MADIS Satellite Soundings Variables ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Code Name Units Max Notes Database QC Level* FSL AWIPS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sounding Products 1 ----------------- T air temperature K 1 X X TV virtual temperature K 1 2 X X WVMR water vapor mixing ratio kg/kg 2 3 X X TD dewpoint temperature K 2 3 X X RH relative humidity % 2 3 X X Q specific humidity kg/kg 2 3 X X DPD dewpoint depression K 2 3 X X AH absolute humidity g/(m**3) 2 3 X X SKINT skin temperature K 0 X X LSM land/sea mask code 0 4 X X P pressure Pa 0 X X PWV precipitable water vapor kg/kg 0 X X HT pressure altitude Pa 0 X X DAYNITE day/Night qualifier code 0 6 X X FOVNUM field of view number 0 X X NUMLEV number of sounding levels 0 X X SUPIND superadiabatic indicator code 0 7 X X GRIDSE grid point solar elevation m 0 X X GRIDP grid point pressure Pa 0 X X SATID satellite identifier code 0 5 X X TERRTYP terrain type code 0 9 X X ZENITH satellite zenith angle deg 0 X X Notes ----- 1. The availability of each product type, and the exact algorithms being used to create them, are a function of the satellite data provider. Currently, MADIS provides temperature and moisture soundings produced by NESDIS from the Advanced TIROS Operational Vertical Sounder (ATOVS) instrument package flown on the NOAA-KLM series of polar-orbiting satellites (currently NOAA-15, NOAA-16, and NOAA-18). It is composed of the Advanced Microwave Sounding Units A and B (AMSU-A, AMSU-B) and is complemented by the High Resolution Infrared Radiation Sounder (HIRS/3). There are many references available on the web. 2. Air temperature is the temperature variable stored in the database. The user can optionally select virtual temperature, which will then be calculated by the MADIS API. The QC results from air temperature will apply. Also note that if virtual temperature cannot be calculated (missing or bad mixing ratio or pressure), and the air temperature passed all QC checks, the air temperature will be returned instead, and a QC data descriptor value of "T" will be assigned. 3. Mixing ratio is the moisture variable stored in the FSL database. The user can optionally select dewpoint, specific humidity, dewpoint depression, or absolute humidity, and these values will be calculated by the MADIS API. In all cases, the QC results from the dewpoint temperature (calculated from mixing ratio) will be used (with the FSL database, there's currently no QC in the AWIPS database). 4. Land/sea mask codes: Value Meaning ----- ------- 0 Land 1 Sea 2 Coast 5. Satellite that provided the data codes: Value Meaning ----- ------- 206 NOAA-15 207 NOAA-16 209 NOAA-18 6. Day/Night Qualifier codes: Value Meaning ----- ------- 0 Day 1 Night 7.Superadiabatic Indicator codes: Value Meaning ----- ------- 0 Not superadiabatic 1 Superadiabatic 8. Satellite Processing Technique Used codes: Value Meaning ----- ------- 8 Cloudy path 16 Partly cloudy path 32 Clear path 64 Automated statistical regression 128 Processing technique not defined 9. Terrain Type codes: Value Meaning ----- ------- 0 Sea ice 1 Snow on land 10. Cloud Amount codes: Value Meaning ----- ------- 0 okta -- 0 (Clear) 1 okta or less, but not zero -- 1/10 or less, but not zero 2 oktas -- 2/10 - 3/10 3 oktas -- 4/10 4 oktas -- 5/10 5 oktas -- 6/10 6 oktas -- 7/10 - 8/10 7 oktas or more, but not 8 oktas -- 9/10 or more, but not 10/10 8 oktas -- 10/10 (Overcast) 9 Sky obscured by fog and/or other meteorological phenomena 10 Sky partially obscured by fog and/or other meteorological phenomena 11 Scattered 12 Broken 13 Few 14 Reserved 15 Cloud cover is Indiscernible for reasons other than fog or other meteorological phenomena, or observation is not made * The QC information is only available with the FSL database.