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On-orbit Validation of the Geolocation Accuracy of the GOES-16 Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) Flashes Using Ground-based Laser BeaconsAs part of the geolocation accuracy assessment of lightning flashes detected by the Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) on the GOES-16 and GOES-17 satellites (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite), two satellite laser ranging stations employed laser beacon systems to generate transient light pulses that simulate natural lightning around 777.4 nm to validate the pre-launch spec of 5 km. The pulse width, repetition rate, wavelength, and power of the laser-pulses were configured to produce sufficient instrument response to be detected as synthetic lightning events by the GLM instrument. During the testing period from April 2017 to January 2018, the laser systems illuminated the GOES-16 satellite to observe diurnal variation of the GLM system response, with particular emphasis on geolocation accuracy. The final GOES-16 laser beacon tests, which used the latest updates of the geolocation algorithms implemented by the GOES-R Ground Segment, showed the offsets between the GLM geolocated location and the known laser locations were within 5 km.
Document ID
20180006149
Acquisition Source
Marshall Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Buechler, Dennis E.
(Alabama Univ. Huntsville, AL, United States)
Varghese, Tom
(Cybioms Corporation Rockville, MD, United States)
Armstrong, Peter
(Massachusetts Inst. of Technology Lexington, MA, United States)
Bremer, James
(Arctic Slope Regional Corp. (ASRC) Federal Beltsville, MD, United States)
Lamb, Rivers
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Fulbright, Jon
(Arctic Slope Technical Services, Inc. Beltsville, MD, United States)
Goodman, Steve
(Thunderbolt Global Logistics, LLC Baltimore, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
October 9, 2018
Publication Date
August 19, 2018
Subject Category
Geophysics
Report/Patent Number
MSFC-E-DAA-TN59475
Meeting Information
Meeting: SPIE Optics + Photonics 2018
Location: San Diego, CA
Country: United States
Start Date: August 19, 2018
End Date: August 23, 2018
Sponsors: International Society for Optical Engineering
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNM11AA01A
CONTRACT_GRANT: MOU- NOAA
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Portions of document may include copyright protected material.
Keywords
Lightning
Laser
Geolocation
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