In advance of launching the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS), the project team highlighted major milestones in the data processing system, mission operations, data capture, and calibration/validation.
SeaWiFS Data Processing System Major Accomplishments
- All production software operational
- Baseline production hardware procured, installed, and operational
- Data transfer procedures to the V0 Goddard Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC) operational
- Program/format/sample data products available via the SeaWiFS homepage on the World Wide Web (established January 1994)
- NOAA/NASA SeaWiFS High Resolution Data Acquisition network established
Mission Operations Major Accomplishments
- Complete command scheduling system designed, built, and tested, along with a complete sensor operations plan (documented in a NASA technical memorandum (TM) and conference proceedings paper)
- Developed complete simulated SeaWiFS dataset, comprising realistic Earth-viewing geometry and top-of-the-atmosphere radiances (documented in 2 NASA TMs and one peer-reviewed paper)
- Developed graphical tool for selecting local area coverage (LAC) targets for the mission (documented in a NASA TM)
- Built and distributed satellite tracking software for use by HRPT stations (documented in a NASA RP)
- Various orbit analyses were used to select orbit and operations methods: descending node vs. ascending node results, analysis of errors of several orbit models, tilt benefits, and methodologies (documented in 2 NASA TMs and one peer-reviewed paper)
- Complete navigation system developed, including:
- new exact geolocation algorithm
- new semi-automated error analysis method using island target
- new orbit determination method using Global Positioning Systems (GPS) data, validated with Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (EUVE) and Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX) data
- attitude sensor processing software in place (documented in two peer-reviewed papers)
Data Capture Major Achievements
- Setup and configured the NASA Communications System (NASCOM) 2000 data line from Wallops to the SeaWiFS Data Capture Facility and the SeaWiFS Data Processing System.
- Integrated and tested the high-level data link control (HDLC) protocol stripper to enable standard ingest by compatible hardware.
- Designed and built the Goddard High Resolution Picture Transmission (HRPT) and global area coverage (GAC)/local area coverage (LAC) (stored dump) ground acquisition system.
- Coordinated the SeaStar RF compatibility test using the Goddard's compatibility test van.
- Upgraded all ground system central processing units (CPUs) for faster and more efficient processing.
SeaWiFS Calibration and Validation Program Accomplishments
- Calibration Round-Robins and Measurement Protocols
- 4 calibration round-robins completed (Vols. 14, 16, 34, and 37)
- Joint U.S.-Japan SeaWiFS-OCTS cross-calibration initiated
- 1st data analysis round-robin completed (Vol. 26)
- Data collection protocols developed (Vol. 5 of SeaWiFS TM series; revision, Vol. 25)
- Calibration Instrumentation and Community Calibration Support
- SeaWiFS SWG in situ radiometer calibration support (1992 -95) provided by San Diego State U./CHORS (Jim Mueller)
- SeaWiFS transfer radiometer completed (Carol Johnson, NIST)
- Field deployable stability monitor completed (NIST)
- SeaWiFS Prelaunch Sensor Calibration and Characterization
- Prelaunch acceptance report published (Vol. 22)
- Prelaunch calibration report published (Vol. 23)
- Stray light description documented (Vol. 31)
- Out-of-band response correction documented (Vol. 28)
- Special calibration topics documented (Vol. 40, in press)
- 2 prelaunch solar calibration experiments completed and published (1st, Vol. 19; 2nd, Vol. 27)
- MODIS Oceans Team Collaborations (co-funded activities)
- Atmospheric corrections (Howard Gordon)
- Chlorophyll algorithm (Ken Carder)
- Hawaii optical mooring development (Dennis Clark)
- Shipboard data acquisition system (Dennis Clark)
- Additional Investigations (augmentations to other programs)
- Atmospheric correction studies (Robert Fraser; Vols. 13, 19, and 27))
- Bermuda Atlantic Time Series observations (Dave Siegel)
- CalCOFI optical observations (Greg Mitchell)
- Atlantic Meridional Transect (UK) collaboration initiated (Aiken and Hooker, Vol. 35)
- Plymouth Marine Bio-Optical Data buoy (PlyMBODy) collaboration initiated (sun photometer provided, Vol. 33)
- Algorithm Development
- 6 bio-optical algorithm and protocols workshops held
- 1 calibration workshop held
- 2 atmospheric correction workshops held (1 was joint meeting with MODIS Project)
- Meeting summaries published (Vol. 18 & 24)
- Atmospheric correction algorithm completed (H. Gordon)
- K490, CZCS pigment & chlorophyll-a algorithms completed (Mueller-in preparation; J. Aiken et al., Vol. 29; K. Carder et al.-submitted to JGR, respectively)
- Level-3 binning algorithm completed (J. Campbell, Vol. 32)
- SeaWiFS out-of-band correction algorithm completed (R. Barnes, Vol. 31)
- Data quality masks and flag algorithms completed (C. McClain, Vol. 28)
- Bio-optical data archive (SeaBASS) operational (Vol. 20)
- Round-robin data
- SeaWiFS prelaunch calibration & characterization data
- Pigment data
- Bio-optical data
- Marine Optical Buoy Development (Dennis Clark)
- 3-month prototype deployment completed in spring 1994
- Fabrication of 2 operational buoys underway (1st buoy completed in March)
- Support facility in Hawaii completed
- Shipboard data acquisition and pre-processing systems delivered to Dennis Clark (Stan Hooker and Jim Brown)
- Operational QC Software (Vol. 38, in press)
- Level-1, -2 & -3 quality assurance
- Ancillary data quality assurance (winds, pressure, ozone)
- Derived product evaluation
- Sensor engineering telemetry data tracking
- Calibration evaluation (lunar, solar, vicarious)
- Operational Processing Software
- Format specifications and code for all products (Vol. 43, in preparation)
- Documentation on final processing flow underway (Vol. 44, in preparation)
- Level -1, -2 & -3 code verified
- SeaWiFS Data Analysis System (SeaDAS; R&A funded)
- Supports Silicon Graphics and Sun (Solaris) systems
- 3 training classes held last summer
- Preliminary version released to users last summer
- 45 IDL licenses distributed to Science Working Group
- 1 training class held in May 1995
- Version 1 released in summer 1995
- Sun workstation delivered to Shirshov Inst. in Moscow
- 1 training class held in April 1996