Advances in Geosynchronous Observations of the Earth and
Advances in Geosynchronous Observations of the Earth and Atmosphere Paul Menzel NESDIS Center for Satellite Applications and Research With considerable help from colleagues at Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS) Madison, WI Early days of ATS and SMS Multispectral with VAS An Operational Sounder Planning GOES-R 40 years in Geostationary Orbit May 2006 UW-Madison
Early images of clouds from the polar orbiting TIROS in 1960
Introduction of Geostationary Satellites On 6 December 1966 the Applications Technology Satellite (ATS-1) was launched. ATS-1's spin scan cloud camera (Suomi and Parent 1968) provided full disk visible images of the earth and its cloud cover every 20 minutes. The spin scan camera on ATS-1 occurred because of an extraordinary effort by Verner Suomi and Homer Newell, when the satellite was already well into its fabrication.
11 Dec 66 “the clouds moved - not the satellite” Verner Suomi
15 Mar 67 ATS-1 picture showing plumes and streamers drifting eastward from a couple of large convective cloud systems Ted Fujita
ATS-1 in Dec 1966 was soon followed by a color version, ATS-3 in Nov 1967 ATS-3 ATS-1 (B/W) ATS-3 (color)
Suomi, Parent, and Fujita create first color movie of planet Earth with ATS-III pictures
18 November 1967 Phillips, SSEC Library, 2005
The success of ATS led to NASA's Synchronous Meteorological Satellite (SMS) in 1974, an operational prototype dedicated to meteorology. SMS-1&2 and subsequent NOAA GOES provided: – Multi-spectral imagery at 1 km spatial resolution in the visible and 7 km in the infrared window channel; – Weather Facsimile (WEFAX) providing low resolution GOES images and conventional weather maps to users with low cost receiving stations; – Data Collection System (DCS) relaying data from remote platforms to a central processing facility.
• In 1977, the European Space Agency (ESA) launched Meteosat providing 2. 5 km visible imagery and 5 km infrared window and water vapor imager. The water vapor imagery changed how we view the earth. Three GOES and one Meteosat were used in the 1979 First Global Atmospheric Research Program (GARP) Experiment to define atmospheric circulations.
Meteosat Water Vapor Image from 1978
• By 1980, the GOES evolved to the Visible Infrared Spin Scan Radiometer (VISSR) Atmospheric Sounder (VAS) expanding the multispectral measurement capability to atmospheric temperature and moisture sounding (Smith et al. 1981).
GOES VAS 12 Infrared Channels (1 Visible Channel) Filter Wheel Radiometer Transparent Operation of VAS • Venetian blinding (1/3 time share with operational imager) • Sounding demonstration, not operational (cancelled in RISOP) • Noisy (spin budget reduced for CONUS coverage)
Nowcasting with VAS Hourly Total-Totals Index (degree Centigrade) on 20 July 1981 showed locations of subsequent severe convective storms. Thunderstorms (TRW) which were observed between 20 and 23 GMT are also shown. Smith et al
• In April 1994, the GOES was launched on a three axis stable platform (enabling better signal to noise in the measurements) and expanded to separate imaging and sounding instruments (allowing operational soundings for the first time).
GOES-8/12
First visible image from GOES-8
Images of hurricanes help with intensity and track forecasts Wade, ORA & CIMSS
Cloud drift winds possible ten years ago
High Density Winds associated with Hurricane Bonnie Velden, CIMSS
IR window cloud temps used to estimate rainfall amounts: example from Hurricane Mitch where 2 ft fell in one day Scofield, ORA
GOES provides accurate SST estimates with good coverage Wu, ORA
Diurnal changes of 2 to 3 C seen in GOES SST measurements
Multispectral Detection of Volcanic Ash with GOES-8 Ellrod, ORA
Fires and smoke detected in GOES-8 imagery on 9 May 1998 at 15: 45 UTC Fire detection product (bottom) and visible imagery showing smoke (right) Prins, CIMSS 25
GOES-12 Sounder – Brightness Temperature (Radiances) – 12 bands
Resulting hail from 13 April 2006 in Madison, WI
Hole in Menzel gutter caused by hail on 13 Apr 06
View from space 1800 UTC Hourly LI indicates instability 5 hours before OK tornado 3 May 99 View from ground 530 CDT (2330 UTC) 2300 UTC
GOES axis of high LI indicates subsequent storm track 24 Jul 2000
Atmospheric Instability NWS Forecaster responses (Summer of 1999) to: "Rate the usefulness of LI, CAPE & CINH (changes in time/axes/gradients in the hourly product) for location/timing of thunderstorms. " There were 248 valid weather cases. - Significant Positive Impact (30%) - Slight Positive Impact (49%) - No Discernible Impact (19%) - Slight Negative Impact (2%) - Significant Negative Impact (0) Figure from the National Weather Service, Office of Services
