1

Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR)

NOAA Contributions to Satellite Calibration and the need for a

National and International Framework

Al Powell, Director

2

Outline

• STAR’s Mission and Activities

• Challenges

• NOAA-NIST program to address satellite calibration issues for climate

3

STAR’s Mission

• To provide NOAA with scientific research and development that transitions state‑of‑the-art satellite data systems, products, and services to operations for use by land, atmosphere, ocean, and climate user communities.

4

STAR Activities

• STAR is engaged in product development, readiness, and applications with respect to satellites and satellite data

• STAR’s responsibilities include:– Developing algorithms and prototype software systems that are

transitioned into the production of operational environmental satellite products

– Monitoring and improving instrument calibration– Validating and analyzing products for weather and climate

applications– Overseeing the development of future satellite instruments and

their requirements specifications

• STAR utilizes collaborative environments for product development– Faster research to operations– Interconnectivity across multiple satellite programs and NOAA

offices

5

STAR USER Community Connections

STAR

National Center for Environmental Prediction

Weather & Water

Commerce & Transportation

Ecosystems

Climate

Critical Mission Support

NOAA Goals

Supported:

International Collaboration:

CGMS, WMO, EUMETSAT

Bilateral Agreements:

China, India

NOAA Acquisition Programs:

NPOESS (IV&V)

GOES-R (AWG & RR)

NOAA Projects:

NPOESS Data Exploitation (NDE)

Scientific Data Stewardship

NOAA Programs:

Corals, Climate, Ocean, etc

NASA

Air ForceNAVY ARMY

EPA

6

Mission Support to NOAA Programs

• Ecosystems– NOAA CoastWatch Program

• Real-time distribution of regional SST, Ocean Color and Ocean Winds

– Coral Reef Watch Program

• Climate– Integrated Climate Data Record

Program• Improved calibrated radiances• Time Series of Ozone ,

Vegetation Condition (Drought), Hydrology, Temperature, Moisture, Radiation Budget, Clouds, Aerosols, and Carbon

– Reanalysis Project• Data assimilation algorithms• Radiative transfer models

7

Mission Support to NOAA Programs

• Weather and Water– Joint Center for Satellite Data

Assimilation• Radiative transfer models• Surface emissivity models• Cloud cleared hyperspectral

infrared radiances• Satellite Derived Winds• Surface conditions

– Hazards• Air Quality• Forest Fires/Biomass Burning

• Commerce and Transportation– Aviation Weather Satellite

Applications• Clear-sky turbulence• Convective cloud conditions• Icing• Volcanic Ash

8

STAR Support

9

Support to Existing Observing Systems

• Calibration and validation across systems• Pre-launch and post-launch support• Data quality and algorithm improvement

IntersatelliteCalibration

InstrumentCalibration

In-Situ Systems Product Validation

10

Aqua

Terra

TRMM

SeaWiFS

Aura

Meteor/SAGE

GRACE

ICESat

Cloudsat

Jason

CALIPSO

GIFTS

SORCE

NOAA/POES

Landsat

Metop

GOES

MTSAT

MSG

TOPEX

SUPPORT TO PROTOTYPE AND QUASI-OPERATIONAL SYSTEMS

11

Support to Future Observing Systems

• Provide services to ensure accurate instrument data and algorithms from future sensors, involving

– calibration and validation– algorithm development– instrument performance specificationsFor– Metop Instrument Functional Chain Teams (IFCT)– NPOESS Operational Algorithm Teams (OAT)– GOES-R Algorithm Working Group and Risk Reduction Plan

• Risk Reduction applied to acquisition programs, quasi-operational data use from non-NOAA satellites

• Developing data reduction techniques for user assimilation of hyperspectral data and climate data records

