For Global Surveys, continuous sequences of a space view and a blackbody view calibration pair, two nadir views, and three limb views are acquired.

• An entire survey requires 16 orbits (about 26 hours).
• 72 sequences are acquired on each orbit, triggered by passage of the orbital southern apex, which ensures that the same locations are observed repeatedly for the lifetime of the mission.
• Each sequence requires 81.9 seconds to accomplish.
• Each survey is preceded and followed by 2 orbits of pure space and blackbody views for calibration purposes.
• Measurements cover 82(deg) S to 82(deg) N latitude.

TES Global Survey data is available through the Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC) at NASA Langley Research Center.

The following tables describe the spectral ranges of the filters used for Global Survey measurements.

The tables below list the retrieved species (TES L2 standard products) from Global Survey Observations.

The routine operating procedure for the TES is to make continual sets of nadir and limb observations (plus calibrations) on a 1-day-on, 1-day-off cycle. During the off days, extensive calibrations and special product observations are made. An overview of the acquisition process for global survey is shown bellow. The lower part shows how this process is divided into 81.9-second sequences of calibration, nadir and limb observations. The timing is based on the need for the sampling density to be commensurate with the approximately 5� latitude grid of current chemical-dynamic atmospheric models. Furthermore, acquisition is triggered by the crossing of the southernmost point in the orbit (the southern apex). Thus observations are made at the same latitudes during every orbit, and on every 16th day identical locations are sampled. See the Orbit & Coverage page for more details on the global coverage during a typical day of a TES global survey.

(click to enlarge)