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SHyMet: Satellite Foundational Course for GOES-R/16 (SatFC-G)

GOES-R launched on 19 November 2016 and is now in geostationary orbit and has been designated GOES-16. The National Weather Service (NWS) Satellite Foundation Course for GOES-R/16 (SatFC-G) is now available and contains 37 short training modules to bring forecasters, the scientific community, and others up-to-date on the capabilities of the GOES-R/GOES-16 satellite. The SatFC-G course was designed by the National Weather Service satellite training advisory team (STAT) which consists of science operations officers from five regions, satellite liaisons, and representatives from the NWS Office of the Chief Learning Officer (OCLO). Training developers included the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA), the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS), COMET, the Short-term Prediction Research and Transition Center (SPoRT), the Cooperative Institute for Mesoscale Meteorological Studies (CIMMS),and OCLO.

The GOES-R/16 satellite introduces a variety of new and improved capabilities compared to previous GOES satellites. The objective of this course is to address training needs associated with this next generation satellite. Specifically, topics will include an introduction to GOES-R/16 highlighting improved spatial and temporal resolution and additional new channels that will be available followed by products and imagery that address a broad range of applications. The intended audience is forecasters but anyone is welcome to participate.

If you are a NOAA employee, register for this course via the NOAA/NWS Commerce Learn Center.

Non-NOAA employees may take the SHyMet version of the course, your first step is to register for the course by sending an email containing your name to:  nws.oaa.clo.shymet AT noaa.gov

Be sure to indicate you are registering for the SatFC-G course.

After you’ve registered via email, we will reply to you with setup instructions on how to complete the course. The expected completion time of taking the entire course (which includes all the modules, quiz completion and orientation) is 15 to 20 hours. After taking all of the lessons you will need to pass a quiz for each course section.

SatFC-G course orientation (estimated completion time = 40 minutes).

Training Modules


Title Topic Instructor Developed Updated Length (min) WMO Sat Skill(s)
Basic Principles of Radiation

COMET

2016

2018

45 Min

Basic Operations of ABI on GOES-R Sat FC-G

Scott Lindstrom, Tim Schmit, Mat Gunshor

2016

2018

15 Min

GOES-R ABI Visible and Near-IR Bands

COMET

2016

2018

15 Min

GOES-R ABI Near-IR Bands

COMET

2016

2018

30 Min

GOES-R ABI IR Bands, Excluding Water Vapor

COMET

2016

2018

45 Min

GOES-R Multi-channel interpretation approaches Sat FC-G

Scott Lindstrom

2016

2018

30 Min

GOES-R Aerosols in AWIPS Sat FC-G

Scott Lindstrom, Shobha Kondragunta, Amy Huff

2016

2018

10 Min

GOES-R Cloud and microphysical products, fog and low stratus Sat FC-G

Scott Lindstrom, Andy Heidinger, Michael Pavolonis, Patrick Minnis, Andi Walther

2016

2018

15 Min

GOES-R Fire characterization, land surface temperature and snow Sat FC-G

Scott Lindstrom

2016

2018

10 Min

GOES-R Baseline Product: Rainfall rate Sat FC-G

Dan Bikos, Bob Kuligowski

2016

10 Min

GOES-R Derived Motion Winds Sat FC-G

Scot Lindstrom, Scott Bachmeier

2016

2018

10 Min

GOES-R Volcanic Ash Product Sat FC-G

Scott Lindstrom, Michael Pavolonis, Justin Sieglaff

2016

2018

10 Min

Introduction to the GLM

COMET

2016

2019

45 Min

Visualizing the Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) in AWIPS GLM

