Journal Article

Long-Term Assessment of Inter-Sensor Radiometric Biases Among SNPP, NOAA-20, NOAA-21 ATMS, and NOAA-19 AMSU-A Instruments Using the NOAA ICVS Framework

Zhou, Lihang, Iturbide-Sanchez, Flavio, Cao, Changyong, Yan, Banghua, Sun, Ninghai

2026

Overview

This study evaluates mission-long inter-sensor radiometric calibration biases in Sensor Data Record (SDR) and/or Temperature Data Record (TDR) radiances from NOAA microwave sounders, including Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS) (Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership or SNPP, NOAA-20, NOAA-21) and Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-A (AMSU-A) (NOAA-19). Using four complementary validation techniques within the Inter-Sensor Radiometric Bias Assessment (iSensor-RCBA) system—32-day averaging, Community Radiative Transfer Model (CRTM) Double Difference (DD), Simultaneously Nadir Overpass (SNO), and sensor-DD via SNO—we characterize long-term performance. Results indicate that the SDR/TDR radiance quality remains stable and generally meets scientific requirements throughout their operational lifetimes with minimal anomalies; observed anomalies were infrequent and primarily correlated with calibration-table updates or spacecraft events or instrument degradation. Moreover, this research examines how radiometric calibration biases for the three ATMS instruments vary with Earth scene radiance or temperatures using the CRTM and SNO methods, as well as the radiance-dependency of inter-sensor calibration biases across the three instruments. Notably, due to its exceptional stability over 14 years, despite an approximate two-month data gap, the SNPP ATMS TDR and SDR datasets are recommended as the ideal reference to link legacy AMSU-A and Microwave Humidity Sounder (MHS) with Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS), QuickSounder, and MetOp-Second Generation (MetOp-SG) microwave instruments. Beyond quantifying data quality, our multi-method framework with iSensor-RCBA effectively diagnosed critical issues, including a simulation error for CRTM ATMS radiance related to the CRTM spectral-response approximation and a NOAA-19 AMSU-A channel-8 performance anomaly. These findings confirm the long-term integrity of NOAA microwave sounder records and reinforce the value of integrated cross-sensor calibration assessments.

• Publisher: MDPI AG
• Subject: Accuracy / Analysis / Anomalies / ATMS instruments onboard the SNPP / Bias / Calibration / Data collection / Datasets / Earth / earth radiance-dependency of radiometric calibration biases / Errors / Evaluation / Freight cars / Humidity / Information management / long-term inter-sensor radiometric calibration biases / Microwave devices / Microwave sounding / NOAA-19 AMSU-A instrument / NOAA-20 and NOAA-21 / Radiance / Radiative transfer / Response functions / Satellite constellations / satellite microwave SDR (TDR) reference / Satellites / Sensors / Space ships / Space vehicles / Spacecraft / Stability / Stratosphere / Temperature / Weather forecasting