User Access to JPSS Data and Imagery Online
The Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) constellation currently consists of three satellites that provide environmental monitoring around the globe and datasets to users. The three satellites are the Suomi-National Polar-orbiting Partnership (S-NPP), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration – 20 (NOAA-20) and NOAA-21 (i.e., formerly known as JPSS-2). There are two more satellites that are a part of the JPSS constellation, JPSS-3 and JPSS-4, and are planned to launch within the next decade.
With respect to S-NPP, NOAA-20 and NOAA-21, where can users access the data? Users can access the data and imagery online via a variety of online resources. Note, National Weather Service (NWS) users can also access the data in the Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System – II (AWIPS-II), a forecasting and analysis software package. For simplicity, this blog entry focuses on how users can access JPSS data online.
Here at the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA), we developed a ‘JPSS Imagery for Users’ webpage (shown below). The webpage is a repository of near-real-time imagery and datasets and provides users information about the JPSS satellite program. It is important to note, the online data resources come from a variety of NOAA or NASA related organizations and cooperative institutes, including CIRA. The webpage is routinely updated with the latest JPSS near-real-time weblinks and information for users to access. Users can access the webpage by clicking on the image below or via this link.
The webpage is categorized in a few topic areas: Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) Imagery, Satellite Derived Soundings, Fire Applications, Hydrology Applications, Direct Broadcast (DB) data, and Oceans/Lakes. Users can scroll down toward the bottom of the webpage and encounter a list of JPSS-related acronyms that help users become familiar with the satellite jargon. Additionally, users can access the satellite orbit tracks from SNPP, NOAA-20 and NOAA-21. The orbit tracks assist users in knowing when to expect the data over a specified domain.
Below is an example of JPSS imagery that is accessible online via CIRA Polar SLIDER: sea ice observations over the Chukchi Sea, northwest of Alaska. An animation of the sea ice motion can be seen here.
