ASPB and CIMSS Weekly Report
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ASPB AND CIMSS WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 12, 2012

IN THE PRESS:

ITEMS FOR THE ADMINISTRATOR:

ITEMS FOR THE ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR:

WMO Polar Observations, Research, and Services Panel Meeting: The third meeting of the World Meteorological Organization's (WMO) Executive Council Panel of Experts on Polar Observations, Research, and Services (EC-PORS) was held in Sodankylä, Finland (Lapland), 6-9 February 2012. The Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) sponsored and hosted the meeting at their Arctic Research Centre. The Panel provides guidance in the development of the WMO Strategic Plan, facilitates the acquisition, exchange, and archiving of observational data, and makes recommendations on research and operations related to the polar regions. The Panel has representatives from 17 countries; Jeff Key (NESDIS/STAR) is one of three U.S. representatives. This meeting focused on the implementation of the Global Cryosphere Watch (GCW) and the development of the Global Integrated Polar Prediction System (GIPPS). (J. Key, E/RA2, 608-263-2605, jkey@ssec.wisc.edu)

Significance: The Global Cryosphere Watch (GCW) is a new WMO program, approved by the WMO Congress in May 2011. NESDIS/STAR (J. Key) is co-leading its development and implementation. It is anticipated that NOAA will contribute satellite products and surface observations to GCW and continue to co-lead its development. GCW is a component of the WMO Integrated Global Observing System (WIGOS) and, therefore, part of the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS).

NOAA Mission Goals: Serve Society's Needs for Weather and Water Information; Understand Climate Variability and Change; Support the Nation's Commerce

NOAA Cross-Cutting Priorities: Sound, Reliable State-of-the-Art Research; Integrating Global Environmental Observations and Data Management

ITEMS FOR THE OFFICE DIRECTOR, STAR:

Regional OSSE and Warn-On-Forecast Workshops: Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS) (R. Petersen, J. Otkin, J. Li) and Advanced Satellite Products Branch (ASPB) (T. Schmit and B. Pierce) scientists participated in the Regional Observing System Simulation Experiments (OSSE) workshop and the High-Impact-Weather/Warn-On-Forecast workshop held 7-9 February 2012 in Norman, OK. Oral presentations were given by CIMSS/ASPB on topics ranging from the need and generation of regional OSSEs, status of air quality OSSEs, Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) opportunities for the Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) and recent progress on assimilating satellite data for high-impact weather forecasting. More on the Warn-On-Forecast project is available at  http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/projects/wof/. (R. Petersen, CIMSS, 608-263-4030; J. Li, CIMSS, 608-262-3755; J. Otkin, CIMSS, 608-265-2476; R.B. Pierce, E/RA2, 608-890-1892, brad.pierce@ssec.wisc.edu; T. Schmit, E/RA2, 608-263-0291, tim.j.schmit@noaa.gov)

ITEMS FOR THE DIVISION CHIEF, CoRP:

CIMSS Software for Interrogating Stray Light Correction (SLC) Data: On 9 February 2012, the latest version of UNIX and Man-computer Interactive Data Access System (McIDAS) software to interrogate Stray Light Correction (SLC) information within Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) Imager and Sounder files was made available to scientists at NOAA/NESDIS by the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS). The purpose of this software is to provide users the ability to decide how to proceed with GOES Level-2 product generation when anomalous solar radiation contaminates certain wavelengths of terrestrial and atmospheric radiation sensed by these GOES instruments, during the twice-yearly (centered on the vernal and autumnal equinoxes) GOES eclipse seasons. Plans call for NOAA/NESDIS to invoke a stray light correction for the GOES Imager during the week of February 13, 2012. For further information concerning the Stray Light Correction, see http://www.osd.noaa.gov/GVAR_Downloads/gvar_downloads.html. (J. Nelson, CIMSS, 608-263-6013, jim.nelson@ssec.wisc.edu; A. J. Schreiner, CIMSS, 608-263-6754, tony.schreiner@ssec.wisc.edu; T. J. Schmit, E/RA2, 608-263-0291, tim.j.schmit@noaa.gov)

NWS Briefed on GOES-R Fog/Low Cloud and Sulfur Dioxide Products: M. Pavolonis (NOAA/NESDIS/STAR) briefed the National Weather Service (NWS) Operational Advisory Team (NOAT) on the fog/low cloud and sulfur dioxide products being developed for the next generation of Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES-R). The NOAT, which is composed of NWS Science and Technology Service Division chiefs from each NWS region, ensures that the science development and demonstration activities associated with GOES-R are aligned with operational priorities. While the NOAT will soon provide formal comments and feedback on the state and future direction of the fog/low cloud and sulfur dioxide products being developed for GOES-R, the initial response was positive. (M. Pavolonis, E/RA2, 608-263-9597, Mike.Pavolonis@noaa.gov)

CIMSS VISIT Activities: The Virtual Institute for Satellite Integration Training (VISIT) sessions "The University of Wisconsin Convective Initiation Product" (http://rammb.cira.colostate.edu/training/visit/training_sessions/the_uw_convective_initiation_product/) and "The University of Wisconsin Nearcasting Product" (http://rammb.cira.colostate.edu/training/visit/training_sessions/the_uw_nearcasting_product/) were led by S. Lindstrom on February 9, 2012. Staff from the National Weather Service forecast office at Spokane, Washington participated in the VISIT lessons. In addition, the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS) Satellite Blog was updated with new posts containing a variety of Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES), Polar Operational Environmental Satellite (POES) Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR), Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (NPP) Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS), and European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) Meteosat images showing a mesoscale convective system over Argentina (http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/goes/blog/archives/9749), an outbreak of Saharan dust over the eastern Atlantic Ocean (http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/goes/blog/archives/9742), and a freezing fog event over the Upper Midwest region (http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/goes/blog/archives/9729). (S. Lindstrom, CIMSS, 608-263-4425, S. Bachmeier, CIMSS, 608-263-3958) SUBMITTED BY: scott.bachmeier@ssec.wisc.edu

  (Click image to enlarge)

Figure caption: A 375-meter resolution Suomi NPP VIIRS 11.45 µm image showing very detailed cloud top IR brightness temperatures (as cold as -96º C) associated with severe thunderstorms over Argentina on February 7, 2012.

VISITORS:

University of Hawaii GOES-R "Satellite Champion" Visits CIMSS: Roy Huff has been hired by GOES-R program through the University of Hawaii to provide satellite proving ground support at the University of Hawaii-Honolulu and Pacific Region NWS testbed. Roy visited the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS) the week of January 29 - February 3 and met with several Advanced Satellite Products Branch (ASPB) scientific GOES-R/JPSS algorithm leads and CIMSS scientists to become more familiar with various satellite-based decision support products distributed within GOES-R Proving Ground infrastructure. The Pacific Region testbed and Honolulu NWS Weather Forecast Office have requested convective initiation, volcanic ash, SO2, and total precipitable water (TPW) decision support products for integration within AWIPS platforms in Hawaii. Jordan Gerth and Wayne Feltz will provide follow-on support in Hawaii during Spring 2012. (W. Feltz, CIMSS, 608-265-6283)

NEXT WEEK:

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