service. The Open-source Project for a Network Data Access Protocol (OPeNDAP) Data Access Protocol (DAP) is a method for requesting and moving data on the web. Several of the DAACs including Physical Oceanography DAAC, GES DISC and LaRC offer the capability to use OPeNDAP to retrieve MODIS data products. OpenSearch is a protocol or format structure used to communicate search requests and search results. OpenSearch is used at LANCE-MODIS and LAADS Web. Web Map Tile Service (WMTS) is a protocol or format to host georferenced map tiles. WMTS is used with NASA EOSDIS Global Imagery Browse Services (GIBS) for serving MODIS data.
ORNL DAAC MODIS Land Products Subsetting and Visualization Tools
The ORNL DAAC MODIS Land Products Subsetting and Visualization Tools allow users to request subsets of specific MODIS Land Products synoptically or programmatically. The subsetter tool outputs data in ascii format, and provides the option to visualize data in temporal resolution with graphs and statistic outputs.
This tool from NASA's EOSDIS allows interactive browsing of global satellite imagery from MODIS and within hours of data being acquired. WorldView users can display layers of data, including satellite orbit tracks which can be overlaid on data.