HS3 Satellite Cloud Top Height Images for Hurricane Analysis

NASA's HS3 field campaign dataset provides cloud top height images derived from GOES-15 and METEOSAT-10 satellite infrared observations. The collection covers a 50-day period from August 14 to October 3, 2014, with images captured at 15-minute intervals to study storm dynamics. This data specifically targets the roles of the Saharan Air Layer and inner-core convection in tropical cyclone formation and intensification.

Use Cases

• Analyzing the vertical structure of hurricane clouds using derived cloud top height data.
• Investigating the influence of the Saharan Air Layer on storm development across sequential images.
• Studying the evolution of deep convection within a storm's inner core over time.
• Validating and improving cloud height retrieval algorithms like the AWG Cloud Height Algorithm (ACHA).
• Correlating cloud top properties with large-scale environmental conditions during the 2014 hurricane season.

Strengths

• Data originates from a dedicated NASA field campaign (HS3) with specific scientific goals for hurricane research.
• Provides high temporal resolution imagery captured at 15-minute intervals over a 50-day observation window.
• Utilizes a defined algorithm (AWG Cloud Height Algorithm) for consistent cloud top height derivation from two geostationary satellites.

Limitations

• The dataset consists solely of processed PNG images; underlying numerical data or column descriptions are unavailable.
• A significant conflict exists: the 'last updated' date differs by over a decade between platforms (2014 vs. 2026), casting doubt on metadata maintenance.
• Spatial coverage is not explicitly defined, limiting precise geographic analysis.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), from the Hurricane and Severe Storm Sentinel (HS3) field campaign.

Collection Method

Cloud top heights derived from infrared observations of GOES-15 and METEOSAT-10 satellites using the Algorithm Working Group (AWG) Cloud Height Algorithm (ACHA).

Time Range

August 14, 2014 to October &, 2014

Freshness

2026-03-13 01:26:51.097260

Geography

Coverage area of the GOES-15 and METEOSAT 10 geostationary satellites, presumed to include Atlantic hurricane basins.