Development of RGB Composite Imagery for Operational Weather Forecasting Applications
No abstract available
Molthan, Andrew L.↗
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Snowfall Rate Retrieval Using Passive Microwave Measurements and Its Applications in Weather Forecast and Hydrology
(AMSU), Microwave Humidity Sounder (MHS) and Advance Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS). ATMS is the follow‐on sensor to AMSU and MHS. Currently, an AMSU and MHS based land snowfall rate (SFR) product is running operationally at NOAA/NESDIS. Based on the AMSU/MHS SFR, an ATMS SFR algorithm has also been developed. The algorithm performs retrieval in three steps: snowfall detection, retrieval of cloud properties, and estimation of snow particle terminal velocity and snowfall rate. The snowfall detection component utilizes principal component analysis and a logistic regression model. It employs a combination of temperature and water vapor sounding channels to detect the scattering signal from falling snow and derives the probability of snowfall. Cloud properties are retrieved using an inversion method with an iteration algorithm and a two‐stream radiative transfer model. A method adopted to calculate snow particle terminal velocity. Finally, snowfall rate is computed by numerically solving a complex integral. The SFR products are being used mainly in two communities: hydrology and weather forecast. Global blended precipitation products traditionally do not include snowfall derived from satellites because such products were not available operationally in the past. The ATMS and AMSU/MHS SFR now provide the winter precipitation information for these blended precipitation products. Weather forecasters mainly rely on radar and station observations for snowfall forecast. The SFR products can fill in gaps where no conventional snowfall data are available to forecasters. The products can also be used to confirm radar and gauge snowfall data and increase forecasters' confidence in their prediction.
Meng, Huan↗
Real-time Land Information System over the Continental U.S. for Situational Awareness and Local Numerical Weather Prediction Applications
No abstract available
land surface modeling↗
Applying the NASA SPoRT R2O/O2R Paradigm to Space Weather: MAG4 Applications and Assessment at SWPC
No abstract available
Leroy, Anita↗
Vertical Structure Content of Polarimetric Radio Occultations (PRO) and Applications to Weather Modeling
No abstract provided
Johnson, Benjamin↗
Observing System Development and UQ in a Parallel Bayesian Framework: Applications for Weather, Clouds, Convection, and Precipitation
No abstract provided
Tanelli, Simone↗
Pushing the Application Limit of Hyperspectral IR Sounder Remote Sensing for Frontiers of Weather and Climate Studies
Since the launch of AQUA Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) in 2002, space-borne hyperspectral infrared (IR) sounders have provided information-rich, climate quality, and time-continuous spectral radiance measurements at the top of the atmosphere for more than two decades. Satellite based hyperspectral IR sensors, including AIRS, Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS), and Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI), have demonstrated their critical roles for various weather applications and climate related studies. New use of hyperspectral IR sounder data will focus on underexplored areas. Current use of those data is generally limited by the capability of fully exploring and exploiting high spectral resolution information content, achieving radiometric accuracy and stability defined by the instruments, and merging data from different sensors to build a consistent, long-term climate data record. We will present the on-going research efforts at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) to develop novel hyperspectral IR sounder data products to address those potentials yet to be fully realized. Some applications of these products, including the study of Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL), the construction of climate data record over polar region, and the fusion of AIRS and CrIS data via the radiometric consistent climate fingerprinting method will be discussed.
Wan Wu↗
Algorithms for Collision Detection Between a Point and a Moving Polygon, with Applications to Aircraft Weather Avoidance
This paper proposes mathematical definitions of functions that can be used to detect future collisions between a point and a moving polygon. The intended application is weather avoidance, where the given point represents an aircraft and bounding polygons are chosen to model regions with bad weather. Other applications could possibly include avoiding other moving obstacles. The motivation for the functions presented here is safety, and therefore they have been proved to be mathematically correct. The functions are being developed for inclusion in NASA's Stratway software tool, which allows low-fidelity air traffic management concepts to be easily prototyped and quickly tested.
Narkawicz, Anthony↗
A study of weather-dependent data links for deep space applications
Weather-dependent data links for deep space applications, and five potential systems
Potter, P. D.↗
Aurora Detection From Nighttime Lights for Earth and Space Science Applications
This research leverages data from the Day/Night Band (DNB) of the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer (VIIRS) instrument onboard the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (S-NPP) satellite. We demonstrate the value of mining the VIIRS DNB for aurora and describe our use of unsupervised machine learning to create a binary mask for aurora occurrence. This mask can be used to flag aurora-contaminated observations for NASA's nighttime lights products for Earth science applications. The identification of auroral regions can also be used for Space Weather applications, for example, for comparison with aurora forecast model and with other satellite- or ground-based aurora observations. The DNB is a broadband channel that is sensitive to wavelengths from 500 to 900 nm, which covers most of the visible light spectrum, and as the name implies, captures light even at night with a sensitivity at the nanowatt level. This band is suitable for aurora observations since the light emitted by the aurora tends to be dominated by emissions from atomic oxygen, resulting in a greenish glow at a wavelength of 557.7 nm, especially at an altitude of 110 km. This study compares the global nighttime derived aurora regions for 17 and 18 March with the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center's (SWPC) probability product for the St. Patrick's Day geomagnetic storm in 2015. VIIRS sensors are slated to be added to the next generation of polar-orbiting operational satellites. Our novel automated approach to aurora identification opens up an efficient way to leverage this unique data source.
Aurora↗
Integrating NASA Aqua AIRS in a Real-Time NUCAPS Science-to-Applications System to Support Severe Weather Forecasting
In recent years, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Unique Combined Atmospheric Processing System (NUCAPS) hyperspectral infrared satellite sounding retrievals derived from Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) polar-orbiting satellites have been documented as observations that add value to weather forecasting applications. NUCAPS is currently the operational algorithm delivering JPSS satellite sounding retrievals to the NOAA National Weather Service (NWS) and is based on the heritage Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) Science Team algorithm for processing vertical temperature, moisture, and trace gas retrievals. For the Special Collection on “Twenty Years of Observations from AIRS,” we highlight the methodology we implemented to develop a prototype science-to-applications system to enable real-time processing of AIRS satellite sounding retrievals through the NUCAPS algorithm (i.e., NUCAPS-Aqua) to support weather forecasting applications. The addition of NUCAPS-Aqua to experimental real-time pathways alongside operational JPSS NUCAPS soundings, facilitated assessment of NUCAPS-Aqua at the 2022 Hazardous Weather Testbed (HWT) Spring Experiment. Development of NUCAPS-Aqua described in this technical report includes preservation of microwave observations and calculation of a-priori regression coefficients. Additionally, the real-time processing and challenges with implementing a science-to-applications system are discussed. Two illustrative pre-convective forecasting examples analyzed by NWS forecasters during the 2022 HWT Spring Experiment are highlighted to demonstrate the benefit of NUCAPS-Aqua as (a) special afternoon soundings, (b) an additional observation to assess temporal trends using multiple satellites, and (c) a complement to observational and model analysis.
remote sensing↗
Application-Controlled Parallel Asynchronous Input/Output Utility
A software utility tool has been designed to alleviate file system I/O performance bottlenecks to which many high-end computing (HEC) applications fall prey because of the relatively large volume of data generated for a given amount of computational work. In an effort to reduce computing resource waste, and to improve sustained performance of these HEC applications, a lightweight software utility has been designed to circumvent bandwidth limitations of typical HEC file systems by exploiting the faster inter-processor bandwidth to move output data from compute nodes to designated I/O nodes as quickly as possible, thereby minimizing the I/O wait time. This utility has successfully demonstrated a significant performance improvement within a major NASA weather application.
Clune, Thomas↗
Cloud Tolerance of Remote-Sensing Technologies to Measure Land Surface Temperature
Conventional methods to estimate land surface temperature (LST) from space rely on the thermal infrared(TIR) spectral window and is limited to cloud-free scenes. To also provide LST estimates during periods with clouds, a new method was developed to estimate LST based on passive microwave(MW) observations. The MW-LST product is informed by six polar-orbiting satellites to create a global record with up to eight observations per day for each 0.25resolution grid box. For days with sufficient observations, a continuous diurnal temperature cycle (DTC) was fitted. The main characteristics of the DTC were scaled to match those of a geostationary TIR-LST product. This paper tests the cloud tolerance of the MW-LST product. In particular, we demonstrate its stable performance with respect to flux tower observation sites (four in Europe and nine in the United States), over a range of cloudiness conditions up to heavily overcast skies. The results show that TIR based LST has slightly better performance than MW-LST for clear-sky observations but suffers an increasing negative bias as cloud cover increases. This negative bias is caused by incomplete masking of cloud-covered areas within the TIR scene that affects many applications of TIR-LST. In contrast, for MW-LST we find no direct impact of clouds on its accuracy and bias. MW-LST can therefore be used to improve TIR cloud screening. Moreover, the ability to provide LST estimates for cloud-covered surfaces can help expand current clear-sky-only satellite retrieval products to all-weather applications.
polar-orbiting↗
TPSAS-NF1676L-29931-DND
The ACE science working group satellite concept calls for a combination of high spectral resolution aerosol lidar and a polarimeter able to determine vertical profiles of aerosol extinction and clouds. Here we discuss why an HSRL lidar is required to achieve these requirements. The primary advantage of an HSRL over an elastic backscatter lidar is that the HSRL channel allows for the independent retrieval of vertically resolved aerosol extinction without constraint. Not requiring a constraint means greater availability of retrievals in polar regions, on the night side, and in broken cloud situations, plus greater accuracy particularly in the lowest part of the atmosphere and in scenes with aerosol heterogeneity. Advantages go beyond the extinction products. Unlike attenuated backscatter, which is an integrated quantity, the aerosol backscatter coefficient depends only on the aerosol at a specific level in the atmosphere, making it preferable for use in quantitative applications. The aerosol backscatter coefficient is more accurate from an HSRL system compared to the retrieval from a single-channel system. This is because errors in both extinction and backscatter from a single-channel system increase with decreasing altitude, due to the need to accurately characterize the overlying attenuation. This means that an HSRL will also have more valid data in and near the boundary layer where aerosol is of primary interest for air quality and weather applications and for many climate objectives including aerosol-cloud interaction studies. Even cloud properties that do not directly use the HSRL capability (cloud phase and thin cirrus retrievals) benefit from the more accurate calibration of an HSRL system. The improved accuracy of backscatter and extinction also lead to better capabilities for aerosol typing, improved retrievals of aerosol radiative effect, and increased information content for combined lidar + polarimeter retrievals of profiles of microphysical properties such as vertically resolved effective radius.
