ASPB and CIMSS Weekly Report
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ASPB AND CIMSS WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE WEEK ENDING MAY 9, 2014

IN THE PRESS:

ITEMS FOR THE ADMINISTRATOR:

ITEMS FOR THE ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR:

ITEMS FOR THE OFFICE DIRECTOR, STAR:

PhD Research Successfully Defended: Michael Pavolonis (NOAA/NESDIS/STAR) successfully defended his PhD research at the University of Wisconsin – Madison on May 6, 2014. The title of the research dissertation is ”Development of Satellite Remote Sensing Techniques for Quantifying Volcanic Ash Cloud Properties.” The research is being used to improve the timeliness and accuracy of volcanic ash advisories and forecasts issued by Volcanic Ash Advisory Centers (VAACs). (M. Pavolonis, E/RA2, 608-263-9597, Mike.Pavolonis@noaa.gov)

GOES-14 Super Rapid Scan Operations for GOES-R Scanning : The Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES)-14 Imager is observing special 1-minute (SRSOR – Super Rapid Scan Operations for GOES-R) data. The dates are to be May 8-22 and August 14-28 2014, which allow special data set collections for GOES-R algorithm developers, research partners, forecasters, and Proving Ground participants. In fact, the experimental rapid-scan imagery has been shown in a number of national centers / test beds. Details (daily image center points, start times, animations and links) are available at http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/goes/srsor2014/GOES-14_SRSOR.html. Also see the CIMSS Satellite Blog: http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/goes/blog/archives/15582. (T. Schmit, E/RA2, 608-263-0291, tim.j.schmit@noaa.gov)

GOES-R Data Simulator at CIMSS: A GOES-R Rebroadcast (GRB) Simulator was delivered on loan to the Data Center at the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies/Space Science and Engineering Center (CIMSS/SSEC) on 29 April 2014. Training for the setup and use of the simulator was provided by Ed Czopkiewicz from Harris IT Services on 6-7 May 2014. SSEC will be testing the ingest and processing of the GOES-R data and products from the simulator until the end of July 2014 when it will be returned to Harris Corporation. (D. Santek, CIMSS/SSEC, 608-263-7410, J. Robaidek, SSEC, 608-262-6025, jerrold.robaidek@ssec.wisc.edu) 

CIMSS Tests N-Wave Route to Honolulu: On 8 May 2014, Jordan Gerth, a scientist with the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS), Eric Lau, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service (NWS) Pacific Region Headquarters (PRH), and Ian Chun, a information technology specialist with the NOAA Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO), conducted the first end-to-end test of a network route on N-Wave, NOAA's science network, between CIMSS and PRH. The fiber optic network route extends N-Wave from Seattle to Honolulu, and costs NOAA in excess of $50,000 per year to operate. Satellite imagery and products exchanged between CIMSS and PRH will be the first significant use of the N-Wave route between Seattle and Honolulu. CIMSS interfaces with N-Wave via Internet2, assuring timely data delivery for science and research to operations projects involving NOAA's current and future satellite missions. (J. Gerth, CIMSS, 608-263-4942) 

RAQMS O3/CO forecasts for TOLNet LIDAR Intercomparison: Advanced Satellite Products Branch (ASPB) and Space Science and Engineering (SSEC) scientists provided daily ozone (O3) forecasts from the Real-time Air Quality Modeling System (RAQMS) during May 1-9, 2014 to support the NASA sponsored Tropospheric Ozone Lidar Network (TOLNet,http://www-air.larc.nasa.gov/missions/TOLNet/) measurement intercomparison conducted at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, VA. On of the main objectives of TOLNet is to foster use of high-resolution ozone and aerosol observations to improve the processes in air-quality forecast models. (R.B. Pierce, E/RA2, 608-890-1892, brad.pierce@noaa.gov) 

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Figure caption: Altitude (km) time (Julian Day) cross section of RAQMS ozone (ppbv) analysis and forecast for Hampton, VA from Wednesday, May 7th through Sunday May 11, 2014 (upper panel) and comparison between US EPA surface ozone (black) and RAQMS predictions (red) (lower panel) 

ITEMS FOR THE DIVISION CHIEF, CoRP:

