XDS: VISST

These datastreams contain satellite based retrievals of cloud and radiation properties by Pat Minnis’ group at NASA/Langley using the VISST (Visible Infrared Solar-Infrared Split Window Technique) algorithm. The datastreams are both pixel-level (4-km) retrievals and gridded area averages on a 0.3 or 0.5-degree latitude-longitude grid.

These datastreams replace earlier satellite based retrievals that were based on the Layered Bispectral Threshold Method (LBTM).

The group at NASA/Langley produces additional products, which can be found via the NASA/Langley website

NASA-Langley cloud and radiation products are produced using the VISST (Visible Infrared Solar-infrared Split-Window Technique), SIST (Solar-infrared Infrared Split-Window Technique), and SINT (Solar-infrared Infrared Near-Infrared Technique). The technique uses satellite (e.g., GOES, MTSAT, AVHRR) channels to detect clouds and retrieve cloud microphysics. Parameters derived include cloud phase, optical depth, particle size, liquid/ice water path, height, temperature, and others.

Atmospheric profiles are obtained from models (e.g., RUC, GFS).

A description of the algorithm was presented at the 2002 ARM Science Team Meeting (see Citable References).

As of 2015-04-06:
SGP
VISST-derived gridded and pixel-level products from satellite GOES8: 1998-05/2003-03
VISST-derived gridded and pixel-level products from satellite GOES10: 2003-04/2006-06
VISST-derived gridded and pixel-level products from satellite GOES11: 2006-06/2011-11.
VISST-derived gridded and pixel-level products from satellite GOES13: 2011-12/2012-09-23 and 20130101-present
VISST-derived gridded and pixel-level products from satellite GOES15: 2012-09-24-20121231.

TWP
VISST-derived gridded and pixel-level products from satellite MTSAT covering Darwin, Manus and Nauru: 2006-01/02. 2007-10/12, 2008-01/04
VISST-derived gridded products from satellite MTSAT covering the entire TWP domain: 2007-10/12. 20080101-20080430
VISST-derived gridded and pixel-level products from satellite GOES9 covering Darwin, Manus and Nauru: 2003-05/2005-10
VISST-derived gridded products from satellite GOES9 covering the entire TWP domain: 2003-05 – 200501-10

NSA
M/PACE: 2004-09-27/2004-10-24, Please visit MPACE Field Campaign data archive
Planned extension to full year from 2004-03 to 2005-02 for BBHRP validation needs.

PYE
MASRAD: 2005-03-15/2005-09-16. VISST-derived gridded and pixel-level products from satellite GOES10

HFE
20080501-20081231 VISST pixel-level products at 8km resolution from satellite MTSAT1

ENA
20141001- present VISST pixel-level products at 3km resolution from satellite Meteosat-10

MAO
20150101- present VISST pixel-level products at 4km resolution from satellite GOES13

FKB
20070501/20071231. pixel-level products from satellite Meteosat-9

GAN
20111015/20111231. VISST-derived gridded and pixel-level products from satellite FY2

ASI
201606- present VISST pixel-level products at 3km resolution from satellite Meteosat-10

MCQ
201605- present VISST pixel-level products at 4km resolution from satellite Himawari-8

AWR WAIS
20151101-20160131 VISST pixel-level products at 4km resolution from satellite NOAA-19

AWR MCMurdo
20151101-20161231 VISST pixel-level products at 4km resolution from satellite NOAA-19

TMP
20140201-20140930 VISST pixel-level products at 4km resolution from satellite NOAA-19

NSA
20100101-present VISST pixel-level products at 4km resolution from satellite NOAA-19

The areas covered are:
SGP
32N-42N, 91W-105W

TWP
Darwin: 5S-17S, 125E-136E
Manus: 1.5S-2.5S, 147E-148E
Nauru: 0-1S, 166.5E-167.5E
Entire TWP Domain: 10N-20S,120E-180

NSA
64N-74N, 140W-165W

HFE
28N-42N, 113E-123E

ENA
37-42N, 26-30W

MAO
0.009-4.98S, 58.002-62.98W

FKB
48° 32′ 24.18″ N, 08° 23′ 48.72″ E

GAN
0° 41′ 25.3248″ S, 73° 9′ 0.2″ E

ASI
5° 0′ 0.1656” S-19° 59′ 59.928” S, 0° 1′ 4.9292” W- 14° 59′ 59.784” W

MCQ
52-57S, 156-161E

AWR WAIS
77-83S, 109-115W

AWR McMurdo
75-81S, 164-170E

None

NASA Langley Research Center Website
Satellite Imagery and Cloud Products

Vasile Tudor Garbulet

ARM Data Center

Institution
Langley Research Center at NASA

2006-12-01:
Initial release of new netCDF file generation procedure.

2011-10-04:
The two datastreams(sgpvisstgridg11v3minnisX1.c1 and sgpvisstpx04g11v3minnisX1.c1) from 200606-201105 have been reprocessed to reflect the changes of new narrowband-to-broadband TOA flux conversion.

2011-11-30:
The two new datastreams(sgpvisstgridg11v4minnisX1.c1 and sgpvisstpx04g11v4minnisX1.c1) covering 20110701-present became available. Here is a summary of changes from V3 to V4 sent from Mandy. “The changes in the algorithm from v3 to v4 involve a number of minor, constantly evolving issues such as visible calibration etc. The major improvements included in this upgrade are: 1) improved models accounting for the roughness of ice crystals, which should improve derived ice cloud properties 2) improved clear sky maps, especially over snow-covered surfaces 3) improved cloud mask, including improvements during twilight (SZA ~82-90 degrees). “

Gridded results from the *visstgrid*minnisX1.c1.* datastreams, mainly during 2006-2013, may have been impacted by a memory allocation error, causing erroneous values in a few percent of regions for the following variables:

• visible_reflectance
• ir_temperature
• nir_temperature
• broadband_shortwave_albedo
• broadband_longwave_flux

If these are variables being used, one should download the corresponding pixel-level data stream and average the data to match the region of interest, until such time as all files can be corrected and replaced. A message will be added to the files denoting the update when they become available. We apologize for the inconvenience.

See Satellite Imagery and Cloud Products

See Satellite Imagery and Cloud Products

AVHRR    Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer
GOES     Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite
LBTM     Layered Bispectral Threshold Method
MTSAT    Multi-functional Transport Satellite
SINT     Solar-infrared Infrared Near-Infrared Technique
SIST     Solar-infrared Infrared Split-Window Technique
VISST    Visible Infrared Solar-Infrared Split Window Technique

Minnis, P, S Sun-Mack, DF Young, PW Heck, DP Garber, Y Chen, DA Spangenberg, RF Arduini, QZ Trepte, WL Smith, Jr. JK Ayers, SC Gibson, WF Miller, V Chakrapani, Y Takano, K-N Liou, Y Xie, and P Yang. 2011. “CERES Edition-2 Cloud Property Retrievals Using TRMM VIRS and Terra and Aqua MODIS Data—Part I: Algorithms” IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing 49(11): 4374-4400, doi: 10.1109/tgrs.2011.2144601

Minnis, P, L Nguyen, R Palikonda, PW Heck, DA Spangenberg, DR Doelling, JK Ayers, Jr. WL Smith, MM Khaiyer, QZ Trepte, LA Avey, F-L Chang, CR Yost, TL Chee, and S Sun-Mack. 2008. ” Near-real time cloud retrievals from operational and research meteorological satellites” Proceedings Volume 7107, Remote Sensing of Clouds and the Atmosphere XIII doi: 10.1117/12.800344