Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR)
Information updated on September 25, 2008, 8:39 pm GMT
General Data Description
Measurements from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) on the NOAA polar orbiting satellites taken over the NSA, SHB, SGP and TWP sites are available for distribution to the ARM community.
Data Stream Names
- avhrr10 - AVHRR: albedo and brightness temp., NOAA-10 Satellite
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrr10ch2 - AVHRR: channel 2, NOAA-10 Satellite
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrr10ch4 - AVHRR: channel 4, NOAA-10 Satellite
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrr10rad - AVHRR: radiance, NOAA-10 Satellite
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrr11 - AVHRR: albedo and brightness temp., NOAA-11 Satellite
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrr11ch2 - AVHRR: channel 2, NOAA-11 Satellite
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrr11ch4 - AVHRR: channel 4, NOAA-11 Satellite
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrr11rad - AVHRR: radiance, NOAA-11 Satellite
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrr12 - AVHRR: albedo and brightness temp., NOAA-12 Satellite
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrr12ch2 - AVHRR: channel 2, NOAA-12 Satellite
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrr12ch4 - AVHRR: channel 4, NOAA-12 Satellite
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrr12lacman - AVHRR (NOAA 12), 1-km res., local area coverage of Manus from Kwajalein, provided by Aeromet
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrr12lacnau - AVHRR (NOAA 12),1-km res., local area coverage of Nauru from Kwajalein, provided by Aeromet
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrr12rad - AVHRR: radiance, NOAA-12 Satellite
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrr14 - AVHRR: albedo and brightness temp., NOAA-14 Satellite
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrr14ch2 - AVHRR: channel 2, NOAA-14 Satellite
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrr14ch4 - AVHRR: channel 4, NOAA-14 Satellite
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrr14gacman - Global Area Coverage 4-km resolution files for Manus from Univ. of Miami, NOAA-14
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrr14gacnau - Global Area Coverage 4-km resolution files for Nauru from Univ. of Miami, NOAA-14
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrr14lacman - AVHRR (NOAA 14), 1-km res., local area coverage of Manus from Kwajalein, provided by Aeromet
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrr14lacnau - AVHRR (NOAA 14), 1-km res., local area coverage of Nauru from Kwajalein, provided by Aeromet
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrr14rad - AVHRR: radiance, NOAA-14 Satellite
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrr15 - AVHRR: albedo and brightness temp., NOAA-15 Satellite
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrr15ch2 - AVHRR: channel 2, NOAA-15 Satellite
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrr15ch4 - AVHRR: channel 4, NOAA-15 Satellite
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrr15gacman - Global Area Coverage 4-km resolution files for Manus from Univ. of Miami, NOAA-15
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrr15gacnau - Global Area Coverage 4-km resolution files for Nauru from Univ. of Miami, NOAA-15
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrr15rad - AVHRR: radiance, NOAA-15 Satellite
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrr16 - AVHRR: albedo and brightness temp., NOAA-16 Satellite
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrr16ch2 - AVHRR: channel 2, NOAA-16 Satellite
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrr16ch4 - AVHRR: channel 4, NOAA-16 Satellite
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrr16gacman - Global Area Coverage 4-km resolution files for Manus from Univ. of Miami, NOAA-16
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrr16gacnau - Global Area Coverage 4-km resolution files for Nauru from Univ. of Miami, NOAA-16
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrr16lacman - AVHRR (NOAA 16), 1-km res., local area coverage of Manus from Kwajalein, provided by Aeromet
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrr16lacnau - AVHRR (NOAA 16), 1-km res., local area coverage of Nauru from Kwajalein, provided by Aeromet
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrr16rad - AVHRR (NOAA 16) radiance data
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrr17 - AVHRR: albedo and brightness temp., NOAA-17 Satellite
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrr17ch2 - AVHRR: channel 2, NOAA-17 Satellite
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrr17ch4 - AVHRR: channel 4, NOAA-17 Satellite
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrr17lacman - AVHRR (NOAA 17), 1-km res., local area coverage of Manus from Kwajalein, provided by Aeromet
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrr17lacnau - AVHRR (NOAA 17), 1-km res., local area coverage of Nauru from Kwajalein, provided by Aeromet
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrr17rad - AVHRR (NOAA 17) radiance data
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrr18 - AVHRR: albedo and brightness temp., NOAA-18 Satellite
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrr18rad - AVHRR (NOAA 18) radiance data
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrr9 - AVHRR: albedo and brightness temp., NOAA-9 Satellite
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrr9rad - AVHRR: radiance, NOAA-9 Satellite
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrrdar - AVHRR images for Darwin from BOM
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrrhovmuller - AVHRR: Hovmuller diagrams for Manus and Nauru
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrrkwaj12 - AVHRR: Kwajulein region, NOAA-12 Sattelite
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrrkwaj14 - AVHRR: Kwajulein region, NOAA-14 Sattelite
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrrkwaj16 - AVHRR: Kwajulein region, NOAA-16 Sattelite
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrrkwaj17 - AVHRR: Kwajulein region, NOAA-17 Sattelite
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - avhrrkwaj18 - AVHRR: Kwajulein region, NOAA-18 Sattelite
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - fullavhrr10ch2 - AVHRR: NOAA-10 Satellite, full channel 2
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - fullavhrr10ch4 - AVHRR: NOAA-10 Satellite, full channel 4
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - fullavhrr11ch2 - AVHRR: NOAA-11 Satellite, full channel 2
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - fullavhrr11ch4 - AVHRR: NOAA-11 Satellite, full channel 4
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - fullavhrr12ch2 - AVHRR: NOAA-12 Satellite, full channel 2
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - fullavhrr12ch4 - AVHRR: NOAA-12 Satellite, full channel 4
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - fullavhrr14ch2 - AVHRR: NOAA-14 Satellite, full channel 2
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - fullavhrr14ch4 - AVHRR: NOAA-14 Satellite, full channel 4
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - fullavhrr15ch2 - AVHRR: NOAA-15 Satellite, full channel 2
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - fullavhrr15ch4 - AVHRR: NOAA-15 Satellite, full channel 4
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - fullavhrr16ch2 - AVHRR: NOAA-16 Satellite, full channel 2
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - fullavhrr16ch4 - AVHRR: NOAA-16 Satellite, full channel 4
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - fullavhrr17ch2 - AVHRR: NOAA-17 Satellite, full channel 2
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File) - fullavhrr17ch4 - AVHRR: NOAA-17 Satellite, full channel 4
netCDF File Header Description (Data Object Design File)
Measurement Description
shbavhrrnnX1.a1.yyyymmdd.hhmmss.hdf
sgpavhrrnnX1.a1.yyyymmdd.hhmmss.hdf
twpavhrrnnlacsssX1.a1.yyyymmdd.hhmmss.hdf
twpavhrrnngacsssX1.a1.yyyymmdd.hhmmss.hdf
where nn <= 15
Variable | Name | Type | Units |
---|---|---|---|
Ch 1 `albedo' | avhrr_ch1 | short | albedo*100% |
Ch 2 `albedo' | avhrr_ch2 | short | albedo*100% |
Ch 3 brightness temperature | avhrr_ch3 | short | temp_deg_C |
Ch 4 brightness temperature | avhrr_ch4 | short | temp_deg_C |
Ch 5 brightness temperature | avhrr_ch5 | short | temp_deg_C |
satellite-solar azimuth angle | rel_azimuth | float | degrees |
satellite zenith angle | sat_zenith | float | degrees |
solar zenith angle | sun_zenith | float | degrees |
nsaavhrrnnradX1.a1.yyyymmdd.hhmmss.hdf
shbavhrrnnradX1.a1.yyyymmdd.hhmmss.hdf
sgpavhrrnnradX1.a1.yyyymmdd.hhmmss.hdf
Variable | Name | Type | Units |
---|---|---|---|
Ch 3 calibrated radiances (Channel 3b beginning with NOAA 16*) | avhrr_ch3 | short | mW_m-2_st-1 |
Ch 4 calibrated radiances | avhrr_ch4 | short | mW_m-2_st-1 |
Ch 5 calibrated radiances | avhrr_ch5 | short | mW_m-2_st-1 |
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The infrared channels are given as brightness temperatures, which are stored as signed two byte integers in increments of 0.01oC. These are derived using the in-flight calibration data derived from measurements of cold space and the on-board black-body calibration target.
