Advanced Baseline Imager Scan Mode Information

ABI 10-Minute Flex Mode Overview

On or about April 2, 2019, at 1600 UTC, the GOES-16 and GOES-17 Advanced Baseline Imagers will begin operating in a new 10-minute flex mode (mode 6). Ten-minute flex mode is very similar to the current flex mode (mode 3) with one exception: a full disk image is generated every 10 minutes instead of every 15 minutes. Contiguous U.S. (CONUS) for GOES-16/ Pacific U.S. (PACUS) for GOES-17 scans (3000 km by 50000 km) will still be provided every five minutes, in addition to two mesoscale domains (1000 km by 1000 km) every 60 seconds (or one domain every 30 seconds if scanning the same domain).

There are a number of advantages to 10-minute full disk images. It allows NOAA to match the full-disk scanning cadence of our international partners like the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), and the next generation of European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) geostationary satellites (starting in 2021). This allows nearly global advanced imager coverage every 10 minutes.

Ten-minute full disk imagery will also be critical to our National Weather Service Weather Forecast Offices, National Centers, and the Volcanic Ash Advisory Centers in monitoring hazardous weather conditions and providing additional information in observationally limited areas like over the oceans or in the mountains. The faster temporal cadence will also improve aviation safety. For example, GOES are paramount in monitoring volcanic activity and associated ash plumes. The improved temporal resolution will help monitor these rapidly changing events and help reduce the risk of an airplane encounter with an ash plume. In addition, GOES ABI data can also monitor regions of potential turbulence and since these features can be highly transient, the 10-minute full disk scanning ability will help with monitoring of this hazard.

The timelines, i.e. the number/type of scans in a 10-minute period, are slightly different between GOES-16 and GOES-17. This is intentional as more calibration and navigation scans are included in the GOES-17 mode 6 timeline to mitigate impacts of operating at higher temperatures. See the GOES-17 ABI Performance webpage for information about the cooling system anomaly.

GOES-16 (GOES East) will use timeline mode 6A and GOES-17 (GOES West) will use timeline mode 6M. Timelines for each satellite can be found at the NOAA Office of Satellite and Product Operations GOES Schedules and Scan Sectors webpage.

ABI: Scan Mode 6A : Timeline Definition

NOTE : This depiction of the timeline is only accurate to 1/10 sec. resolution.
NOTE : Tables scroll horizontally on small devices/screens.

ABI: Scan Mode 6M : Timeline Definition

NOTE : This depiction of the timeline is only accurate to 1/10 sec. resolution.
NOTE : Tables scroll horizontally on small devices/screens.