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Project Description
Applications for AVHRR data have continued to increase, and there is now wide appreciation for the daily global digital image coverage, synoptic views and calibrated thermal data that the instrument provides. In response to special interest among polar scientists, in August, 1993, NSIDC began collecting and archiving a bi-polar subset of 1 km AVHRR data received by HRPT stations at McMurdo, Palmer, Fairbanks, Prince Albert and Tromso, and all LAC data poleward of 50 degrees latitude. NSIDC intends to pursue additional sources of polar AVHRR HRPT data, such as that from shipboard receivers and summer campaign HRPT receivers, to develop a complete 1 km data set for the poles. NSIDC hopes to further serve polar researchers with a variety of geophysical data products derived from the raw AVHRR data. The characteristics of the data set and data products will be determined in close collaboration with the polar science community.
1. Project Overview
2. Data Availability
3. Access
4. Principal Investigator
5. Submitting Investigator
6. References
7. Detailed Description
AVHRR Polar 1 km Level 1b Data Set
The Polar DAAC User Services Group and others interested in polar geophysical processes have consistently and repeatedly listed the AVHRR sensor as one of the principal sources of data for calculating the most important geophysical parameters relevant to understanding polar climatic and hydrologic systems. The demand for a continuing, comprehensive and up-to-date data set of polar AVHRR data has been clearly demonstrated. Product generation of geophysically useful derived parameters is the eventual goal of the AVHRR Polar 1 km Level 1b Data Set. For the present, NSIDC has four objectives for the operation of the AVHRR Polar 1 km Level 1b Data Set:
The potential uses of the AVHRR Polar 1 km Level 1b Data Set are manifold. The following represents only a partial list of research themes:
NSIDC receives HRPT data from both Arctic and Antarctic stations. The data sets provide nearly complete coverage of both poles' sea ice, land ice, and polar lands at nearly 1-km resolution for all five bands of the AVHRR sensor.
Data is stored in orbital swath format, NOAA level 1-B. At this time, users may request a test data set consisting of three days' acquisitions of 1-km AVHRR data for the Northern Hemisphere.
Data can be ordered on either 8 mm Exabyte* or 4 mm DAT tapes, and is compatible with many workstations and platforms. Please contact NSIDC User Services for details.
NSIDC User Services
National Snow and Ice Data Center
CIRES, 449 UCB
University of Colorado
Boulder, CO 80309-0449 USA
phone: +1 303.492.6199
fax: +1 303.492.2468
form: Contact NSIDC User Services
e-mail: nsidc@nsidc.org
Ted Scambos and Spencer Shiotani
Dr. Ted Scambos, NSIDC DAAC Remote Sensing Scientist
Mr. Ron Weaver, NSIDC DAAC Manager
Dr. Roger Barry, NSIDC DAAC Project Scientist
Please see section 4 of this document.
Please see References .
The Land Processes (LP) DAAC and Scripps Institute of Oceanography have been sending NSIDC their polar 1-km AVHRR data since 1 August 1993 as part of a supplemental NSIDC SIDAAC program funded in late FY93. The LP DAAC subset is primarily data from the Fairbanks, Prince Albert, and Tromso HRPT receivers, and polar LAC data from both hemispheres -- part of their Global Land 1-km AVHRR Data Set. A data purchase contract was also drawn up with the Scripps Institute Arctic and Antarctic Research Center to acquire their HRPT data from the McMurdo and Palmer receiving stations. Combined, these data sets provide nearly complete coverage of both poles' sea ice, land ice and polar lands. The AVHRR Polar 1 km Level 1b Data Set is currently comprised of data primarily from the NOAA-11 satellite, with some NOAA-10 and -12 data in the Antarctic.
Five people are involved with the AVHRR ingest effort at NSIDC. The project scientist is Dr. Ted Scambos who oversees the data ingest, reports, presents and coordinates data transfer efforts with the contributing data sources. Dr. Scambos is also a polar research scientist whose current projects involve AVHRR data.
At present, data from LP DAAC are transferred via electronic network. Scripps data are delivered on 4 mm Digital Audio Tapes through the U.S. mail.
Document Type: Project Document
Revision Date: December 1995, May 2003
