CIMSS-NOAA Weekly Report [ Archive ]

ASPB AND CIMSS WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 13, 2019

IN THE PRESS:

SSEC and CIMSS Scientists in the News: Scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW) Space Science and Engineering Center (SSEC) and the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS) provide expert commentary, interviews, and imagery to news media and participate in events to promote science. In the news this week: 1) CIMSS Satellite Blog contributor Scott Bachmeier published posts on "Cold air over the Upper Midwest" (Dec. 10), "and Eruption of the Whakaari volcano on White Island, New Zealand" (Dec. 9). Read more at the CIMSS Satellite Blog: http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/goes/blog/. (S. Bachmeier, CIMSS, J. Phillips, SSEC, 608-262-8164)

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Figure: The Whakaari volcano on White Island, New Zealand erupted on Dec. 9, 2019. Visible images from JMA Himawari-8 and GOES-17 (GOES-West) captured the brief eruption and showed the small volcanic cloud as it fanned out east of the island. Credit: CIMSS 

ITEMS FOR THE ADMINISTRATOR:

ITEMS FOR THE ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR:

ITEMS FOR THE OFFICE DIRECTOR, STAR:

Manuscript on dust top height and optical depth retrieval from hyperspectral IR sounder observations published: A manuscript titled "Extracting Taklimakan Dust Parameters from AIRS with Artificial Neural Network Method" has been published in Remote Sensing (11, 2931; doi:10.3390/rs11242931). Results show that the dust top heights derived from the combined AIRS (Atmospheric InfraRed Sounder) brightness temperature measurements and MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) deep blue AOD (aerosol optical depth) product have better accuracy than those from AIRS measurements alone. The method and approaches can be applied to process measurements from advanced infrared (IR) sounder and high-resolution imager onboard the same platform. Coauthors are Z. Yao (IAP/CAS), Jun Li (CIMSS/UW-Madison) et al. (Jun Li, CIMSS, 608-262-3755, Jun.Li@ssec.wisc.edu)

Manuscript on the Assimilation of All-Sky Infrared Brightness Temperatures Published: A manuscript entitled “Assimilation of all-sky SEVIRI infrared brightness temperatures with nonlinear bias corrections in a regional-scale ensemble data assimilation system” was published in the December issue of Monthly Weather Review (https://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/abs/10.1175/MWR-D-19-0133.1). Jason Otkin (CIMSS) and Roland Potthast (German DWD) are the co-authors of this paper. (J. Otkin, CIMSS, 608-265-2476)

ITEMS FOR THE DIVISION CHIEF, CoRP:

CIMSS sparks discussion on ABI "Shark Fin" Imagery Anomaly: Researchers from NOAA/ASPB and the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS) investigated an anomaly sometimes seen in Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES)-16 and -17 Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) imagery which has been previously nicknamed "shark fin" (appears as a triangle of missing data). Preliminary analysis was presented by CIMSS at the weekly GOES-R Calibration Working Group (CWG) meeting, which showed not only the triangular missing data, but that data around the "shark fin" are distorted and not flagged as bad. It is currently unknown what causes this phenomenon, why it only affects a few bands at a time, and why it frequently appears with another anomaly known as "caterpillar tracks" (thought to be caused by dropped packets prior to data reaching the ground system). CWG personnel are continuing to investigate it with GOES-R Ground System personnel. (M. Gunshor, CIMSS, T. Schmit, E/RA2, 608-263-0291, tim.j.schmit@noaa.gov)

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Figure: Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES)-17 Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) band 10 imagery showing the "shark fin" (appears as a triangle of missing data), a "caterpillar track" (highlighted with a yellow arrow), and the distorted data next to the shark fin anomaly. From the western edge of the December 7, 2019, at 01:10:34 UTC full disk.

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