CIMSS-NOAA Weekly Report
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ASPB AND CIMSS WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 20, 2006

IN THE PRESS:

ITEMS FOR THE ADMINISTRATOR:

ITEMS FOR THE ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR

Third Integrated Global Observing Strategy Cryosphere Workshop: The third Integrated Global Observing Strategy (IGOS) Cryosphere Theme Workshop was held October 16-18, 2006 at the European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) in the Netherlands, the largest site and the technical heart of the European Space Agency (ESA). The workshop brought together representatives from research institutions and government agencies to work on the identification of the major issues regarding a common and integrated observational strategy for snow and ice cover, permafrost and seasonally frozen land, glaciers, ice sheets, and ice caps, and solid precipitation. The 24 participants were from the Russia, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Norway, Germany, Austria, Japan, U.S., and Canada, and included a represenative from the Group on Earth Observations (GEO). It was sponsored by sponsored by the European Space Agency (ESA), NESDIS, the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), NASA, and the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP). J. Key is the lead on the IGOS Cryosphere Theme and organized the workshop. (J. Key, E/RA2, 608-263-2605, jeff.key@noaa.gov)

Significance:
The Group on Earth Observations (GEO) Framework Document, 2004, states that the design approach for the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) builds on existing systems and data, as well as existing documentation describing observational needs in these areas.  The IGOS Theme Reports play a primary role in this regard, as indicated in the GEO 2005 10-Year GEOSS implementation plan: "An integrated observation strategy (i.e. one that is coordinated, co-designed and shares data) is both more effective and more efficient than stand-alone strategies. This principle is exemplified by the work of the Integrated Global Observing Strategy Partnership (IGOS-P)".  The IGOS Cryosphere Theme will help define an integrated, coordinated, global observing strategy for the cryosphere.  The 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:

Two More Patent Applications Submitted to Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation: Bormin Huang sent in the following two patent applications to the University of Wisconsin patent office: (1) a novel marker-based arithmetic coder for data compression and error correction, and (2) an optimal two-region nonuniform quantization scheme for data compression. The first one was recently presented in the International Society for Optical Engineering (SPIE) Annual Meeting 13-17 August 2006, while the second one has not been publicly disclosed.  (B. Huang, CIMSS, 608-265-2231, bormin@ssec.wisc.edu)

ITEMS FOR THE DIVISION CHIEF, CoRP

National Weather Association Annual Meeting: G. Wade and T. Schmit attended the annual National Weather Association (NWA) meeting in Cleveland, OH, which was held the week of October 16th. The title of G. Wade's presentation was "Improved Resolution and Consistency in the Quest for Better Utilization of Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) Sounder Products", while the title of T. Schmit's presentation was "Operational Applications of GOES-R". Both presentations are available upon request.  (T. Schmit, E/RA2, 608-263-0291, tim.j.schmit@noaa.gov; G.S. Wade, E/RA2, 608-263-4743, gary.s.wade@noaa.gov)

Other Meetings and Telecons:
 (None)

VISITORS:

CIMSS Hosts EUMETSAT Visitors on Satellite Winds Collaborations: Arthur DeSmet and Regis Borde from the Operations and Program Development divisions of the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) visited the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS) on October 9-13. They met with scientists from the CIMSS satellite winds team to discuss current data and products derived at CIMSS. Topics included upper-level divergence, the new Expected Error quality indicator, Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) navigation correction method, mesoscale GOES winds, GOES Sounder and simulated GOES-R Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) winds, and polar winds. DeSmet gave a seminar on the current operational EUMETSAT products and plans for the near future. Borde presented a new clustering approach for satwind height assignment. Both attended a half-day internal workshop on “satwinds (satellite winds) and height assignment”, where satwinds and cloud-top height retrieval experts discussed CIMSS/NESDIS and EUMETSAT operational height assignment methods, sources of uncertainties, possible improvements in algorithms, and potential novel height retrievals from CALIPSO. (Iliana Genkova, igenkova@ssec.wisc.edu ; Chris Velden, chrisv@ssec.wisc.edu 608 262 9168)

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