About Air Mass

Air Mass RGB is used to diagnose the environment surrounding synoptic systems by enhancing temperature and moisture characteristics of airmasses. Cyclogenesis can be inferred by the identification of warm, dry, ozone-rich descending stratospheric air associated with jet streams and potential vorticity (PV) anomalies. The RGB can be used to validate the location of PV anomalies in model data. Additionally, this RGB can distinguish between polar and tropical airmasses, especially along upper-level frontal boundaries and identify high-, mid-, and low-level clouds.

• For more details, see the Air Mass RGB Guide, (PDF, 1.1 MB)

*GOES-17 Infrared Image Quality

During post-launch testing of the GOES-17 ABI instrument, an issue with the instrument's cooling system was discovered. The loop heat pipe (LHP) subsystem, which transfers heat from the ABI electronics to the radiator, is not operating at its designed capacity. The consequence of this is that the ABI detectors cannot be maintained at their intended temperatures under certain orbital conditions. This is preventing adequate cooling for some of the infrared (IR) channels on the instrument during parts of the night, leading to partial loss of ABI imagery. Learn more.