Angles are calculated from the orbit geometry and are stored as floating-point numbers.
Beginning with NOAA 16, channel 3 becomes channel 3b (the thermal (longwave) channel; and channel 3a is added in daylight hours. However, on NOAA 16, channel 3a failed in April 2003 and beginning on May 1, 2003 channel 3b appears at all time. See Unidata referenceThe wavelengths of the channels can be found at NOAA 16 AVHRR Subsystem Summary
Temporal Coverage
Satellite | Start Date | End Date |
---|---|---|
avhrr10 | 1997-11-09 | 1999-10-09 |
avhrr12 | 1997-10-01 | 2007-03-31 |
avhrr14 | 1997-10-01 | 2007-03-31 |
avhrr15 | 1998-11-10 | 2007-03-31 |
avhrr16 | 2003-03-08 | 2007-03-31 |
avhrr17 | 2003-03-09 | 2007-03-31 |
avhrr18 | 2005-09-25 | 2007-03-31 |
Southern Great Plains (SGP )
Satellite | Start Date | End Date |
---|---|---|
avhrr9 | 1994-09-15 | 1995-08-02 |
avhrr10 | 1994-09-15 | 1994-12-30 |
avhrr11 | 1994-07-21 | 1994-09-11 |
avhrr12 | 1994-07-22 | 2007-09-22 |
avhrr14 | 1995-01-18 | 2002-08-05 |
avhrr15 | 2000-07-05 | 2007-09-22 |
avhrr16 | 2000-12-09 | 2005-10-19 |
avhrr17 | 2002-06-27 | 2007-09-22 |
avhrr18 | 2005-10-14 | 2007-09-22 |
Tropical Western Pacific (TWP)
Satellite | Start Date | End Date |
---|---|---|
avhrrkwaj12 | 2000-07-12 | 2002-09-10 |
avhrrkwaj14 | 2000-07-12 | 2007-03-31 |
avhrrkwaj16 | 2001-03-02 | 2005-08-29 |
avhrrkwaj17 | 2002-09-15 | 2007-03-31 |
avhrrkwaj18 | 2005-10-15 | 2007-03-31 |
avhrr14gacman | 1996-11-22 | 2001-10-31 |
avhrr14gacnau | 1996-11-22 | 2001-10-31 |
avhrr15gacman | 2002-01-01 | 2002-10-01 |
avhrr15gacnau | 2002-01-01 | 2002-10-01 |
avhrr16gacman | 2001-10-27 | 2002-10-01 |
avhrr16gacnau | 2001-10-27 | 2002-10-01 |
SHEBA Surface HEat Budget of the Arctic (SHB)
Satellite | Start Date | End Date |
---|---|---|
avhrr10 | 1997-11-09 | 1998-10-24 |
avhrr11 | 1998-03-14 | 1998-10-13 |
avhrr12 | 1997-10-01 | 1998-10-31 |
avhrr14 | 1997-10-01 | 1998-10-31 |
SGP AVHRR data are available at the ARM Archive within a day or two after collection. Data files that are missed are filled in from tapes sent by SeaSpace with an approximate delay of a month.
NSA AVHRR data are available at the ARM Archive approximately six months after date of collection.
The 1 km and 4-km resolution files provided by the University of Miami for Manus and Nauru are available with about a 1 year delay.
The TWP 1-km resolution files provided by Aeromet, received at their station in Kwajalein covering TWP Nauru are available with a one month delay.
The TWP files provided by the Australian BOM covering Darwin are available approximately three months after they are collected. These files are only available in there native ASDA format.
Area Covered
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20121007222141im_/http://www.xdc.arm.gov/docs/data_info/images/nsa_latlon_ovrl.gif)
Figure 1. Area covered by the remapped NSA images
The images consist of 512x512 1km2 pixels, and the geographic location of these is available in a separate file.
The image data are remapped into a polar stereographic projection centered at latitude 77o N, longitude 155o W, covering the area shown below.
