ASPB and CIMSS Weekly Report [ Archive ]

IN THE PRESS:

ITEMS FOR THE ADMINISTRATOR:

ITEMS FOR THE ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR:

ITEMS FOR THE OFFICE DIRECTOR, STAR:

GIFTS Data Compression Presentation and Demonstration at NASA Langley Research Center: Bormin Huang of the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS) gave the Geosynchronous Imaging Fourier Transform Spectrometer (GIFTS) data compression presentation and demonstration at the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) on 27 February 2008. GIFTS, led by NASA LaRC, is a technology breakthrough to simultaneously measure 16384 infrared spectra in two bands (4.4 to 6.0 micron and 8.8 to 14.6 micron) at a spectral resolution of ~0.57 wavenumbers for a 128x128 set of ~4 km footprints at every 11 seconds in a nominal operating mode. Based on the compression experiments on the GIFTS uplooking data collected in September 2006, CIMSS developed a state-of-the-art algorithm that provides a lossless, effective, efficient, and low-cost solution to compress such GIFTS data within 6.2 seconds with an average compression ratio of 4.54 and a processing capability that costs less than $2,000. W. L. Smith commented that "this approach should help NOAA greatly in minimizing the cost of their ground distribution system for their eventual operational geostationary ultra-spectral sounder". (B. Huang, CIMSS, 608-265-2231)

First U.S.-China Meteorology Symposium: R. Aune attended the First U.S.-China Symposium on Meteorology, February 26-28, at the National Weather Center, Norman, Oklahoma. Sponsored by the University of Oklahoma and the Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, the symposium focussed on mesoscale meteorology and data assimilation. Aune presented a poster titled: "A Real-time Mesoscale Prediction System for MODIS Direct Broadcast Sites". He demonstrated how the numerical forecast model used at the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS), known as the CIMSS Regional Assimilation System (CRAS), can be initialized using retrieved precipitable water and cloud-top pressure from the Moderate Resolution Infrared Spectroradiometer (MODIS), processed at a local MODIS direct broadcast site like those found in China, and results in improved forecasts of precipitation and clouds. (R.Aune, E/RA2, 608-262-1071)

Article on Weather Satellites in Popular Science Magazine: "How scientists track weather from space" by Steven A. Ackerman will be published in the Astronomy Magazine special issue "Extreme Weather" (http://www.extremeweathermag.com/ext/default.aspx?c=a&id=71). The article traces the history of weather satellites using three intense, fast-moving November gales as examples of improving capabilities.(S. Ackerman, CIMSS, 608-263-3647)

CIMSS' Publications: Traditional methods that measure success in a research center are proposal success, publications in refereed journals, conference presentatons, the number of graduating graduate students, recognition awards, and software distribution. A history of publications in referred journals patterns is being compiled by librarian Jean Phillips for Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS) authors dating from 1995 to the present using the Science Citation Index. As part of assessing CIMSS activities, we are exploring this publication record with respect to the institute's mission. Two findings with regard to collaborations are: 1) Over 40% of our publications are jointly published with NOAA scientists, and 2) )f NOAA's cooperative institutes we collaborate in publications the most with CIRES (14 papers) followed closely by CIRA (12 papers). (S. Ackerman, CIMSS, 608-263-3647)

  (Click image to enlarge)

Figure caption: The number of CIMSS publications in refereed journals since 1995 categorized by the institution of co-authors (2007 is only a partial record).

ITEMS FOR THE DIVISION CHIEF, CoRP:

Other Meetings and Telecons:

None.

VISITORS:

Daren Lu of Chinese Academy of Sciences Visited CIMSS: Academician Daren Lu from the Institute of Atmospheric Physics (IAP), Chinese Academy of Sciences, visited the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS) on 29 February 2008. He discussed with Hank Revercomb (Space Science and Engineering Center Director) and Allen Huang (CIMSS Distinguished Scientist) the deployment of an Atmospheric Emitted Radiances Interferometer (AERI) system in China to demonstrate its remote sensing capability in Tibetan Plateau, which is joint research effort between CIMSS and IAP. (Allen Huang, CIMSS, 263-5283)

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