Background

NASA will enhance processing and storage capabilities within the Satellite Cloud and Radiation Property retrieval System (SatCORPS), develop algorithms to ingest observations from Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS), and create global composites of cloud properties from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), VIIRS, and 5 geostationary platforms (GEO; Meteosat-9/11, Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES)-16/18, and Himawari-9). Data will be produced over the globe at 3-km spatial and hourly temporal resolution.

Status

The GCC (global cloud composites) system that merges MODIS, VIIRS, and GEO data onto a 3-km global grid is complete. A Version 1 test dataset derived with legacy SatCORPS cloud and radiative flux formulas is available for Satellite Needs Working Group (SNWG) stakeholders. The Version 2 system (expected release in January 2024) will include new cloud algorithm updates and applied artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) tools that further improve accuracy and consistency at all times of day. A computed top-of-atmosphere (TOA) and surface radiative flux component is also in development so that GCC products can be ingested into a radiative transfer modeling system.​

Solution Characteristics

Societal Impact

The NASA SatCORPS Radiation and Clouds solution provides global high spatiotemporal resolution satellite observations that are needed to improve the representation of clouds and their effects in Earth System Models for energy and related sectoral infrastructure planning.​

Solution Resources

Need help using this solution? For more information, visit the following resources: 

• NASA Langley Research Center SatCORPS
• Available test datasets