The GHCC often generates experimental products in real-time from both GOES-8 Imager and Sounder data. These experimental products are single pixel retrievals, and are generated in order to observe changes and improvements to current operational algorithms and methods.

Currently, there are several changes and possible improvements being studied. The most significant change is to the insolation and albedo products generated from the GOES-8 Imager. These two products rely directly on the visible channel. The visible channel on the GOES Imager suffers from in-orbit degradation but there is no onboard calibration, therefore post-launch calibration coefficients have been developed. For the GOES-8 Imager visible channel, it has been found that the annual degradation rate is approximately 6% (Rao, C.R.N., 2001 Implementation of the post-launch vicarious calibration of the GOES imager visible channel).

The current operational insolation and albedo products use visible channel values without accounting for the degradation. To see the effect of accounting for the annual 6% decrease in the visible channel signal, see the experimental products.

There is also an experimental version of the cloud top pressure product available for viewing. The only difference between the operational and experimental CTP products is the cloud mask. The cloud mask algorithm performs several tests, including applying a temperature threshold. This temperature threshold is applied to the difference between the current infrared temperature image and a clear-sky composite temperature image. The operational clear-sky composite image is generated by determining for each pixel at each hour the warmest value from 20-days of infrared images. In general this method works, but occasionally the warmest value may be too warm compared to the current value and cause the pixel to be incorrectly labeled as cloudy. A possible solution to this problem currently being studied is to use the second warmest value from the 20-days. This change to the cloud mask will be studied by monitoring an experimental version of the CTP product.

To see the Imager experimental products, visit the Experimental Imager Products Page.

To see the Sounder experimental products, visit the Experimental Sounder Products Page.

To see the operational products, visit the Operational Products Page.