CEOS EO HANDBOOK – INSTRUMENT SUMMARY - Sounder -
Full Name Sounder Status Operational
Instrument Agencies NOAA Maturity High Heritage - Non-Operational
Instrument Type Atmospheric temperature and humidity sounders Geometry Earth disk scanning
Instrument Technology Narrow-band channel IR radiometer Sampling Sounding
Data Access Open Access Data Format NetCDF, RAW, GIF, JPEG, etc.
Measurements and Applications Atmospheric soundings and data on atmospheric stability and thermal gradient winds.
Resolution Summary 10 km
Swath Summary Horizon to horizon
Accuracy Summary
Waveband Summary VIS - TIR: 19 channels
VIS (~0.40 µm - ~0.75 µm)
NIR (~0.75 µm - ~1.3 µm)
SWIR (~1.3 µm - ~3.0 µm)
MWIR (~3.0 µm - ~6.0 µm)
TIR (~6.0 µm - ~15.0 µm)
Instrument Measurements
Measurements Overview
CategoryParameter
AerosolsAerosol Extinction / Backscatter (TC)
Aerosol effective radius (column/profile)
Aerosol absorption optical depth (TC)
Atmospheric Humidity FieldsAtmospheric specific humidity (LT, HT, TC)
Atmospheric Temperature FieldsAtmospheric temperature (LT, HT, LS, TC)
Atmospheric stability index
Cloud type, amount and cloud top temperatureCloud cover
Cloud top height
Liquid water and precipitation ratePrecipitation intensity at the surface (liquid or solid)
OzoneO3 Mole Fraction
Surface temperature (land)Land surface temperature
Surface temperature (ocean)Sea surface temperature
Thematic Links Global Climate Observing System Essential Climate Variables (GCOS ECVs)
ECVDescriptionProduct(s)ECV Inventory 3.0 Record(s)
Aerosols properties click here click here search ECV Inventory records
Cloud Properties click here click here search ECV Inventory records
Land Surface Temperature click here click here search ECV Inventory records
Ozone click here click here search ECV Inventory records
Precipitation click here click here search ECV Inventory records
Sea Surface Temperature click here click here search ECV Inventory records
Temperature (upper-air) click here click here search ECV Inventory records
Water Vapour (upper air) click here click here search ECV Inventory records
Instrument Missions
GOES-8 - Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite - 8 (1994 - 2003)
GOES-9 - Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite - 9 (1995 - 2005)
GOES-10 - Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite - 10 (1997 - 2006)
GOES-11 - Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite - 11 (2000 - 2011)
GOES-12 - Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite - 12 (2001 - 2013)
EWS-G1 - Electro-optical Infrared Weather System Geostationary - 1 (2006 - 2023)
GOES-14 - Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite - 14 (2009 - 2030)
GOES-15 - Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite - 15 (2010 - 2028)