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20121007222141im_/http://www.xdc.arm.gov/docs/data_info/images/sheba_latlon_ovrl.gif)
The images consist of 800x800 1km2 pixels, and the geographic location of these is available in a separate file.
For SGP, the images are rectified to a Mercator projection, centered at the SGP Central Facility (36.605o N, 97.485o W). Each image consists of 500 lines of 350 pixels, and the pixel size is 1km 2.
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20121007222141im_/http://www.xdc.arm.gov/docs/data_info/images/sgpavhrrgridX1.gif)
Figure 3. Area covered by the remapped SGP images
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20121007222141im_/http://www.xdc.arm.gov/docs/data_info/images/twp_avhrr_manus.ll_grid.gif)
Figure 4. Area covered by the TWP Manus AVHRR data
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20121007222141im_/http://www.xdc.arm.gov/docs/data_info/images/twp_avhrr_nauru.ll_grid.gif)
Figure 5. Area covered by TWP Nauru AVHRR data
Data Stream Inputs
The 1 km resolution images covering SHEBA were also supplied by the University of Alaska.
The University of Miami supplies the 4 km resolution TWP Manus and Nauru AVHRR and the 1 km resolution Kwajalein, Manus and Nauru AVHRR data in HDF format. Monthly Hovmuller diagrams are produced for each of the regions and for the lac and gac data.
Data Stream Names
nsaavhrrX1.00
sgpavhrrX1.00
twpavhrrkwajX1.00
twpavhrrnnlacX1.a1.00
twpavhrrnngacX1.a1.00
Hovmuller diagram data streams:
twpavhrrnnlacsssX1.a1.yyymm00.000000.xxx.gif
where nn= 12, 14, 16, 17
sss = Manus, Nauru
xxx = lat, lon
Notification Form Link
Related Links
Contacts
- ARM Mentor Richard Wagener
- ARM Software Developer Min Liang
Data Source
- Institution
- SGP
- SeaSpace
- NSA
- Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks
- TWP
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- GAC coverage of TWP Manus and Nauru
- University of Miami, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science
- LAC coverage of Nauru from Kwajalein
- Aeromet
- LAC coverage of Darwin and Manus from Darwin
- BOM
Data User Notes
- Note A: Incorrect data type
- There is a known bug in earlier versions of tdftohdf which gives the incorrect data type code, 23, unsigned short integers, instead of 22, for signed short integers. If you use this information in converting the values read from the files to geophysical units, the answer may be wrong as the sign bit is misinterpreted. This affects most of the data currently available through the ARM Archive. Use of the information given in the HDF file header (metadata) gives the correct values.
- File formats
- Information on reading hdf formatted files can be found at: Reading netCDF, HDF, and GRIB Files
- Lat/Lon grid and coastline overlays
- For the NSA, SHB, SGP and TWP matching sets of overlay files showing a latitude and
longitude grid and the positions of the coastline and selected lakes and rivers
are also available. The overlay files consist of an "image" of value 1 everywhere,
except at the positions of the features in which case the pixel value is zero. Thus
the overlays can be written into the image by multiplying them together; the
image data remain unchanged and the overlain pixels become zero. The
overlay images are in byte format.
Also available are HDF files (*lat-lonX1.00.hdf) that contain two arrays with the same dimension as the corresponding data-files, one of the latitude of each pixel, and the other the longitude. The images are distributed as short words, rather than bytes to preserve accuracy.
The various overlay files can be found at The ARM Archive IOP web site in the ref_data subdirectory.
Example Data
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20121007222141im_/http://www.xdc.arm.gov/docs/data_info/images/nsaavhrrsample.jpg)
NSA AVHRR Image
Quicklook Links
Acronyms
ASDA Australian Satellite Data Archive AVHRR Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer BOM Bureau of Meteorology GAC Global Area Coverage HDF Hierarchical Data Format LAC Local Area Coverage NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NSA North Slope of Alaska SGP Southern Great Plains SHB SHEBA SHEBA Surface HEat Budget of the Arctic Ocean TDF Terascan Data Format TWP Tropical Western Pacific