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SAC-C
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Background on the SAC-C Experiment
In the year 2000, the Argentinian satellite SAC-C was launched
carrying a new generation of GPS receivers, the "Blackjack", developed at JPL.
The mission is managed by the Argentinian CONAE, which will
be the other main data processing center for SAC-C occultations.
On July 7th. the SAC-C Blackjack captured its
first profile and has since been collecting up
to 250 daily occultations during much of 2001. This receiver
has enhanced capabilities over the older generation GPS/MET
instrument which include "enhanced
codeless" tracking (i.e., the ability to track the encrypted
GPS signals), higher signal-to-noise ratio, and lower tracking
in the atmosphere. The Blackjack GPS receiver is capturing high
vertical resolution profiles over land and oceans and is
providing data complementary to other sounding
techniques. From this point on, the amount of data is expected
to increase with ongoing enhancements of the receiver's
software.
JPL ftp server for SAC-C data
Early Results from SAC-C
(a) Nearly coincident profiles from CHAMP and SAC-C
and the corresponding profiles from semi-daily NCEP analyses
interpolated to the heights, locations, and times of the
GPS occultations.
(b) Map of the geometry of the
CHAMP (at 45E) and SACC (at 50E)
occultation shown shown in 1.a. The spread of the points
indicates the drift of the tangent point during the occultation.
The lines indicate the direction of the occultation links
extended over 200 km. The CHAMP and SAC-C occultations are
separated by 300 km and occurred on July 11,
2001 at 1600 and 1800 UTC, respectively. )
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