science data visualization tools for the Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer ground data system

Abstract

The Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES) instrument seeks to analyze the chemical composition of the atmosphere based on the emission, absorption, and transmission of infrared radiation. Meeting the scientific objectives requires demanding analysis of the data being collected and processed. Visualization tools will assist in the understanding of the data and of the effects of the various types of processing being performed. The TES visualization tools are designed to verify correct functioning; of the instrument, provide early detection of potential problems, and report on the quality and validity of the science data for drawing scientific conclusions. Visualization displays include the Level III tools for displaying the end result of all the processing, merged and georeferenced for display relative to maps or global images, and displays for characterizing the behavior of the science processing algorithms and exploring the effects of implementation decisions. Displays of interest include plots of spectra and profiles, animations showing variations in the data along spatial or temporal axes, and results of various operations on the data. Together, these tools provide a visualization suite for more rapidly analyzing the science results of the TES instrument and detecting and identifying problems in the instrument or processing system.