TDC: Data Dissemination
The figure above shows how NOAA Trans-Pacific Profiler Network (TPPN) data are disseminated. The communication of station data from the Pacific basin is accomplished primarily through the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) system. The pertinent GOES satellite that covers most of the Pacific is referred to as GOES West. GOES is managed by NOAA/NESDIS (National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service). NESDIS receives data from GOES at the Wallops Island ground station. Data received are automatically re-broadcast over the DOMSAT (domestic satellite) system for domestic users. Properly coded and authorized data are also sent to the National Weather Service (NWS) Gateway for placement on the Global Telecommunication System (GTS). The NWS Telecommunications Gateway software must be programmed to enable the transfer of data from a site onto the GTS. Once placed on the GTS, individual centers need to request the data be routed to their center.
The near real-time wind observations from the TPPN on this web site are derived from the same data stream provided to the meteorological community for forecasting purposes. More detailed observations are recorded at each site to support tropical dynamics and climate research. These observations are recorded on removable media and sent back by mail to TDC for post processing. TDC maintains an archive of historical profiler observations from the TPPN.