Accuracy and Precision of GOES Data Collection Platforms for Temperature Measurements
Abstract
This report describes an analysis of the accuracy and precision of data transmitted by 12 Data Collection Platforms (DCPs) over a one-month period. The DCPs were installed on the Monogahela, Ohio and Illinois rivers. A reference resistor with a known and stable resistance was installed at each DCP site. Comparison of the resistance calculated from the transmitted information with the actual resistance of the reference resistor allowed the accuracy and precision of the measurements made by the DCP to be determined. Four brands of DCPs were included in the test; two had 8-bit resolution and two had 12-bit resolution. The results were analyzed with respect to the nominal accuracy provided by the manufacturer and the expected analog-to-digital quantizing error. This error explained most of the imprecision of the 8-bit DCPs but only part of the imprecision of the 12-bit DCPs. A large bias for some of the results was apparently caused by an impedance mismatch. A means of correcting the data based on the reference resistor measurement is proposed. Keywords: GOES (geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites), Flood level monitoring, Precipitation rates, Water temperatures, Hydrometeorological data, Remote sensing.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1989
- Accession Number
- ADA218798
Entities
People
- Charles H. Clark
- Steven F. Daly
- Timothy Pangburn
Organizations
- Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory