ASPB

CIMSS-NOAA Weekly Report
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ASPB AND CIMSS WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 7, 2003

IN THE PRESS:

ITEMS FOR THE ADMINISTRATOR:

ITEMS FOR THE ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR:

ITEMS FOR THE OFFICE DIRECTOR, ORA:

Input Provided for Report to UN on Space-Derived Information for Fire Hazards: E. Prins responded to a request from R. Ohlemacher (Program Coordination Office/Deputy Under Secretary) for input to a report for the United Nations (UN) Science & Technical Subcommittee (STSC) of the UN Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS). The report consists of a gaps analysis for "Fire Hazards." Input includes a review of the current availability and use of space-derived fire information for fire mitigation or response in the United States with a focus on gaps or obstacles in the use of these data in five areas: 1) technical, 2)operational, 3) organizational, 4) financial and 5) educational. (E. Prins, E/RA2, 530-271-2256)

Wildfire ABBA Fire Product Used in Shuttle Analysis: The Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES-8) Wildfire Automated Biomass Burning Algorithm (ABBA) fire products are being used to locate and investigate a possible space shuttle Columbia debris field slightly north of the flight path. National Weather Service (NWS) forecasters at the National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) and the Johnson Space Center are using the Wildfire ABBA fire product to find grass fires that may have been initiated by lighter debris advected to the north of the primary debris field. The Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS) is also looking at some additional GOES Rapid Scan imagery to further investigate short-lived hot spot activity in the region. (C. Schmidt, CIMSS, 608-262-7973, E. Prins, E/RA2, 530-271-2256, R. Rabin, NSSL/CIMSS, 608-263-4030)

ITEMS FOR THE DIVISION CHIEF, ARAD:

Turbulence Signature in GOES and MODIS Water Vapor Imagery: Water vapor channel imagery from two Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES-12 and GOES-8) and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) revealed mountain waves that were responsible for several pilot reports of moderate to severe turbulence over the mid-Atlantic states on February 4, 2003. Water vapor brightness temperatures were about 1.4 K warmer on GOES-12 compared to GOES-8, due in part to the spectrally wider water vapor channel on GOES-12. The improved spatial resolution (4 kilometer) of the GOES-12 water vapor channel also allowed for better detection of the mountain waves, though not to the degree possible using 1 kilometer resolution MODIS water vapor data. Image examples and animations are available on the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS) GOES Gallery (http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/goes/misc/030204/030204.html). (S. Bachmeier, CIMSS, 608-263-3958, M. Gunshor, CIMSS)

Compilation of Multi-year Cloud Information from GOES Sounder. Since November 1997 cloud information, including average cloud top pressure, effective cloud amount, and average clear and cloudy brightness temperatures based on radiances from the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) Sounder have been compiled and archived. The first 26 month period of these data was been used in the journal paper "Observations and trends of clouds based on GOES sounder" (J. Geophys. Res., 106, 2001). It is now possible to look at inter annual diurnal trends of cloud properties based on the GOES Sounder radiances with the five year data set. (T. Schreiner , CIMSS, 608-263-6754)

(Click on image to enlarge)

GOES Sounder DPI Improved for IHOP: Derived Product Images (DPI) from the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) Sounder, made at the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS), were found to be suboptimal during periods of the International H2O Project (IHOP) in the spring of 2002, with anomalous losses of coverage in seemingly clear regions due to retrieval failures. Recent experimentation with noise thresholds in the retrieval algorithm showed markedly improved spatial coverage for the case of June 12, 2002. Correction was also required to the ancillary surface observation data for a few hours on that day. The improved DPI have been included in a poster for presentation at the February 2003 American Meteorological Society (AMS) Annual Meeting. (G. Wade, E/RA2, 608-263-4743)

Clear Sky Reflectances from AVHRR and MODIS Compared: Clear sky reflectances from the Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) and the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) were compared for April, 2003. MODIS data were processed using the cloud mask developed at the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS); the AVHRR data was processed using the Clouds from AVHRR Experimental System (CLAVR-x) system that is currently being implemented into NOAA's Satellite and Information operationals. Results from the two products indicate rough agreement between the two cloud masks. Close inspection reveals the improvement offered by MODIS’s additional channels in some regions. (A. Heidinger, E/RA2, 608-263-6757, R. Frey, CIMSS, 608-265-5354)

(Click on images to enlarge)
Figure caption: These two figures show the mean clear sky 0.65 micron reflectance observed by MODIS (top) and NOAA-16/AVHRR (bottom) for April, 2003. Evident is the considerable Northern Hemisphere snow cover as well as other surface features.

Paper Submitted on Satellite Clouds in a Regional Climate Model: A paper titled "A Study of the Antarctic Surface Energy Budget Using a Coupled Regional Climate Model Forced with Satellite-Derived Cloud Properties" was submitted to Monthly Weather Review. The paper is co-authored by M. Pavolonis (Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies, CIMSS), J. Key, and J. Cassano (University of Colorado). Results from a study of forcing a regional climate model with satellite-derived clouds over Antarctica are presented. (J. Key, E/RA2, 608-263-2605)

Manuscript and GOES Users Conference Report Reviews: T. Schmit reviewed a manuscript for the Journal of Applied Meteorology titled "Solar Stray Light Effects in Meteosat Radiances and Operational Monitoring at ECMWF". He also reviewed a draft version of the report from the Second Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) Users' Conference. (T. Schmit, E/RA2, 608-263-0291)

VISITORS:

NEXT WEEK:

AMS Annual Meeting Participation: Several ASPT members will be attending the American Meteorological Society (AMS) 12th Satellite and Oceanography Conference in Long Beach Conference. T. Schmit will present a poster on the channel selection of the next generation imager, along with presenting four other posters. E. Prins will present a two-year analysis of fire activity in the western hemisphere as observed with the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) Wildfire Automated Biomass Burning Algorithm, and will chair the environmental applications section. R. Aune will present evaluating water vapor and cloud retrievals from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) over Antarctica. (T. Schmit, E/RA2, 608-263-0291, E. Prins, E/RA2, 608-263-6607, R. Aune, E/RA2, 608-262-1071)

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