GOES-17 Loop Heat Pipe Anomaly Summer Season Concludes

September 1, 2020

2 minute read

Conclusion of the Summer Anomaly Season

Over the next week, ABI imagery will return to normal as the daily maximum focal plane temperatures rapidly decline. As of 1200 UTC this morning, implementation of the Mode 3 Cooling Timeline for the GOES-17 ABI has concluded for the current loop heat pipe anomaly season. The Mode 3 Cooling Timeline is currently scheduled to be implemented once again for the fall loop heat pipe anomaly season from October 14 through October 31. More information on the Mode 3 Cooling Timeline can be found in the most recent administrative message from the Office of Satellite and Product Operations linked here. On September 3 at 1600 UTC, supplemental operations from the GOES-15 imager will conclude, and the satellite will return to on-orbit storage. For AWIPS users, GOES-15 imagery bands will no longer update under the primary Satellite menu. More information on the supplemental GOES-15 operations can be found in the most recent administrative message from the Office of Satellite and Product Operations linked here.

 

Preview of the Fall Anomaly Season

Looking ahead to the fall loop heat pipe anomaly season, focal plane temperatures will begin to increase once again at the end of September. The initial impacts for Band 12 and 16 are anticipated to occur on or around October 9, as shown in Figure 1, below. Focal plane temperatures will continue to increase until around October 15 after the Mode 3 Cooling Timeline is implemented. The Mode 3 Cooling Timeline will reduce daily maximum focal plane temperatures until the end of October before briefly spiking once more on or around October 31. The TOWR-S team will provide additional updates on this in the coming weeks.

Figure 1: GOES-17 Predicted Peak Longwave Infrared Focal Plane Temperature

Figure 1, above, shows daily maximum temperature of the ABI focal plane module. These maximums occur at night. The higher the temperature, the more saturated imagery becomes. Where the temperature rises to approach a black line for each band, marginal saturation may be observed in imagery. Where the temperature curve exceeds a black line for each band, the imagery may begin to saturate so much that it becomes unusable.

We want to hear from you!

Did you have an experience where degraded or missing imagery affected the forecast or warning process? If so, please send us your feedback, and feel free to include sample imagery. Contact Lee Byerle (lee.byerle@noaa.gov) and David Bludis (david.bludis@noaa.gov). You can also direct any related comments or questions to Lee and David on NWSChat in the “towr-s” chatroom.