The S-NPP (Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership), also known as JPSS (Joint Polar Satellite System) satellite, carrying the OMPS LP (Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite- Limb Profile) sensor, was launched on October 28th 2011. The NOAA-21 also known as JPSS-2 satellite, carrying the OMPS LP sensor, was launched on November 10, 2022. The instrument began providing data for Earth science measurements on February 9, 2023.
The OMPS LP instrument is a nadir-viewing spectrometer that measures backscattered ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the Earth's atmosphere and surface. It is designed to monitor the vertical distribution of ozone in the stratosphere and troposphere, providing critical data for understanding ozone depletion, air quality, and climate change.
The S-NPP Level 1B SDR and Level 2 Ozone Profile EDR products is changed from the Version 2.5 products (in use at NDE) to the those from the current NASA Version 2.6 algorithm. See README Document for the NOAA-21 OMPS LP L2 O3 Daily Product for a detailed description of the algorithm improvements. The ozone profile retrieval algorithm now uses more channels and makes a single combined ozone profile retrieval using both ultraviolet and visible wavelengths. The new algorithm also uses an improved cloud detection scheme and a new aerosol correction scheme.
For the S-NPP, the products are provided in granule- level increments containing 38S of measurement and retrievals with two sets of three profiles (left, center and right slits) per granule in NetCDF format. The Level 2 Ozone Profile EDRs contain the diagonal and near diagonal elements of the Averaging Kernels. The Ozone Profile EDRs are also provided in BUFR format files.
For the NOAA-21, the products are provided in granule- level increments containing 30S of measurement and retrievals with four sets of three profiles (left, center and right slits) per granule in NetCDF format. Only the center slit is considered fully validated at this time. A NOAA-21 Validated Maturity Review presentation and readme can be accessed at: https://www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/jpss/AlgorithmMaturity.php.
The SNPP and NOAA-21 Level 1B SDR and Level 2 Ozone Profile EDR products are available on NCCF environment and products are distributed via PDA at NOAA with this new algorithm. The Ozone Profile EDRs are also provided in BUFR format files. The OMPS Limb Profiler algorithms implemented at NCCF are designed to use the OMPS Limb Profiler RDRs as input to produce ozone profile EDRs. In the process they create five types of output files: Level 1A, Level 1B (SDR), gridded Level 1G, and Aerosol Level 2 (EDR) and Ozone Level 2 (EDR). Level 1B, Ozone EDR and BUFR files are archived. The EDRs (SNPP and N21) are also used as input to provide improved stratospheric information in a new version of the LTOAST (Ozone blended products from OMPS LP and CrIS data) products.