S P Burton↗
The Impact of Dimensionality Reduction of Ion Counts Distributions on Preserving Moments, With Applications to Data Compression
The field of space physics has a long history of utilizing dimensionality reduction methods to distill data, including but not limited to spherical harmonics, the Fourier Transform, and the wavelet transform. Here, we present a technique for performing dimensionality reduction on ion counts distributions from the Multiscale Mission/Fast Plasma Investigation (MMS/FPI) instrument using a data-adaptive method powered by neural networks. This has applications to both feeding low-dimensional parameterizations of the counts distributions into other machine learning algorithms, and the problem of data compression to reduce transmission volume for space missions. The algorithm presented here is lossy, and in this work, we present the technique of validating the reconstruction performance with calculated plasma moments under the argument that preserving the moments also preserves fluid-level physics, and in turn a degree of scientific validity. The method presented here is an improvement over other lossy compressions in loss-tolerant scenarios like the Multiscale Mission/Fast Plasma Investigation Fast Survey or in non-research space weather applications.
D. da Silva↗
Reducing Barriers in Space Weather Research and Operations with Next-Generation Simulation Services at the Community Coordinated Modeling Center (CCMC)
Space weather forecasting capabilities are becoming increasingly important to the health of advanced technological infrastructure. The Community Coordinated Modeling Center (CCMC, https://ccmc.gsfc.nasa.gov) serves as a key liaison in the US space weather program between the research and operations communities by providing a wide range of tools and capabilities that help to evaluate, compare, exercise, and archive the results of simulations of a growing list of space weather models. With its unique toolset, CCMC supports space weather research and model development that advances our understanding of space weather phenomena and improves forecasting skill, while also facilitating development of space weather applications and deployment of operational capabilities. Guided by experience from over 20 years of providing simulation services, feedback from its research, operational and educational users world-wide, recommendations from CCMC Advisory Group and Programmatic Review Panel, the CCMC has begun work on the next generation system for its simulation services and model output archives. The new system has been envisioned to employ state-of-the-art technologies and standards to provide a user-oriented experience while improving ease of access, transparency, interoperability with partner systems, and enhancing reliability by incorporating advanced automation for performance monitoring and intelligent failover. In the presentation, we will give an overview of the current CCMC ecosystem and discuss updates to some of the key services of the system, including Runs-on-Request, Instant Runs, and Continuous Runs. We will also describe how a planned expansion and standardization of data archival activities will enhance the role of CCMC as a world-class provider of heliophysics information for the research and analysis of space weather. It is our hope that this evolution of the services can further reduce the barriers and burdens on researchers, forecasters and decision makers who rely on CCMC for their daily research and operations.
Space Weather↗
A revolutionary and operational tethered aerostat system illustrating new LTA technology
An operational tethered aerostat system, which demonstrates utility of LTA systems, is described. It was made possible by development of a reliable tethered aerostat that is used to support broadcast equipment at an altitude of 10,000 feet. Two elements of the TCOM system, the aerostat and mooring station, are particularly relevant to the LTA Workshop. They demonstrate the feasibility of using LTA vehicles in real, operational, all-weather applications and, in addition, illustrate an advance in the overall technology base of LTA. The aerostat and the mooring station, including their technical design features and demonstrated performance characteristics, are described.
Menke, J. A.↗
On the Importance of the Flare's Late Phase for the Solar Extreme Ultraviolet Irradiance
The new solar extreme ultraviolet (EUV) irradiance observations from NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) have revealed a new class of solar flares that are referred to as late phase flares. These flares are characterized by the hot 2-5 MK coronal emissions (e.g., Fe XVI 33.5 nm) showing large secondary peaks that appear many minutes to hours after an eruptive flare event. In contrast, the cool 0.7-1.5 MK coronal emissions (e.g., Fe IX 17.1 nm) usually dim immediately after the flare onset and do not recover until after the delayed second peak of the hot coronal emissions. We refer to this period of 1-5 hours after the fl amrea sin phase as the late phase, and this late phase is uniquely different than long duration flares associated with 2-ribbon flares or large filament eruptions. Our analysis of the late phase flare events indicates that the late phase involves hot coronal loops near the flaring region, not directly related to the original flaring loop system but rather with the higher post-eruption fields. Another finding is that space weather applications concerning Earth s ionosphere and thermosphere need to consider these late phase flares because they can enhance the total EUV irradiance flare variation by a factor of 2 when the late phase contribution is included.
Woods, Thomas N.↗