CIMSS-NOAA Weekly Report
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ASPB AND CIMSS WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 3, 2006

IN THE PRESS:

ITEMS FOR THE ADMINISTRATOR:

ITEMS FOR THE ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR:

Cryosphere Product Specifications Provided for Inclusion in CEOS Plan: A recent World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Secretariat meeting (January 9-11, 2006) was held to discuss the development of a Committee on Earth Observing Satellites (CEOS) plan of activities contributing to climate observations. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change recently accepted the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) Implementation Plan (GIP) and requested that a coordinated plan of actions for observations be produced.  In response, GCOS is producing a document that defines a set of CEOS-generated satellite products with a 5-10 year perspective. For completeness, the Integrated Global Observing Strategy (IGOS) Themes were asked for input.  (Both CEOS and GCOS are IGOS Partners.)  As lead of the IGOS Cryosphere Theme, J. Key and the IGOS Cryosphere Team provided documents on specific cryosphere products that will be considered for inclusion in the CEOS plan.  (J. Key, E/RA2, 608-263-2605, jeff.key@noaa.gov)

Significance:
CEOS serves as the focal point for international coordination of space related Earth observation activities. NESDIS is a charter CEOS member, participating in the Secretariat.  NESDIS chaired CEOS in 2003. The IGOS Cryosphere Theme will help define an integrated, coordinated, global observing strategy for the cryosphere.  The Global Earther Observing System of Systems (GEOSS) implementation plan reference document further recommends to "Support implementation of actions called for in GCOS Implementation Plan and the relevant IGOS-P Theme Reports". Vice Admiral (Ret.) Lautenbacher is a GEO co-chair.

NOAA Mission Goal:
Understand Climate Variability and Change to Enhance Society's Ability to Plan and Respond
Serve Society's Needs for Weather and Water Information
Support the Nation's Commerce with Information for Safe, Efficient, and Environmentally Sound Transportation

NOAA Cross-Cutting Priorities:
Sound, Reliable State-of-the-Art Research
Integrating Global Environmental Observations and Data Management

ITEMS FOR THE OFFICE DIRECTOR, STAR:

ITEMS FOR THE DIVISION CHIEF, CoRP

Revised "GOES Sounder Data and Products" VISIT Lesson: A revised version of the "Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) Sounder Data and Products" Virtual Institute for Satellite Integration Training (VISIT) lesson was completed and added to the VISIT training calendar. Fourteen (14) National Weather Service offices participated in the first two Sounder distance learning sessions conducted on January 31 and February 3, 2005. (S. Bachmeier, CIMSS, 608-263-3958)

AVHRR Historical Calibration Data Provided to NASA Ames: A new set of Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) reflectance calibration coefficients was provided to Kathy Pagan, a contractor at NASA Ames Research Center.  Her project involves the reprocessing of the AVHRR data over California and is focused on studying the climate variability in vegetation and hydrology.  The reflectance calibration data was developed within STAR and supported by STAR's AVHRR reprocessing project. (A. Heidinger, E/RA2, 608-263-6757, andrew.heidinger@noaa.gov)

American Meteorological Society Annual Meeting: M. Pavolonis, T. Schmit, Jun Li, Zhenglong Li, Chian-Yi Liu, Xuanji Wang, Richard Dworak, and other Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studis (CIMSS) scientists and students participated in the annual American Meteorological Society (AMS) meeting in Atlanta, GA.  Pavolonis gave a poster on volcanic ash detection and height retrievals. Schmit gave an oral presentation on the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES)-R Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) and a poster on the GOES-N Sounder.  J. Li had a poster on the synergy of ABI and HES for atmospheric and cloud products.  Z. Li had a poster on using time continuity for sounding retrieval from GOES data.  Liu gave a poster on cloud-clearing of AIRS radiances using MODIS.  Wang had a poster on satellite-derived diurnal cycles of surface radiation in the Arctic.  Dworak gave a poster on a historical AVHRR polar wind data set.  Schmit is beginning a three-year term as a member on the AMS satellite committee. (M. Pavolonis, E/RA2, 608-263-9597, Mike.Pavolonis@noaa.gov, T. Schmit, E/RA2, 608-263-0291, tim.j.schmit@noaa.gov, J. Li, CIMSS, 608-262-3755, J. Key, E/RA2, 608-263-2605, jeff.key@noaa.gov).

New AMS Satellite Committee Member: T. Schmit is beginning a three-year term as a member on the American Meteorological Society's (AMS) satellite committee. (T. Schmit, E/RA2, 608-263-0291, tim.j.schmit@noaa.gov)

Other Meetings and Telecons:
(None)

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