Intersatellite Calibration of HIRS from 1980 to 2003 Using the Simultaneous Nadir Overpass (SNO) Method for Improved Consistency and Quality of Climate Data

The Simultaneous Nadir Overpass (SNO) method developed at NOAA/NESDIS has been used for the intersatellite calibration in the last few years with excellent results. The objective of this project is to establish and apply an accurate intersatellite calibration procedure to develop inter-satellite calibration data sets and characterize inter-satellite calibration bias, which will be useful for data users in developing time series from NOAA satellite data from 1980 to 2003. It uses the novel approach that takes advantage of inter-satellite calibration using simultaneous nadir overpass (SNO) observations at the orbital intersections between each succeeding pair of satellites. This will ensure the calibration consistency and quality for long-term climate studies, reduce the uncertainties about critical climate trends, and therefore facilitate the construction of long-term climate data records.