AWIPS TOWR-S RPM Version 20 Released in November 2020 


TOWR-S RPM Frequently Asked Questions

 

Q. What's new and where can I find more information?
A: AWIPS TOWR-S RPM version 20 was released in late November 2020 and is available for sites to install.  Version 20 includes the Full Disk Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) configurations, revamped Satellite menus, and a number of polar and geostationary products migrating to operations which are sourced from the Regional Local Data Managers (LDMs).  Click here for a link to presentation with more details on TOWR-S RPM Version 20.  You can also access a recording of a recent satellite book club presentation on Version 20 here at the SBC NOAA Vlab page (or access the recording on YouTube).

Q. Where are the installation instructions?
A: Here is a link to the instructions.

​​​​​​​Q. When is the Conus/Pacus GLM going away now that Full Disk GLM is flowing?
​​​​​​​A:  Conus/Pacus GLM has been replaced by the Full Disk GLM, available in TOWR-S RPM via 20.  Following a brief period of overlap with the Full Disk GLM products, the Conus/Pacus GLM grids have been discontinued as of January 5th, 2021.   

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Q. Where can we find the GLM products in AWIPS?
​​​​​​​A: While Conus/Pacus GLM menus were included for the overlap period, Full Disk GLM can be selected from the Full Disk East/West sub-menus under "GLM products."

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Q. How does the Full Disk Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) compare with the CONUS GLM we had been receiving?
​​​​​​​A: The Full Disk GLM, new in Version 20, consists of flash extent density (FED) with the same "look and feel" of the previous FED.   Full Disk GLM also includes minimum flash area (MFA), and total optical energy (TOE) for all sites.  MFA has replaced the Average Flash Area (AFA) a number of sites had received for evaluation, along with the TOE and FED.   FD GLM arrives as tiles (1 tile per file) that are processed over the full disk domains for GOES-East and GOES-West.  Unlike the Conus/PACUS gridded GLM images, Full Disk GLM is processed as a set of 62 tiles which make up a scene (analogous to GOES imagery tiles).  For bandwidth considerations, most of the geographic areas of the Southern Hemisphere are filtered out in the data stream sent from Central Region. If there is no lightning recorded by the instrument over a region covered by a tile, then that tile will not be transmitted for the given time.  Like the Conus/Pacus GLM which came before it, Full Disk products are currently sent across the regional LDMs.  Full disk GLM, like Conus/Pacus products are also provided at 1-minute and 5-minutes, each with 1-minute updates. A Quick Guide on GLM Full Disk Gridded Products is at this link. 

​​​​​​​Q. I installed the latest TOWR-S RPM but am not seeing the new data advertised for this release (e.g. no Full Disk GLM).
​​​​​​​A:  The majority of new data in Version 20 (Nov 2020) is sourced from the Regional HQ LDMs. Be sure to update LDM configurations.  See the site preparation page.​​ The exception is a set of polar Microwave products: GCOM AMSR2 Ocean and Microwave Imagery, as well as a number of NOAA-20 MiRS ATMS derived products which have been added into the satellite sub-menus. Data flow for these polar products can be sourced by sites, individually, using Data Delivery subscriptions.  Log in to the NWS CLC website here and search for "Data Delivery Focal Point" for more general information on setting up subscriptions. ​​​​​​​

​​​​​​​Q. I haven't updated the TOWR-S RPM in a long time. What if we skipped a release or two?
​​​​​​​A:  It's no problem--installing the latest RPM is the way to go. The TOWR-S RPM releases are cumulative and independent of any previous version (including if you have an older which which contains "GLM-ext" in the name).  It is important to remove any previously installed version before installing the latest.  See the install instructions.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Q. How many TOWR-S RPMs should be installed?
​​​​​​​A:  Just one. There is only one TOWR-S RPM file to install, and currently it is version 20.  It should replace any previous TOWR-S RPM after the old one is first removed.  Version 20 has been staged by NCF for sites on their AWI​​​​​​​PS, see dx1: /data/fxa/INSTALL/towr-rpm/awips2-towrs-sat-two-19.3.3-20.1.noarch.rpm.  The 19.3.3 in the name refers to the earliest version of the baseline to which it will install.  The 20.1 refers to the version number.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Q. GOES-East Fog and Low Stratus (FLS) was released in the Fall of 2020 in the last RPM (v19). Is this still available and where is it in the menu?
​​​​​​​A:  GOES-East FLS was added to the SBN earlier in 2020 and configuration for it was added in TOWR-S RPM v19 (Aug 2020).  The same configuration is maintainted in v20 (Nov 2020). FLS can be pulled up from GOES-East and GOES-West By Sector->Derived Products->East Conus (GOES-West FLS is not yet operationally available).

