The TES Ground Data System defines mission-operation scenarios, and receives and processes data from the TES instrument on the Aura satellite. Standard Products are produced at the Science Investigator Processing System (SIPS), located at the Raytheon ITSS facility in Pasadena. Except for conversion of the raw data stream back to interferograms, all Special Products are produced at the Science Computing Facility (SCF) at JPL. The SCF also supports algorithm development, quality control, and validation analysis.

The diagram below illustrates the relationship between NASA's Earth Observation System (EOS) and TES Ground Systems and their major components.

(click to enlarge)

The EOS Data and Information System (EOSDIS) Core System (ECS) provides four main elements that support TES. The ground stations are responsible for capturing telemetry radiated Earthward from the Aura spacecraft. Telemetry is transmitted in two streams: a low-rate stream containing engineering data used to monitor instrument health and safety, and a high-rate stream used for transmitting science data and other high-volume data. Low-rate engineering data are transmitted to the EOS Operations Center (EOC), which is responsible for monitoring the health and safety of the Aura spacecraft and all instruments on board. The TES Principle Investigator (PI) retains ultimate responsibility for operating TES.

Once received at the ground station, the high-rate data are transmitted electronically to the EOS Data and Operations System (EDOS), which is responsible for processing the raw telemetry stream into Level 0 data sets (the raw data from each separate instrument). After processing, EDOS transmits the Level 0 data to the Langley Research Center (LaRC) Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC). The DAAC provides long-term storage of TES data products, as well as data-ordering-and-distribution services for the larger scientific community. The DAAC is the focal point for collecting the externally generated data sets required for TES standard-data processing. Data sets such as the climate models produced by the Goddard Meteorological Assimilation Office (GMAO) are first transmitted to the DAAC, which archives a copy of the data, and then transmits it to the SIPS for use in production processing.

Level 1A: Produces geolocated interferograms. (Click to enlarge)		Level 1B: Produces radiometrically and frequency calibrated spectra with NESR (noise equivalent spectral radiance). (Click to enlarge)		Level 2: Produces VMR and temperature profiles. (Click to enlarge)		Level 3: Produces global maps. (Click to enlarge)
References: ATBD's: http://eospso.gsfc.nasa.gov/eos_homepage/for_scientists/atbd/ Worden, J.; Sund-Kulawik, S.; Shephard, M. W.; Clough, S. A.; Worden, H.; Bowman, K.; Goldman, A. "Predicted errors of tropospheric emission spectrometer nadir retrievals from spectral window selection" J. Geophys. Res., Vol. 109, No. D9, D09308 10.1029/2004JD004522 15 May 2004

The TES SIPS is responsible for production processing of global-survey data. The SIPS produces standard data products at Levels 1B, 2 and 3, and transmits them back to the DAAC. The DAAC provides archival storage for Level 0, Level 1B, Level 2 and Level 3 standard data products.

The TES Science Computing Facility (SCF) supports the development of TES science algorithms and the software required for standard- and special-products processing, data-quality operations, and scientific research.

To access TES data, contact the DAAC at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC DAAC) or NASA's Earth Observing System Data Gateway (EDG).