CIMSS-NOAA Weekly Report
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ASPB AND CIMSS WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE WEEK ENDING JANUARY 12, 2007

IN THE PRESS:

ITEMS FOR THE ADMINISTRATOR:

ITEMS FOR THE ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR:

ITEMS FOR THE OFFICE DIRECTOR, STAR:

Satellite Applications Meeting at Milwaukee/Sullivan NWS Office: Following the recent inclusion of various experimental satellite products from the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS) in the National Weather Service (NWS) Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS) environment at the Milwaukee/Sullivan(WI) NWS Office, a meeting was arranged for CIMSS and ASPB researchers and NWS forecasters to discuss how the effort was proceeding and how to continue to foster collaboration between the groups. Educational presentations were given on a number of CIMSS satellite products, either available now or anticipated shortly, including imagery and/or other data from (1) the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), (2) the CIMSS Regional Assimilation System (CRAS) forecast model, and (3) the Satellite-based Nowcasting and Aviation Application Program (SNAAP). Both CRAS and SNAAP products are generated with input data from the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES). From forecaster feedback, several satellite focus topics will be pursued, including but not limited to: MODIS sea surface temperatures (SST) as for Lake Michigan, model forecast imagery, and its validation, assessment of the SNAAP convective initiation (CI) product around Wisconsin, and an investigation into developing some short term forecast aid for fog and low ceiling situations. (G.S. Wade, E/RA2, 608-263-4743, gary.s.wade@noaa.gov; R. M. Aune, E/RA2, 608-262-1071; J. P. Craven, NWS-MKX, 262-965-5061; K. Rizzo, NWS-MKX, 262-965-5061; K. I. Strabala, CIMSS, 608-263-8752; A. S. Bachmeier, CIMSS, 608-263-3958; W. F. Feltz, CIMSS, 608-265-6283)

NRC Fellow Completes Year at CIMSS: Dr. Iliana Genkova completed a one year National Research Council (NRC) fellowship at the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS) in January 2007.  Working with Dr. Paul Menzel and Chris Velden, she made considerable progress on tracking features in retrieval fields to produce height resolved wind vectors.  The height assignment currently introduces the largest error in the assimilation of atmospheric motion fields inferred from cloud tracking.  Her contribution will significantly diminsh the effects of the height assignment errors and increase the impact of motion vectors in data assimilation and numerical weather forecast models.  She will continue this work at CIMSS as an associate scientist in the coming year. (W.P. Menzel, CIMSS, 608-263-4930)

New Wind Data Access Method for Navy: By request of the Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceangraphy Center (FNMOC) of the U.S. Navy, wind data files generated by the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS) and STAR using the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) are now available via Secure Sockets Layer (SSL, using https rather than http), which encrypts the data before transfer.  Previously, CIMSS "pushed" the unencrypted data to FNMOC, but new Navy security policies will prohibit that method of transfer. This may have implications for other NESDIS data used by FNMOC. (J. Key, E/RA2, 608-263-2605, jkey@ssec.wisc.edu, D. Stettner, CIMSS, 608-262-8850, S. Wanzong, CIMSS, D. Santek, CIMSS, C. Velden, CIMSS)

GOES-R Tri-Fold Handout: Several reviews, information, and images were given to support the update of the GOES-R tri-fold pamphlet. This effort was in conjunction with the GOES-R program office. The pamphlets will be available in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) booth at the American Meteorological Society (AMS) annual meeting. The pamphlet summarizes the GOES-R instruments and advertises the next GOES Users' Conference (in January of 2008) associated with the next annual AMS Meeting.

           
 (Click images to enlarge)

Caption: First (left) and second (right) pages of the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES)-R tri-fold pamphlet.

ITEMS FOR THE DIVISION CHIEF, CoRP:

Input Provided to NASA for Extending Terra Mission: Input on the importance of the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) polar wind product in numerical weather prediction was provided to NASA for potential use in a Terra proposal to extend the Terra mission.  (J. Key, E/RA2, 608-263-2605, jkey@ssec.wisc.edu)

Analysis of Alternatives Activities: T. Schmit participated in Analysis of Alternatives (AoA) telcons on January 5, 8 and 9.   The meetings covered presentations on the Geosynchronous Imaging Fourier Transform Spectrometer (GIFTS) and the Hyperspectral Environmental Suite (HES) by a vendor. The goal of the AoA group is to investigate future options due to the de-manifestation of the Hyperspectral Environmental Suite (HES) on the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES)-R. (T. Schmit, E/RA2, 608-263-0291, tim.j.schmit@noaa.gov)

GEOSS Americas: T. Schmit was invited to be on the technical team for the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES)-10 effort. The Earth Observation Partnership of the Americas (EOPA) is now being called GEOSS Americas.  GEOSS Americas is a partnership with countries in Latin and South America to improve observations and their utilization in the region.  A telecon was held on January 10. (T. Schmit, E/RA2, 608-263-0291, tim.j.schmit@noaa.gov)

Abtsract Submitted to 15th Satellite Meteorology & Oceanography Conference: An abstract titled "All-sky soundings from geostationary infrared sounder radiances" has been submitted to the 2007 EUMETSAT Meteorological Satellite Conference and the 15th Satellite Meteorology & Oceanography Conference of the American Meteorological Society to be held in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, September 24-28 2007.  Co-authors are Jun Li, Jinlong Li, Elisabeth Weisz (CIMSS), and Tim Schmit (STAR).  (Jun Li, CIMSS, 608-262-3755, Jun.Li@ssec.wisc.edu)

Other Meetings and Telecons:

None.

VISITORS:

NEXT WEEK:  

T. Schmit will travel to the Annual American Meteorological Society (AMS) Meeting in  San Antonio, TX for the Third Symposium on Future National Operational Environmental Satellites conference. T. Schmit has two posters (one on the Advanced Baseline Imager  (ABI) versus the current Sounder and the other poster is a Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES)-R instrument overview), plus T. Schmit will give a talk on the ABI. The presentations are available upon request.

LOOKING AHEAD:


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