WMOD00548

• Contract/Permit #: 6-07-DR-20020
• Project Name: Sierra Cooperative Pilot Project
• Title: Satelite Studies During the 1976-77, 1977-78 Sierra Cooperative Pilot Project
• Date: 2/1/1979
• Weather Modification - Doc Type: Report

4

2. SATELLITE OBSERVATION AND TECHNIQUES

~~

A. Geostationary Satellite Data for the Sierra Project

Digital satellite imagery for the 1976-77 and 1977-78 seasons of

~

the Sierra Cooperative Pilot Project was from the SMS-2 (Synchronous

o
Meteorological Satellite) stationed above the equator at 135 W. The SMS

VISSR (Visible and Infrared Spin-Scan Radiometer) provides visible

(0.55 to 0.70 micron band) and infrared (10.5 to 12.6 micron band)

images each half hour in the normal operational mode. Satellite reso-

lution over the Sierra target area for the visible channel is 1.34 km

north to south by 0.84 km east to west. Because of the satellite-earth

viewing configurations at different points on the globe, the north-south

leg of the picture elements over the Sierra region is inclined at an

~,

angle of 10 degrees to the east of north.

Digital data for three storm periods in the first year and four

~

in the second year were gathered from the Direct Readout Ground

Station (DRGS) at the White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico. A nearly

continuous sequence of half-hourly infrared and daytime visible

digital images was received for these storms. In addition, up to 5

IR digital images per day for other storms during the first year were

obtained from the limited archive of the National Environmental Satellite

Service (NESS).

Only a limited geographical sector within the entire satellite

full-disc image was recorded, and the areal coverage of a typical sector

is shown by the image in Fig. 12. A listing of available data may be

found in the 1976-77 and 1977-78 SCPP Data Inventories of the Bureau

~

of Reclamation's Project Skywater.

,...

~