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TOVS Pathfinder: HIRS2 Instrument Data:
Precipitation, January, 1998, Browse Image
Comparison Images
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Monthly Mean Precipitation Estimate (MPE) |
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The High Resolution Infrared Radiation Sounder 2 (HIRS2) instrument provides calibrated, long-term observations from which an enhanced knowledge of global dynamics and processes occurring in the lower atmosphere can be derived. This instrument yields observations of surface skin temperatures (radiative surface, not air temperature) and of atmospheric properties (e.g., precipitation, longwave flux emitted to space, mid to upper tropospheric water vapor, cloud cover). The instrument has made major contributions to understanding the global Earth system, including interactions among land, ocean, and atmospheric processes.
Use the menu bar to go to the Tools page for Step-by-step instructions on using the Collage and the Data and Information Access Link (DIAL) tools.
Sample Information
This is sample data for January and December. This series of HIRS2 data granules covers the globe for all 12 months of the year, for multiple years (1985ff).
The data sample includes global measurements and estimates showing areas of high and low precipitation during an El Niño month (January 1998) and a La Niña month (December 1998). This measurement is derived from cloud height, cloud amount, and mid-lower tropospheric humidity profile. In the January data, note that the equatorial area of high precipitation is elongated and moved east relative to that of December. Note also the high precipitation for East Africa in January, and the high precipitation in the north-central Atlantic and Caribbean in December.
The binary data files are arranged as a separate file for each satellite (nh is NOAA-11 and nj is NOAA-14), and also a separate file for the AM and PM data. The data is in a 1-degree by 1-degree (longitude by latitude) grid for the globe. The center of box (1,1) is at 179.5 W and 89.5 S. The first line is the south-most line of the grid. The data progresses eastward and northward in 1-degree steps for the array "real*4 array(360,180)." Undefined elements are given the value "-999.9."
How To Order
These and other granules can be obtained using parameters and dates of interest.
More general information on how to find and order Earth-observing instrument data is provided on this CD-ROM.
NASA's TOVS Pathfinder HIRS2 Instrument
Disclaimer: NASA offers these suggested sites for additional information regarding the TOVS HIRS2 products. Web access is required. Link existence and contents are not under the control of the EOSDIS Science Operations Office.
