The Solar Ultraviolet Imager (SUVI) on GOES-16 is NOAA's operational solar extreme-ultraviolet imager. On 2017 September 06 and September 10 SUVI observed large solar eruptions associated with X-class solar flares. The files presently available prior to SUVI data's promotion to Provisional status as a community service to the solar physics community who are studying these events.

The SUVI files provided in FITS format in these directories are test files produced by NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information in Boulder, Colorado. These data are processed from Level-0 SUVI files in Boulder, and are not necessarily representative of what data SUVI users will encounter in GOES-R Rebroadcast (GRB) produced by the GOES-R Ground Segment. The file metadata are populated with as much information as possible for users to interpret these observations, but some fields may be missing. Users requiring assistance with these files can contact the NCEI SUVI team by emailing goesr.suvi@noaa.gov.

Data are provided in estimated radiometric units of radiance (W/m^2 sr^-1) and have had all appropriate calibration steps applied. SUVI's nominal observational sequence includes long (1 s) and short (0.005 s) exposures to extend the instrumental dynamic range during flares. Short exposures in the 94 and 131 channels are further subdivided into images with one focal-plane filter and images with two focal-plane filters, to further protect from saturation during large flares. Users can determine which variety of observation a file is by inspecting the SCI_OBJ or EXPTIME, FILTER1, and FILTER2 FITS keywords. Because data are converted to radiometric units, all data have been time-normalized. 

These files are considered a pathfinder for SUVI files to be distributed via both the Virtual Solar Observatory and Helioviewer projects at a later date. Users are strongly encouraged to report anomalies or send other comments or questions about the files and data therein to the SUVI team via the email address above. The NCEI team will update these files to correct known errors and address user comments on a best-effort basis. User feedback will drive changes and optimization of files for realtime distribution once this service commences.

DATA NOTE & DISCLAIMER

SUVI was in non-operational status at the time of these observations, and only preliminary validation for the calibration of these data has been completed, so the user bears all responsibility for inspecting the data prior to use and for the manner in which the data are used. These observations are not appropriate for space weather forecasting activities.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT & DATA USE POLICY

Do not redistribute these files. Refer all users to the NCEI file distribution site at:

https://data.ngdc.noaa.gov/platforms/solar-space-observing-satellites/

More information about the GOES-R Space Weather instruments and data is available at:

https://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/stp/satellite/goes-r.html

Publication of the SUVI instrument paper is anticipated in 2018. Users of these data files should refer to the paper announcing their availability and briefly describing the SUVI instrument:

Seaton, D.B. & Darnel, J.M. 2017, ApJL, submitted.

A preprint of the paper will be available when the review process is complete. For users who require more immediate access we will provide a copy of our working draft of the paper. Contact goesr.suvi@noaa.gov for more information.

Where possible, users should acknowledge use of GOES data with the AAS Facilities keyword:

http://journals.aas.org/authors/aastex/facility.html

This README file was first published 2018-Dec-07.