DYCOMS-II Satellite:  GOES-10 NOAA/NESDIS Experimental Low Cloud 
                      Base Imagery (GIF)


1.0  General Information


The GOES-10 NOAA/NESDIS Experimental Low Cloud Base Imagery (GIF)
is one of several satellite products collected as part of the 
Dynamics and Chemistry of Marine Stratocumulus Phase II:  
Entrainment Studies (DYCOMS-II) project field catalog operated by 
the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research/Joint Office 
for Science Support 
(UCAR/JOSS; http://www.joss.ucar.edu/dycoms/catalog/).
The experimental Low Cloud Base product helps to identify ceilings
<1000 ft for aviation users.  Images from two GOES IR channels are 
combined to create a product for the detection of fog and low 
stratus clouds at night.  The products cover the period from 
3 - 31 July 2001 and cover the DYCOMS-II region and the South West
United States (30-42 N and 105-127 W).  The products are typically
available hourly during the night (04-12 UTC).  The products were 
acquired from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
(NOAA) National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information 
Service (NESDIS) Office of Research and Applications 
(http://orbit-net.nesdis.noaa.gov/arad/fpdt/fog.html).  All images
are in gif format.


2.0  Data Contact


Gary Ellrod (gary.ellrod@noaa.gov)


3.0  Product Information


Images from two GOES InfraRed (IR) channels are combined to
create a product for the detection of fog and low stratus clouds
at night.

Low Cloud Base Height products display Instrument Flight Rule
(IFR) conditions as red, and non-IFR conditions as green. Some
areas of IFR may not be detectable by the GOES product due to 
insufficient thickness, obscuration by cirrus, or insufficient 
temperature data. Conversely, some areas denoted as IFR by the 
GOES product may have higher cloud bases in areas of multiple 
inversions. Cloud heights (ft) observed at surface stations are 
overplotted in black. 

This product is considered experimental, and are not operationally
supported by NOAA/NESDIS.


4.0  Quality Control Procedures


UCAR/JOSS conducted no quality checks on these data.


5.0  File Naming Convention


The file names are structured as follows:

goes-10.yyyymmddhhmm.low_cloud_base.GIF

Where goes-10 is the satellite used
      yyyy is the four digit year
      mm is the two digit month
      dd is the two digit day
      hh is the hour (UTC)
      mm is the minute
      low_cloud_base is the name of the product


6.0  References


None