GOES-R and NPOESS are the next generation of

environmental satellites. STAR’s work will ensure

data continuity and advanced products to the

benefit of all users

12

Next Generation NOAA Satellite Observing Systems

13

Future Challenges

• New satellites sensors, both domestic and international, will create new challenges– Continuity of past, present, and future data for climate data

records, calibration accuracy, stability of satellite sensors, reprocessing and analysis of long-term series for reproducible results

– Data assimilation methodologies for weather, climate, and oceans– Hyperspectral technology applied to radiative transfer models and

interpretation of spectral signatures– New applications from advanced sensors, including water and air

quality, trace gas monitoring, and coastal and ocean forecasts

• Generating blended products and multi-disciplinary algorithm development in support of GEOSS

• Working in a collaborative environment as new operational and research satellite data becomes available

NOAA-NIST Joint Program Plan

Climate Calibration and Measurement

15

Goal•Reduced measurement uncertainties to meet climate monitoring requirements

Accurate climate information for sound policy decisions

Program Strategy•NOAA and NIST partnership to leverage complementary expertise to broadened DoC portfolio on climate change

Technical Strategy•Improved instrument characterization and calibration

•Aerosols & greenhouse gas measurements and standards

•Reference sites and satellite intercalibration

16

BackgroundWhat is the problem?

• Unreliable estimates of climate trends due to uncertainties in:

– pre-launch and post-launch characterization and standards

– instrument inter-calibration – physical and chemical properties of atmospheric

constituents

• No joint strategy to leverage DOC’s unique capabilities to address these uncertainties

• Lack of a framework to relate climate observations with international standards to provide climate change information to policymakers

17Target Accuracy 1 W m-2Target Precision 0.3 W m-2

Requirements are not being met! Example: Total Solar Irradiance

Year

Tot

al S

olar

Irr

adia

nce

[W/m

2 ]

18

Aerosols and GHGs are not understood

19

What are the challenges?

• Instruments are complex and operate in a hostile environment.

• Opportunities to modify space instrumentation problems are on decadal scale.

• Integration of multiple observations

−different instruments

−different spectral ranges

−long time periods

• Gaps in critical chemical & physical reference data (e.g. aerosols, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), GreenHouse Gases (GHG)).

20

Why a NOAA NIST Partnership?

• DoC is the lead agency on Global Climate Change

• Leverages NIST’s core competencies in measurement science and standards

• Leverages NOAA’s core competencies in climate monitoring and satellite remote sensing

• Partnership will ensure accurate climate data to underpin policy decisions

21

NOAA-NIST Climate Calibration & Measurement Program

GOAL

Reduced measurement uncertainties to meet climate monitoring requirements

On-orbit cal/val and satellite intercalibration

Standards for absolute instrument characterization & calibration

Chemical and physical reference standards for aerosols & GHGs

Reference sites & vicarious calibration

Climate monitoring measurements, including aerosols & GHG

DATA MANAGEMENT

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

*Pre-launch calibration standards

*Post-launch calibration standards

*Extra terrestrial standards * Field standards

*Reference metrology & standards for critical atmospheric constituents *Reference data & standards to validate climate models *Lifecycles of aerosols * Mitigation Strategies

*Continue operations Marine Optical Buoy (MOBY) for ocean color *Carbon measurements from aircraft and towers coincident with satellite *Benchmark balloon measurements coincident with satellite overpass *Field campaigns

*METOP/IASI cal/val system *Cal/Val Framework *NPP cal/val system *NPOESS cal/val sys.

* IASI GHG maps (CO2, CO, CH4) * CrIS GHG maps * VIIRS aerosol maps

NOAA Lead NIST Lead In current NOAA program

22

Benefits

• Accurate estimates of climate trends

• Joint strategy to leverage DOC’s unique capabilities

• Framework to relate climate observations with international standards

• Ability to make sound policy decisions based on accepted accurate information

23

Next Steps

• Develop joint NOAA-NIST program plan on Climate Calibration and Measurements

• Develop a National Roadmap to include other agencies and institutions

• Part of a coordinated international WMO effort -- Global Space-based Intercalibration System (GSICS)