JPSS-1 ATMS Microwave Brightness Temperature Measurements

JPSS-1 ATMS Level 1B data contains calibrated brightness temperature measurements from a 22-channel microwave radiometer aboard the NOAA-20 satellite. The dataset is structured as a 3D array with 135 along-track rows, 96 cross-track columns, and a dimension for each channel, with data products constructed on six-minute boundaries. It is provided by the NASA GES DISC.

Use Cases

• Retrieve atmospheric temperature profiles using brightness temperatures from the 50-58 GHz oxygen absorption band channels.
• Estimate water vapor and precipitation rates by analyzing measurements from the 183 GHz and 89 GHz channels.
• Perform sensor cross-calibration by comparing the 22 ATMS channel measurements with other satellite radiometers.
• Study cloud properties and surface emissivity by analyzing the spatial patterns across the 96 cross-track scan positions.
• Assimilate the 3D brightness temperature array into numerical weather prediction models to improve forecast accuracy.

Strengths

• Provides data from 22 distinct microwave channels across six frequency bands from 23 GHz to 183 GHz.
• Offers high spatial resolution with a cross-track scan interval of 0.018 seconds and a scan period synchronized to the CrIS instrument.
• Data is structured in a consistent 3D array format (135 x 96 x 22) for systematic analysis.

Limitations

• Instantaneous ground resolution varies from 16 km to 75 km depending on the channel, limiting fine-scale analysis for some frequencies.
• Sample size and temporal coverage are unspecified, making assessment of statistical robustness difficult.

Provenance

Source

NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC).

Collection Method

Measurements collected by the Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS) instrument aboard the Joint Polar Satellite System-1 (JPSS-1/NOAA-20) satellite using cross-track scanning.

Time Range

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Freshness

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Geography

Global coverage from a polar-orbiting satellite at approximately 830 km altitude.