ASPB and CIMSS Weekly Report
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ASPB AND CIMSS WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2007

IN THE PRESS:

ITEMS FOR THE ADMINISTRATOR:

ITEMS FOR THE ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR:

ITEMS FOR THE OFFICE DIRECTOR, STAR:

AMS/EUMETSAT Satellite Meterology Conference: The combined EUropean organization for the exploitation of METeorological SATellites (EUMETSAT)/American Meteorological Society (AMS) Satellite Conference was held this week in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Over 600 people from 40 countries participated. There were over 70 oral and poster presentations from the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS) and the Space Science and Engineering Center (SSEC), University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the NESDIS/STAR Advanced Satellite Producs Branch (ASPB; Schmit, Heidinger, and Key). Chris Velden, Wayne Feltz, and Tim Schmit spent countless hours on the organizing committee making sure that the conference would be a success. Former STAR chief scientist Paul Menzel, now with SSEC/CIMSS, was given a special AMS/EUMETSAT award "in recognition of unremitting contributions to satellite remote sensing and exemplary leadership in the cooperation between the world's meteorological satellite operators". Titles of oral presentations and posters are available here: http://stratus.ssec.wisc.edu/aspb/weeklies/archive/07/09-28/conf_titles.html. (J. Key, E/RA2, 608-263-2605, jkey@ssec.wisc.edu; S. Ackerman, CIMSS, 608-263-3647; W. Feltz, CIMSS, 608-265-6283)

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Figure caption: 35 CIMSS/SSEC scientists attended the AMS and EUMETSAT Conference on Satellite Meteorology. Here a few taking a coffee break before viewing posters.

SSEC Helps with High Surf Event Imagery: The Space Science and Engineering Center (SSEC) worked with the Bishop Museum in Hawaii to create imagery for a high surf event in February 2006. Images of infrared satellite data, surface isobars, surface streamlines, wave height and wave period were created to display on their Science on a Sphere. An example showing stream lines over wave heights (data from the Wind Wave Model Forecast) is at http://www.ssec.wisc.edu/sos/bishop/bishop-waves-streamlines.jpg. An animation of above (Quicktime, 117 MB) is at http://www.ssec.wisc.edu/sos/bishop/surf-stream-wave.mov. (R. Kohrs, SSEC; T. Whittaker, CIMSS)

ITEMS FOR THE DIVISION CHIEF, CoRP:

2010 California Air Quality and Climate Field Study Planning: R. Bradley Pierce was invited to participate in a joint NOAA California Air Resources Board (CARB) and Energy Commission planning meeting (September 21, 2007 Sacramento, CA) for a possible air quality and climate science field study in California in 2010. He presented a talk (via WebEx) entitled "Global Chemical/Aerosol Data Assimilation and Lagrangian Forecasting: Addressing Science Questions for 2010 California Air Quality and Climate Study" which discussed how assimilation of satellite trace gas and aerosol measurements could contribute to characterization of oceanic boundary conditions during the 2010 study and how Lagrangian analysis tools could be used to assess physical and chemical changes that occur as air parcels move from off-shore inland. (R. B. Pierce, E/RA2, 608-890-1892, brad.pierce@noaa.gov)

Autumn Colors Evident on MODIS True Color Imagery : A sequence of Moderate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) true color images from early August to late September 2007 revealed the onset of vivid Autumn season tree colors across parts of northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. MODIS imagery also showed the transition in color (from dark green to light brown) of the major corn-producing areas portions of Minnesota and Iowa, as the corn fields began to mature and dry down. Image examples and animations were posted on the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS) Satellite Blog (http://tinyurl.com/yt35m2). (S. Bachmeier, CIMSS, 608-263-3958, L. Gumley, CIMSS, 608-265-5358J. Gerth, CIMSS, 608-263-4942)

(Click image to enlarge)

Figure caption: MODIS true color image from September 23, 2007, showing the onset of Autumn tree colors over parts of northern Wisconsin, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and northeastern Minnesota. This type of MODIS imagery is available to National Weather Service forecasters in the Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS) environment using a MODIS True Color Imagery Viewer developed at CIMSS.

CIMSS VISIT Activities: During the month of September 2007, the Virtual Institute for Satellite Integration Training (VISIT) distance learning lessons "Basic Satellite Principles", "Moderate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Products in Advanced Weather Information Processing System (AWIPS)", "The Enhanced-V: A Satellite Severe Storm Signature", "Water Vapor Channel Satellite Imagery", and "Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS) Regional Assimilation System (CRAS) Forecast Imagery in AWIPS" were presented by staff from CIMSS. Forecasters from NOAAs National Weather Service (NWS) forecast offices in Jackson (Tennessee), Barrow (Alaska), Midland (Texas), Riverton (Wyoming), Albany (New York), as well as the Aviation Weather Center (Kansas City, Missouri) and the California/Nevada River Forecast Center (Sacramento, California) participated in the VISIT lessons. (S. Bachmeier, CIMSS, 608-263-3958, S. Lindstrom, CIMSS, 608-263-4425)

First Version of GOES-R ABI Cloud Algorithms Delivered to AIT: Following the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES)-R Algorithm Working Group (AWG) schedule, the Cloud Application Team has delivered the first version of the Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) cloud algorithms to the Algorithm Integration Team (AIT) for testing. These ABI algorithms, which include the cloud mask, phase, height, and optical properties, were developed and tested using data from the Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI). (A. Heidinger, E/RA2, 608-263-6757, andrew.heidinger@noaa.gov, M. Pavolonis, E/RA2, 608-263-9597, Mike.Pavolonis@noaa.gov)

Other Meetings and Telecons:

None.

VISITORS:

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