CEOS EO HANDBOOK – INSTRUMENT SUMMARY - OLS -
Full Name Operational Linescan System Status Operational
Instrument Agencies NOAA, DoD (USA) Maturity High Heritage - Operational
Instrument Type Imaging multi-spectral radiometers (vis/IR) Geometry Conical scanning
Instrument Technology Multi-purpose imaging Vis/IR radiometer Sampling Imaging
Data Access No Access Data Format Binary, NetCDF
Measurements and Applications Day and night cloud cover imagery.
Resolution Summary 0.56 km (fine), 5.4 km (stereo products)
[Best Resolution: 560m]
Swath Summary 3000 km
[Max Swath: 3000 km]
Accuracy Summary
Waveband Summary VIS - NIR: 0.4 - 1.1 µm, TIR: 10.0 - 13.4 µm, and 0.47 - 0.95 µm
VIS (~0.40 µm - ~0.75 µm)
NIR (~0.75 µm - ~1.3 µm)
TIR (~6.0 µm - ~15.0 µm)
Instrument Measurements
Measurements Overview
CategoryParameter
Atmospheric Temperature FieldsCloud base height
Cloud type, amount and cloud top temperatureCloud type
Cloud cover
Cloud top height
Snow cover, edge and depthSnow cover
Thematic Links Global Climate Observing System Essential Climate Variables (GCOS ECVs)
ECVDescriptionProduct(s)ECV Inventory 3.0 Record(s)
Cloud Properties click here click here search ECV Inventory records
Snow click here click here search ECV Inventory records
Instrument Missions
DMSP F-8 - Defense Meteorological Satellite Program F-8 (1987 - 2006)
DMSP F-9 - Defense Meteorological Satellite Program F-9 (1988 - 1991)
DMSP F-10 - Defense Meteorological Satellite Program F-10 (1990 - 1993)
DMSP F-11 - Defense Meteorological Satellite Program F-11 (1991 - 2000)
DMSP F-12 - Defense Meteorological Satellite Program F-12 (1994 - 2004)
DMSP F-13 - Defense Meteorological Satellite Program F-13 (1995 - 2015)
DMSP F-14 - Defense Meteorological Satellite Program F-14 (1997 - 2020)
DMSP F-15 - Defense Meteorological Satellite Program F-15 (1999 - 2019)
DMSP F-16 - Defense Meteorological Satellite Program F-16 (2003 - 2024)
DMSP F-17 - Defense Meteorological Satellite Program F-17 (2006 - 2025)
DMSP F-18 - Defense Meteorological Satellite Program F-18 (2009 - 2025)
DMSP F-19 - Defense Meteorological Satellite Program F-19 (2014 - 2016)
DMSP F-20 - Defense Meteorological Satellite Program F-20 (2020 - 2025)