Enhancement lookup tables are used to improve the quality of GOES digital infrared (IR) imagery, and to help the user easily identify specific cloud top temperature ranges. The tables are used to alter the output image brightness (or color) value for various input brightness temperature ranges. The original tables were developed in the 1970's for "GOES-tap" images, and thus displayed images in shades of gray. They continue to be used today on Man-computer Interactive Data Access System (McIDAS) and Advanced Weather Interactive Processing Systems (AWIPS) image displays. Below are images, graphs, and tables that show "break point" temperatures, and gray scale or color outputs for some of the more commonly used enhancements. A sample image from GOES-8 is also provided for each curve. Text descriptions are also available for some of the curves. For more information on enhancement techniques, visit the Operational Products Development Branch (OPDB) Remote Sensing Tutorial.

Color Enhancements:

• Fog Depth (Graph, Image, Description)
• "Rainbow Top" IR enhancement
• "Rainbow top" WV enhancement