NOAA/CIMSS ProbSevere Model At NOAA Hazardous Weather Testbed: The Big Spring Experiment at the Hazardous Weather Testbed (HWT) in Norman, Oklahoma began Monday, May 5, 2014. The Experimental Warning Program pairs National Weather Service (NWS) forecasters with researchers and product developers to support the research-to-operations and operations-to-research activities within the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES)-R Proving Ground. The NWS forecasters are evaluating many new products geared toward improving thunderstorm forecasts and severe weather warnings. J. Sieglaff (Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies, CIMSS) is supporting the NOAA/CIMSS Probability of Severe (ProbSevere) Model this week, which is designed to give NWS forecasters more confidence to more accurately issue severe weather warnings earlier than possible without the ProbSevere data. In addition to using the ProbSevere model and evaluating the model performance, the NWS forecasters offer feedback on ways to improve the model and the display they interact with. The GOES-R HWT blog highlights many cases during the experiment, as well as the interactions between NWS forecasters and researchers (http://goesrhwt.blogspot.com/). (J. Sieglaff, CIMSS, 608-265-5357)

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Figure caption: Bias (solid) and RMS (dashed) error profiles from three operational sounder platforms (Aqua, Suomi NPP, and METOP-A) for May 2012 using COSMIC as a common reference. The three operational products shown are NASA AIRS v5.2 (black), NOAA IASI (red), and JPSS CrIMSS Mx5.3 (blue) for the global case. Other latitude zones are included in the paper.

CIMSS Analysis Reveals BIAS in UCAR COSMIC Data Processing: A recently accepted paper by Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS) graduate student Michelle Feltz (Feltz, M.F., et al., 2014, Application of GPS Radio Occultation to the Assessment of Temperature Profile Retrievals from Microwave and Infrared Sounders, AMT, in press) included a comparison of METOP-A AMSU/IASI vertical temperature profiles with UCAR computed dry temperature profiles from the COSMIC and GRAS sensors separately. The Feltz comparison suggests a systematic bias between COSMIC and GRAS temperature profiles which increases with altitude in the stratosphere and can exceed 1 degree. This result was reported to UCAR on 21 April 2014. On 1 May 2014, Doug Hunt of UCAR confirmed this result independently using only the UCAR processed COSMIC and GRAS dry temperatures. The COSMIC-GRAS bias was identified to be due a greater dependence on a climatological first guess in the COSMIC data relative to the less noisy GRAS data. A change in the COSMIC processing method to mitigate this bias will be factored into a reprocessing of the COSMIC data expected later this year. (R. Knuteson, SSEC)

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Figure caption: May 2012 (NOAA IASI minus COSMIC) minus (NOAA IASI minus GRAS) bias for global and selected latitude bands.

Cloud Mask UTRR: A Unit Test Readiness Review (UTRR) was held for the VIIRS cloud mask algorithm used in the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) Algorithm Continuity Risk Reduction Project. The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) cloud mask is based on the GOES-R version but includes information on the cloud probability in addition to the traditional mask. Walter Wolf led the review and Andy Heidinger and William Straka (Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies, CIMSS) gave presentations on algorithm validation. (A. Heidinger, E/RA2, andrew.heidinger@noaa.gov, 608-263-6757, William Straka III, CIMSS, wstraka@ssec.wisc.edu)

GOES-13 Sounder Drop-Out Correction is implemented operationally: Representatives from the Advanced Satellite Products Branch (ASPB) and Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS) assisted in the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES)-13 Sounder drop-out investigation. A correction that reclaims previously missing GOES-13 Sounder data was developed by the Office of Satellite and Product Operations (OSPO), working with Exelis and others. On 6 May 2014 the Sensor Processing System (SPS) version 10.4.1 was put into operation between the nominal 14:00 Universal Time Coordinated (UTC) and 15:00 UTC time periods. Immediately following the implementation data drop-outs correctly disappeared. (T. Schmit, E/RA2, 608-263-0291, tim.j.schmit@noaa.gov; J. Nelson, CIMSS, 608-263-6013, M. Gunshor, CIMSS, 608-263-1146, A. Schreiner, CIMSS, 608-263-6754)

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Figure caption: GOES-13 Sounder water vapor band (11) on 6 May 2014 showing the missing data immediately prior to the application of SPS (Sensor Processing System) 10.4.1 at 13:46 UTC (left), and the same satellite, band, and day immediately following the implementation at 14:46 UTC (right).

Visiting Scientist at the German Deutscher Wetterdienst: Jason Otkin (Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies) completed a 4-week long visiting scientist trip to the German Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD) focusing on satellite data assimilation. The DWD is developing an ensemble data assimilation system that includes a high-resolution (2.8 km) domain covering most of central Europe. The main goals of this trip and another one to be made later this summer are to develop a bias correction scheme for clear and cloudy sky SEVIRI infrared brightness temperatures and to begin assimilating these observations on the high-resolution grid. During this trip, several modifications were made to the assimilation and modeling system to support the development of a bias correction scheme and to prepare for the assimilation of Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) brightness temperature observations. Lessons learned during these trips using SEVIRI observations will be helpful to guide future data assimilation applications using infrared observations from the GOES-R Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI).

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