Satellite's Advanced Baseline Imager to Improve Weather Forecasting

The Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) is the primary sensor on the next-generation GOES satellites, GOES-R, which launch in 2016. ABI will be able to view the Earth with 16 different spectral bands (compared to five on GOES), including two visible channels, four near-infrared channels, and ten infrared channels. It will provide three times more spectral information, four times the spatial resolution, and more than five times faster temporal coverage than the current system. ABI will track and monitor cloud formation, atmospheric motion, convection monitoring, land surface temperature, ocean dynamics, flow of water, fire, smoke, volcanic ash plume, aerosols, and air quality, as well as vegetation health.

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00:00:00 (music) (music) (music) When the next generation of NOAA geostationary satellites, GOES-R, launches in 2016, it will deliver highly advanced data and will continue an important legacy of Earth observations. The primary sensor on the GOES-R series is the Advanced Baseline Imager or the ABI. This instrument will image Earth's weather, climate and environment and will improve every product from the current GOES imager.

00:00:40 With as many as 16 spectral bands, the ABI instrument will deliver a greater number of products with 5 times faster coverage rate and 4 times better spatial resolution than the current GOES imagers. FASTER, means improving real-time forecasting capabilities. With ABI on board, GOES-R will deliver rapid scan images EVERY SINGLE MINUTE, allowing forecasters to get a much quicker update on developing atmospheric events. ABI will be able to produce a full scan of the Earth in 5 minutes, which is another significant improvement over the current 30-minute scan.

00:01:21 BETTER SPATIAL RESOLUTION means that ABI will deliver spectacular 3 dimensional visuals along with enhanced detection of the early stages of severe weather events. (music) ABI's data will help meteorologists zoom in and track an area of developing storms in much greater detail. Knowing how rapidly storm clouds are forming will mean earlier warnings for people on the ground. ABI will track and monitor cloud formation, atmospheric motion, convection, land surface temperature, ocean dynamics, flow of water, fire,

00:02:01 smoke, volcanic ash plume, aerosols and air quality, as well as vegetation health. Better data quality and faster scan speed will contribute to fewer weather related flight delays and incidents with volcanic ash plumes, as well as earlier preparation for tropical storms and hurricanes. By delivering a better and larger suite of weather, climate, and environmental products, ABI is poised to become a true success story, benefitting the public by enhancing the Nation's weather prediction capabilities. (music)

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