Performance trends of Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES) instruments aboard terra, aqua, S-NPP and NOAA-20 missions

Susan Thomas; K. J. Priestley; M. Shankar; P. C. Hess; R. S. Wilson; N. P. Smith; N. M. Smith; D. R. Walikainen; Z. P. Szewczyk

doi:10.1117/12.2530828

9 September 2019 Performance trends of Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES) instruments aboard terra, aqua, S-NPP and NOAA-20 missions

Susan Thomas, K. J. Priestley, M. Shankar, P. C. Hess, R. S. Wilson, N. P. Smith, N. M. Smith, D. R. Walikainen, Z. P. Szewczyk

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 11127, Earth Observing Systems XXIV; 1112716 (2019) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2530828
Event: SPIE Optical Engineering + Applications, 2019, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES) instrument was designed to provide accurate measurements for the long-term monitoring of Earth’s radiation energy budget. Seven copies of the CERES instruments were built by Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems (NGAS) and has been flying aboard five spacecraft platforms. The CERES instrument with the three scanning sensors measure radiances in 0.3 to 5.0 micron region with Shortwave sensor, 0.3 to >100 microns with Total sensor, and either a 8 - 12 micron region Window sensor on the first six instruments or a 5 – 35 micron longwave sensor on the seventh Flight Model 6 (FM6) instrument. Currently there are six instruments actively collecting Longwave and Shortwave measurements. Four of the CERES instruments (Flight Models1 through 4) fly aboard Earth Observing System (EOS) Terra and Aqua platforms with two instruments aboard each spacecraft. Flight Models 5 and 6 are aboard the Suomi-NPP and NOAA-20 spacecrafts. The pre-launch accuracy goal for the CERES instrument measurements is to have the emitted longwave radiances within 0.5% and the shortwave radiances within 1.0%. The in-flight evaluation of the sensor performance are carried out using the internal calibration module (ICM) comprising of blackbody sources and tungsten lamp, and a solar diffuser plate known as the Mirror Attenuator Mosaic (MAM). The ICM and MAM calibration results are instrumental in understanding the ground to flight shift and in-flight drifts in CERES sensors’ gains. In addition, several validation studies utilising targets such as tropical ocean and deep convective clouds are performed as part of the Cal/Val protocol. Comparisons of sensor measurements from instruments on the same spacecraft as well as coincident measurements of CERES instruments on different spacecraft at overpass regions are also performed to support the intercomparison studies between the sensors of different instruments. The calibration and validation studies collectively provide good understanding of the instrument performance and any changes occuring at different spectral regions of the sensors. This paper discusses the various studies utilized to evaluate the sensor perform.

Conference Presentation

Citation Download Citation

Susan Thomas, K. J. Priestley, M. Shankar, P. C. Hess, R. S. Wilson, N. P. Smith, N. M. Smith, D. R. Walikainen, and Z. P. Szewczyk "Performance trends of Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES) instruments aboard terra, aqua, S-NPP and NOAA-20 missions", Proc. SPIE 11127, Earth Observing Systems XXIV, 1112716 (9 September 2019); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2530828

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available