GOES-R Sees the Earth Faster

Figure 5. Current GOES imager in 30 minutes (at left), future GOES imager in 30 minutes (at right). In addition to the improved spatial resolution (by a factor of four) and improved spectral resolution (by a factor of three), the next generation GOES-R imager will scan approximately five times as fast as the current GOES imager. In only 30 minutes in the 'flex' scan mode of GOES-R there will be two full disk, and six Continental US and 60 mesoscale images. This is to be compared to only four images from the current system in the 'rapid' imaging mode. This faster scanning of the GOES-R imager will eliminate the "global" versus "regional" versus "local" scan conflicts that exist today so that various phenomena (storms, dust, volcanoes, fires, hurricanes, etc.) can be scanned at the needed temporal frequencies.

Figures. Current GOES imager in 30 minutes (at left); Future GOES imager in 30 minutes (at right).