Geoffrey Stano

2016

10 Min

GOES-R Introduction to Mesoscale and Synoptic Sections Sat FC-G

Dan Bikos

2016

2018

10 Min

GOES-R Pre-convective cloud features Sat FC-G

Dan Bikos

2016

10 Min

GOES-R Boundary-forced convection Sat FC-G

Dan Bikos

2016

2018

10 Min

GOES-R Mountain waves and orographic enhancement Sat FC-G

Dan Bikos

2016

2018

10 Min

GOES-R Fog / Low clouds: Formation and dissipation Mesoscale

Scott Lindstrom

2016

2018

10 Min

GOES-R Marine and polar mesolows Sat FC-G

Dan Bikos

2016

2018

10 Min

GOES-R Cumulus growth Sat FC-G

Dan Bikos

2016

2018

10 Min

GOES-R Discrete Storms Sat FC-G

Dan Bikos

2016

2018

20 Min

GOES-R Mesoscale Convective Systems Sat FC-G

Dan Bikos

2016

2018

10 Min

GOES-R Cyclogenesis Potential Vorticity Concepts Sat FC-G

Scott Lindstorm, Scott Bachmeier

2016

2018

10 Min

GOES-R Cyclogenesis life cycle Sat FC-G

Dan Bikos, Ed Szoke

2016

2018

20 Min

GOES-R TROWAL Formation Sat FC-G

Scott Lindstorm

2016

2018

10 Min

GOES-R Low-level jet features Sat FC-G

Dan Bikos

2016

2018

10 Min

GOES-R General Circulation Patterns Sat FC-G

Ed Szoke, Dan Bikos

2016

2018

10 Min

GOES-R Atmospheric Rivers Sat FC-G

Ed Szoke, Dan Bikos

2016

2018

10 Min

GOES-R Tropical to Extratropical Transition

COMET

2016

2018

15 Min

GOES-R Impacts on Satellite Data Assimilation

COMET

2016

2018

15 Min

Impact of Satellite Observations on NWP

COMET

2017

30 Min

Comparing NWP Synthetic / Simulated Satellite Imagery to Observed Satellite Imagery Sat FC-G

Dan Bikos, Dan Lindsey, Lewis Grasso

2016

2018

10 Min

GOES-R ABI Water Vapor Bands Sat FC-G

Dan Bikos, Ed Szoke

2016

2018

25 Min

GOES-R Pre-convective environment Sat FC-G

Dan Bikos, Chris Gitro, Erin Dagg

2016

2018

15 Min

An Orientation to the GOES-R Foundational Course Sat FC-G

James LaDue, Anthony Mostek, Bill Ward

2016

20 Min

GOES-R Legacy Atmospheric Profiles Sat FC-G

Scott Lindstrom, Jun Li, Zhenglong Li, Yong-Keun Lee

2016

2018

10 Min

SHyMet: SatFC-G – Objectives

The GOES-R satellite will introduce a variety of new and improved capabilities compared to previous GOES satellites. The objective of this course is to address training needs associated with the new GOES-R satellite. Specifically, topics will include an introduction to GOES-R highlighting improved spatial and temporal resolution and additional new channels that will be available followed by products and imagery that address a broad range of applications. The intended audience is forecasters but anyone is welcome to participate. Since the training content is entirely web-based, the student may take the training whenever they wish.

SHyMet: SatFC-G – Frequently Asked Questions

I am a NOAA employee, should I take the course through SHyMet or via the NOAA CLC?

NOAA employees should take the SatFC-G course via the NOAA Commerce Learn Center (CLC) so that they receive training credit on the CLC. In addition, there are WES simulations available for SatFC-G offered on the NOAA CLC.

Do I need to take each lesson in a particular order?

Yes. The modules in the Introduction section should be completed first, in order given on the table. The GOES-R Introduction to Mesoscale and Synoptic Sections module should be taken before any of the modules in the mesoscale, convection or synoptic sections since it introduces those sections. Ignore any reference to WES simulations as that only applies to NOAA employees who take the course via the NOAA CLC

Can I take an individual lesson or section of lessons rather than all of the lessons in the SHyMet: SatFC-G course?

Yes. However, you will not receive credit for completion of the SHyMet: SatFC-G course. We can provide a quiz for a section of modules (for example, convection section), and this would allow you to get credit for that section. However, completion of the introduction section would be required before receiving credit for an additional section. We are unable to provide training credit for an individual module / lesson.

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