Q. For the new Conus/Pacus satellite combinations in the Satellite menu, the default is for GOES-East to overlay GOES-West.  How can I reverse it so that GOES-West instead overlays GOES-East?
​​​​​​​A:  It's possible to reverse the precedence so that GOES-West overlays GOES-East, by updating the menu configurations.  See this link for instructions.  ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

​​​​​​​Q. Are there more details on SCATSAT?
​​​​​​​A:  SCATSAT sea surface wind vectors are available in Version 20 and selectable from the Satellite->Derived Products Plots->Scatterometer Winds menu.  This product is similar to the ASCAT wind product in AWIPS, which depicts 10-meter sea surface winds. SCATSAT is still being transitioned by NESDIS, so periodic delays can be expected from the current data source that is flowing over the LDM.  Some additional information on SCATSAT and scatterometer winds can be found in a May 2020 session of the Satellite Book Club presented by Michael Stroz of WFO Charleston, SC.  A SCATSAT overview presentation is also at this link.

​​​​​​​Q. Are there more details on the GOES Cryosphere (Ice) products (Ice Concentration/Thickness and Ice Motion)?
​​​​​​​A:  GOES ice products are 3-hourly, Full Disk products available beginning in Version 20 in their initial "beta" release.  From the GOES-East or GOES-West Full Disk sectors, an "Ice Products (Eval)" sub-menu shows the available fields.  Here is a link to a presentation with more examples and details.  We can expect improvements to the product quality as it matures, as well as updates to the AWIPS look and feel based upon feedback from evaluation this upcoming Winter.  Training/Quick Guide materials are still in development.  ​​​​​​​

​​​​​​​Q. Are there more details on the CIMSS Turbulence product?
​​​​​​​A:  The CIMSS Turbulence Probability product is available beginning in Version 20.  To view the product select Satellite->GOES-East and GOES-West By Sector-> East Conus (or West Conus)->Derived Products->Turbulence Probability (UWSSEC). The product has been developed by CIMSS for the Full Disk, with a turbulence probability map (in units of percent) at a 10-minute cadence. TOWR-S has processed the Full Disk product into tiled, Conus and Pacus sectors to preserve bandwidth, and these are available through the Regional LDMs​​​​​​​. Additional information can be found in a September 2020 session of the Satellite Book Club presented by Tony Wimmers of CIMSS.

​​​​​​​Q. Are there more details on the VIIRS Active Fires product?
​​​​​​​A:  The S-NPP and NOAA-20 VIIRS Active Fires products are available in Version 20.  To view the product select Satellite-> S-NPP and NOAA-20->Derived Products->S-NPP/NOAA-20 VIIRS Active Fires (LDM). The product is operationally available and processed into a format that is compatible with AWIPS and transmitted through the regional LDMs. Here is a link to a presentation with more examples and details.

Q. There are Legacy GOES-15 menu items under Satellite.  Are these going to populate with data?
​​​​​​​A:  ​​​​​​​Although GOES-15 has been de-activated, NESDIS plans to activate the imagery temporarily when GOES-17 (GOES-West) Infrared bands become degraded by seasonal loop heat pipe effects.  Therefore, the menus and configurations remain in AWIPS. The GOES-15 imagery will populate in the AWIPS menus during these times, and activation time(s) will be announced in advance.

 

For the sake of continuity, each office is highly encouraged to install the new TOWR-S RPM. Eventually, these improvements will be in AWIPS baseline releases.

Questions?

If you have any issues installing the RPM, or for any other questions or feedback, please do not hesitate to contact Lee Byerle (lee.byerle@noaa.gov), or John Evans (john.d.evans@noaa.gov), or you can reach us through the NWS Chat by joining the “towr-s” group.