Instrument : Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES)

Instrument Categories
Satellite Observations

General Overview

Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) circle the Earth in a geosynchronous orbit over the equator. This means they observe the Earth from the exact same vantage point all the time. This allows the GOES satellites to continuously monitor a single position on the earth's surface from 35,800 kilometers (22,300 miles) above the earth. Currently, GOES satellites provide half-hourly observations of the Americas and their surrounding environment.

Output Value-Added Products

This instrument is an input to the following value-added products, which provide improved measurements or derived quantities.

  • goes12minnis : GOES-12: 0.5 degree cloud products
  • goes12uth : GOES-12: upper tropospheric humidity
  • goes12uthgrid : GOES-12: upper tropospheric humidity (0.5 degree grid)
  • goes8uth : GOES-8: upper tropospheric humidity
  • goes8uthgrid : GOES-8: upper tropospheric humidity (0.5 degree grid)
  • goes9uth : Upper Tropospheric Relative Humidity (GOES-9)
  • goes9uthgrid : (GOES-9) Upper Tropospheric Relative Humidity Gridded

Output Datastreams

Primary Measurements

The following measurements are those considered scientifically relevant.

Locations

  • Southern Great Plains (SGP)
    • Central Facility, Lamont, OK (C1)
    • Hillsboro, KS (Boundary) (B1)
    • Morris, OK (Boundary) (B5)
    • Purcell, OK (B6)
    • Vici, OK (Boundary) (B4)