GOES sounders provide regional coverage every hour Raob coverage 2 x/day * all weather temperature and moisture profiles * wind profiles along ascent path Hourly coverage from two GOES-Sounders * radiances 4 to 15 um * clear sky temperature and moisture profiles * cloud amount and height * motion from moisture and cloud features
GOES Sounder derived T(p) & Q(p) in 3 -4 km layers co-located GOES & balloon temperature & moisture soundings: GOES (black) smoothes the atmospheric profile compared to radiosonde (red)
Oct 2001 forecast impact (%) for T, u, v, RH fields after 24 -hrs of Eta model integration
May 9, 1994 GOES-8 Nine Years Operational Service April 1, 2003
In 2002, EUMETSAT launched SEVIRI with 12 Channels
MSG sees African dust outbreak associated with cold front moving south Hillger, CIRA
Evolution to GOES-R Advanced Baseline Imager Hyperspectral Environmental Sounder Lightning Mapper Coastal Water Imager Space Environment Sensors • Multispectral full disk imaging at 0. 5 to 2 km every 10 minutes for clouds, aerosols, atmospheric motion • High spectral resolution (~0. 5 cm-1) resolution for temperature and moisture soundings with greatly improved vertical resolution and boundary layer penetration. • Coastal Waters Imaging with more frequent views of U. S. coastal ocean resolving rapid changes due to tides and coastal currents • Lightning Mapper tracking discharge in clouds and enhancing sever wx characterization • Space Sensors measuring solar input
Spectral bands on the Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) “ 0. 47 m” “ 0. 64 m” “ 0. 86 m” “ 1. 38 m” “ 1. 61 m” “ 2. 26 m” “ 3. 9 m” “ 6. 19 m” “ 6. 95 m” “ 7. 34 m” “ 8. 5 m” “ 9. 61 m” “ 10. 35 m” “ 11. 2 m” “ 12. 3 m” “ 13. 3 m”
Bands on the GOES-12 Imager “ 0. 47 m” “ 0. 64 m” “ 0. 86 m” “ 1. 38 m” “ 1. 61 m” “ 2. 26 m” “ 3. 9 m” “ 6. 19 m” “ 6. 95 m” “ 7. 34 m” “ 8. 5 m” “ 9. 61 m” “ 10. 35 m” “ 11. 2 m” “ 12. 3 m” “ 13. 3 m”
Applications of the spectral bands on the Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) Aerosols “ 0. 47 m” Heritage “ 0. 64 m” Particle size Snow “ 1. 61 m” Mid-level H 2 O winds “ 6. 95 m” Surface features “ 10. 35 m” “ 2. 26 m” Upper-level SO 2 “ 7. 34 m” Heritage “ 11. 2 m” Vegetation “ 0. 86 m” Fires “ 3. 9 m” Cloud phase “ 8. 5 m” Low-level Moisture “ 12. 3 m” Cirrus Clouds “ 1. 38 m” Upper-level H 2 O winds “ 6. 19 m” Total Ozone “ 9. 61 m” Cloud height “ 13. 3 m”
Evolution to GOES-R Advanced Baseline Imager Hyperspectral Environmental Sounder Lightning Mapper Coastal Water Imager Space Environment Sensors • Multispectral full disk imaging at 0. 5 to 2 km every 10 minutes for clouds, aerosols, atmospheric motion • High spectral resolution (~0. 5 cm-1) resolution for temperature and moisture soundings with greatly improved vertical resolution and boundary layer penetration. • Coastal Waters Imaging with more frequent views of U. S. coastal ocean resolving rapid changes due to tides and coastal currents • Lightning Mapper tracking discharge in clouds and enhancing sever wx characterization • Space Sensors measuring solar output
Atmospheric transmittance in H 2 O sensitive region of spectrum Spectral sensitivity of AIRS Data AIRS BT[1386. 11] – BT[1386. 66] Spectral change of 0. 5 cm-1 causes BT changes > 10 C
Improved Moisture Profiles Andros Is. Bahamas, 12 Sep 98 NAST Relative Humidity (%) Altitude (km) Raob Distance (75 km)
Significant Findings from GOES-R Sounder OSSE Geo-Increased Spectral Resolution Sounder (Geo-I) sees into Boundary Layer (BL) providing low level (850 RH) moisture information; Geo-Broadband Radiometer (Geo-R) only offers information above BL (700 RH) OSSE 12 hr assimilation followed by 12 hr forecast
Significant Findings from GOES-R Sounder OSSE Two polar orbiting interferometers (Leo) do not provide the temporal coverage to sustain forecast improvement out to 12 hours. Only the hourly Geo-Increased Spectral Resolution Sounder (Geo. I) observations depict moisture changes well enough forecast benefit. OSSE 12 hr assimilation followed by 12 hr forecast
40 years on the geostationary road HES (2016) MTG (2015) GIFTS (2009? ) JAMI (2004) SEVIRI on MSG (2002) GOES Sounder (1994) VAS (1980) Meteosat (1977) SMS (1974) ATS (1966) time
Summary The geostationary remote sensing capability has had many positive consequences: – it has saved thousands of lives and millions of dollars from the ravages of storms; – it has made meteorological satellite data routinely available to nations around the globe; – and, in conjunction with improvements in numerical weather prediction, it has helped to improve forecast skill significantly. NOAA is evolving its geostationary remote sensing capabilities: – faster imagers with more spectral bands complemented by – high spectral resolution sounders. The creative mind of Verner Suomi enabled geostationary weather observations - that technology has become the cornerstone of worldwide remote sensing today.
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