Part 1: Introductory level topics


GOES-R Launch Workshop for Broadcast Meteorologists, November 2016

This lesson consists of presentations by nine professionals from NOAA and NASA recorded at the GOES-R Workshop for Broadcast Meteorologists at Kennedy Space Center. The workshop was offered by StormCenter Communications, Inc. in partnership with the COMET Program in conjunction with the November 2016 GOES-R launch. These presentations introduce broadcast meteorologists to the new capabilities of this next-generation weather satellite and cover topics including new instrumentation and data available via the GOES-R series, and how the imagery will improve forecasting. After completing this lesson and passing the quiz, students will receive a certificate which can be used to document continuing education credits toward maintaining certification for the AMS CBM and NWA Seal of Approval.


GOES-R: Benefits of Next-Generation Environmental Monitoring

This lesson introduces NOAA's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-R (GOES-R) series, focusing on the value and anticipated benefits derived from an enhanced suite of instruments for improved monitoring of meteorological, environmental, climate, and space weather phenomena and related hazards. An extensive set of visualizations highlight GOES-R and its advanced observing capabilities for providing support in thirteen key environmental application areas including air quality and visibility, climate, cloud icing, fires, hurricanes, land cover, lightning, low clouds and fog, marine and the coastal environment, precipitation and flooding, severe storms and tornadoes, space weather, and volcanoes. The module includes an overview of the GOES-R space and ground infrastructure, highlighting key elements and services of the GOES-R program. In addition, the module reviews and contrasts basic concepts and capabilities applicable to geostationary and polar-orbiting satellites, exploring the complementary nature of the two systems. The module concludes with a collection of resource materials, including imagery, animations, and tables extracted from the module for easy access and for use in development of presentations and other learning materials.


GOES-R ABI: Next Generation Satellite Imaging

This lesson focuses on the GOES-R ABI instrument, the satellite's 16-channel imager. With increased spectral coverage, greater spatial resolution, more frequent imaging, and improved image pixel geolocation and radiometric performance, the ABI will bring significant advancements to forecasting, numerical weather prediction, and climate and environmental monitoring. The first part of the lesson introduces the ABI's key features and improvements over earlier GOES imagers. The second section lets users interactively explore the ABI's 16 channels. The third section contains movies that show the advancements that the ABI will bring to the following application areas: convection, flooding, wildfires, land cover, hurricanes, climate, air quality, aviation, fog and low visibility, and coastal and marine. The final section contains additional resources pertaining to the ABI. The lesson has numerous takeaways, including ten application movies and an interactive spectrum.


GOES-R GLM: Introduction to the Geostationary Lightning Mapper

This lesson focuses on the Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) instrument, the GOES-R satellite's lightning mapper. The GLM will provide continuous lightning measurements over a large portion of the Western Hemisphere, mapping total lightning (intra-cloud and cloud–to–ground) flash rates and trends. GLM observations will improve local forecasts and warnings of severe weather and air quality, and provide new data for numerical weather prediction and studies of regional climate and climate change. The first part of the lesson describes the need for real-time lightning information and introduces the capabilities of the GLM, which will fly on the next-generation GOES-R satellites. The second section lets users explore the life cycle of a typical cloud-to-ground lightning flash, how it is observed by space and ground-based detection systems, and how lightning flashes translate into GLM observations. The final section explores some of the many applications that will benefit from GLM observations including convection and severe weather nowcasting, warning of lightning ground strike hazards, aviation, atmospheric chemistry, quantitative precipitation estimation, tropical cyclones, fire ignitions, numerical weather prediction, and climate and global studies.


PART 2: Advanced lessons about GOES-R channels, developed for NWS forecasters 

The following lessons (developed by COMET) are likely suitable for graduate students:


SatFC-G: IR Bands, Excluding Water Vapor

This lesson introduces seven of the ten infrared imager bands on the GOES R-U ABI (Advanced Baseline Imager). It examines the spectral characteristics of each band to facilitate a better understanding of band selection and what each band observes, and to shed light on some of the many potential applications.


SatFC-G: Near-IR Bands

This lesson introduces you to three of the four near-infrared imager bands (at 1.37, 1.6, and 2.2 micrometers) on the GOES R-U ABI (Advanced Baseline Imager), focusing on their spectral characteristics and how they affect what each band observes. For information on the 0.86 micrometer near-IR "veggie" band which is not included here, refer to the Visible and Near-IR Bands lesson.


SatFC-G: Visible and Near-IR Bands

This lesson introduces you to the two visible and one of the near-infrared imager bands on the GOES R-U ABI (Advanced Baseline Imager), focusing on their spectral characteristics and how they affect what each band observes. Also included is a brief discussion of the customization of visible enhancements as an important consideration for improving the depiction of various features of interest.


SatFC-G: Introduction to the GLM

This lesson describes the need for real-time lightning information and the capabilities of the Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM), which will fly on the next-generation GOES-R satellites as the first operational lightning detector in geostationary orbit.


SatFC-G: Basic Principles of Radiation

This lesson is an abbreviated review of the scientific basis for using visible and infrared satellite imagery. The concepts and capabilities presented are common to most geostationary (GEO) and low-Earth orbiting (LEO) meteorological satellites. Basic remote sensing and radiative theory are reviewed using conceptual models to help organize scientific concepts. Some imagery is also included to illustrate concepts and relate them to sensor observations.


Full collection of training lessons developed by COMET and other groups to prepare forecasters for GOES-R: 
Satellite Foundational Course on GOES-R (SatFC-G) for NWS forecasters 



PART 3 - General lessons on satellite remote sensing

Remote Sensing Using Satellites, 2nd Edition

The second edition of the popular "Remote Sensing Using Satellites" module updates imagery of recent hurricanes as well as other phenomena from more recent satellites. The suggested audience for this module is high school and undergraduate students. Learn about remote sensing in general and then more specifically about how it is done from satellites. We will focus on the visible and infrared channels, those commonly seen on television broadcasts. Come explore the view of Earth from space and see what we see. In the second chapter, we focus even more on hurricanes and specifically Hurricanes Jimena (2009), Ike (2008), and Irene (2011).


Basics of Visible and Infrared Remote Sensing

This lesson presents the scientific and technical basis for using visible and infrared satellite imagery so forecasters can make optimal use of it for observing and forecasting the behaviour of the atmosphere. The concepts and capabilities presented are common to most international geostationary (GEO) and low-Earth orbiting (LEO) meteorological satellites since their inception, and continue to apply to both current and newer satellite constellations. The lesson reviews remote sensing and radiative transfer theory through a series of conceptual models. Discussions contain explanations of the different Meteosat First Generation imager channels and the phenomena that they can monitor individually and in combination. Note that most of images are from Meteosat and depict weather conditions over Africa, although some GOES (pre-GOES R) imagery is included.




Last modified: Wednesday, 8 November 2017, 10:55 AM