CIMSS-NOAA Weekly Report [ Archive ]

ASPB AND CIMSS WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE WEEK ENDING MARCH 27, 2020

PRODUCTS AND APPLICATIONS:

Critical Design Review for Enterprise Snow Fraction: A Critical Design Review (CDR) was held on March 25, 2020 for the Enterprise Algorithm Migration Snow Cover project. Yinghui Liu (STAR), Aaron Letterly (Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies, CIMSS), Jeff Key (STAR), and Peter Romanov (CREST) participated and presented their assessment of two snow fraction algorithms, one of which is to be selected as the Enterprise algorithm for use with both the JPSS Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) and the GOES-R series Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI). One of the snow cover/snow fraction algorithms is currently used operationally with VIIRS; the other is the ABI baseline snow fraction algorithm that is not yet operational. Lacking ground truth for snow fraction, quantitative comparisons were made between snow fraction from ABI data with the baseline algorithm, ABI with the VIIRS algorithm, AVHRR with the VIIRS algorithm, VIIRS with the VIIRS algorithm, and Landsat. The VIIRS algorithm was shown to be more accurate and consistent from hour-to-hour than the ABI baseline algorithm, and was recommended by the team to be the Enterprise algorithm for the future. (J. Key, E/RA2, 608-263-2605, jeff.key@noaa.gov; A. Letterly, CIMSS, 608-890-1981; Y. Liu, E/RA2, 608-890-1893, yinghui.liu@noaa.gov)

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AWARDS AND RECOGNITION:

PUBLICATIONS:

WORKSHOPS, CONFERENCES, AND MEETINGS:

TRAINING AND EDUCATION:

Training in Myanmar: Scott Lindstrom,Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS), spent the week of 9-13 March 2020 in Naypyidaw, Myanmar, at the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology giving Synoptic Meteorology instruction/training to about two dozen members of that Department. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO)-sponsored training, funded through COMET, was originally scheduled for two weeks but was cut short because of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19); the second week of instruction is scheduled now for November. (Scott Lindstrom, CIMSS, 608 263 4425)

NUCAPS Training Video created for WFO Columbia SC: Scott Lindstrom of the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS) recorded a training video on NOAA-Unique Combined Atmospheric Profiling System (NUCAPS) data for the National Weather Service forecast office in Columbia SC, at the request of the Science and Operations Officer (SOO) at the office. The presentation was originally meant to be presented remotely during the Office's Spring Severe Workshop but that event was cancelled because of COVID. The training video is online at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dh_bO7-ZiY. (Scott Lindstrom, CIMSS, 608 263 4425)

MEDIA AND OUTREACH:

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) SSEC Communications published the SSEC Biennial Report 2018-2019: https://go.wisc.edu/kx8g08. 2) CIMSS Satellite Blog contributors Scott Bachmeier and Scott Lindstrom published posts on the "Year-long Animations of Visible and Infrared Images" (Mar. 26), "Anomalously-strong jet stream winds over Col orado" (Mar. 25), "Fire activity across southern Mexico" (Mar. 25), "Lake Erie mesovortex, and an undular bore over the Dakotas" (Mar. 24), "Vernal Equinox 2020" (Mar. 20). Read more at the CIMSS Satellite Blog (https://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/satellite-blog/). (S. Lindstrom, CIMSS, S. Bachmeier, CI MSS, J. Phillips, SSEC, 608-262-8164)

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Figure: Space Science and Engineering Center Biennial Report, 2018-2019.

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Figure: Animation of GOES-16 true color images created with CIMSS Geo2Grid software showing northward smoke transport from widespread Mexican fire activity on March 25, 2020. Credit: CIMSS.

OTHER: