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At least 487 records · Page 27

NASA’s MODIS/VIIRS Global Water Reservoir Product Suite from Moderate Resolution Remote Sensing Data

Global reservoir information can not only benefit local water management but can also improve our understanding of the hydrological cycle. This information includes water area, elevation, and storage; evaporation rate and volume values; and other characteristics. However, operational wall-to-wall reservoir storage and evaporation monitoring information is lacking on a global scale. Here we introduce NASA’s new MODIS/VIIRS Global Water Reservoir product suite based on moderate resolution remote sensing data—the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), and the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS). This product consists of 8-day (MxD28C2 and VNP28C2) and monthly (MxD28C3 and VNP28C3) measurements for 164 large reservoirs (MxD stands for the product from both Terra (MOD) or Aqua (MYD) satellites). The 8-day product provides area, elevation, and storage values, which were generated by first extracting water areas from surface reflectance data and then applying the area estimations to the pre-established Area–Elevation (A–E) relationships. These values were then further aggregated to monthly, with the evaporation rate and volume information added. The evaporation rate and volume values were calculated after the Lake Temperature and Evaporation Model (LTEM) using MODIS/VIIRS land surface temperature product and meteorological data from the Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS). Validation results show that the 250 m area classifications from MODIS agree well with the high-resolution classifications from Landsat (R^(2) = 0.99). Validation of elevation and storage products for twelve Indian reservoirs show good agreement in terms of R^(2) values (0.71–0.96 for elevation, and 0.79–0.96 for storage) and normalized root-mean-square error (NRMSE) values (5.08–19.34% for elevation, and 6.39–18.77% for storage). The evaporation rate results for two reservoirs (Lake Nasser and Lake Mead) agree well with in situ measurements (R^(2) values of 0.61 and 0.66, and NRMSE values of 16.25% and 21.76%). Furthermore, preliminary results from the VIIRS reservoir product have shown good consistency with the MODIS based product, confirming the continuity of this 20-year product suite. This new global water reservoir product suite can provide valuable information with regard to water-sources-related studies, applications, management, and hydrological modeling and change analysis such as drought monitoring.

Yao Li↗

Application of solar energy; Proceedings of the Third Southeastern Conference, Huntsville, Ala., April 17-19, 1978

Demonstration projects, systems-subsystems simulation programs, applications (heating, cooling, agricultural, industrial), and climatic data testing (standards, economics, institutional) are the topics of the book. Economics of preheating water for commercial use and collecting, processing, and dissemination of data for the national demonstration program are discussed. Computer simulation of a solar energy system and graphical representation of solar collector performance are considered. Attention is given to solar driven heat pumps, solar cooling equipment, hybrid passive/active solar systems, and solar farm buildings. Evaluation of a thermographic scanning device for solar energy and conservation applications, use of meteorological data in system evaluation, and biomass conversion potential are presented.

Wu, S. T.↗

Evaluation of current tropospheric mapping functions by Deep Space Network very long baseline interferometry

To compare the validity of current algorithms that map zenith tropospheric delay to arbitrary elevation angles, 10 different tropospheric mapping functions are used to analyze the current data base of Deep Space Network Mark 3 intercontinental very long baseline interferometric (VLBI) data. This analysis serves as a stringent test because of the high proportion of low-elevation observations necessitated by the extremely long baselines. Postfit delay and delay-rate residuals are examined, as well as the scatter of baseline lengths about the time-linear model that characterizes tectonic motion. Among the functions that utilize surface meteorological data as input parameters, the Lanyi 1984 mapping shows the best performance both for residuals and baselines, through the 1985 Davis function is statistically nearly identical. The next best performance is shown by the recent function of Niell, which is based on an examination of global atmospheric characteristics as a function of season and uses no weather data at the time of the measurements. The Niell function shows a slight improvement in residuals relative to Lanyi, but also an increase in baseline scatter that is significant for the California-Spain baseline. Two variants of the Chao mapping function, as well as the Chao tables used with the interpolation algorithm employed in the Orbit Determination Program software, show substandard behavior for both VLBI residuals and baseline scatter. The length of the California-Australia baseline (10,600 km) in the VLBI solution can vary by as much as 5 to 10 cm for the 10 mapping functions.

Sovers, O. J.↗

Remote-Sensing Time Series Analysis, a Vegetation Monitoring Tool

The Time Series Product Tool (TSPT) is software, developed in MATLAB , which creates and displays high signal-to- noise Vegetation Indices imagery and other higher-level products derived from remotely sensed data. This tool enables automated, rapid, large-scale regional surveillance of crops, forests, and other vegetation. TSPT temporally processes high-revisit-rate satellite imagery produced by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and by other remote-sensing systems. Although MODIS imagery is acquired daily, cloudiness and other sources of noise can greatly reduce the effective temporal resolution. To improve cloud statistics, the TSPT combines MODIS data from multiple satellites (Aqua and Terra). The TSPT produces MODIS products as single time-frame and multitemporal change images, as time-series plots at a selected location, or as temporally processed image videos. Using the TSPT program, MODIS metadata is used to remove and/or correct bad and suspect data. Bad pixel removal, multiple satellite data fusion, and temporal processing techniques create high-quality plots and animated image video sequences that depict changes in vegetation greenness. This tool provides several temporal processing options not found in other comparable imaging software tools. Because the framework to generate and use other algorithms is established, small modifications to this tool will enable the use of a large range of remotely sensed data types. An effective remote-sensing crop monitoring system must be able to detect subtle changes in plant health in the earliest stages, before the effects of a disease outbreak or other adverse environmental conditions can become widespread and devastating. The integration of the time series analysis tool with ground-based information, soil types, crop types, meteorological data, and crop growth models in a Geographic Information System, could provide the foundation for a large-area crop-surveillance system that could identify a variety of plant phenomena and improve monitoring capabilities.

McKellip, Rodney↗

Bhutan Water Resources III: Analyzing Forest Disturbances and Climate Data in Bhutan to Create a Tool for Assisting the Himalayan Environment Rhythm Observation and Evaluation Systems (HEROES) Project

Forest disturbances from bark beetle outbreaks are a major concern in Bhutan, known to cause extensive tree mortality to pine and spruce forests. The NASA DEVELOP team partnered with the Ugyen Wangchuck Institute of Conservation and Environmental Research (UWICER), the Bhutan Foundation, and the Karuna Foundation to assess forest changes for the districts of Bumthang and Haa from 2000 to 2018. The project used preprocessed meteorological data from the Climate Hazards Center Infrared Precipitation with Station (CHIRPS) and Famine Early Warning System Network Land Data Assimilation System (FLDAS), along with Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper (TM), Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper plus (ETM+), and Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) to assess apparent forest disturbance occurrences and observed climate trends. Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) was used to resolve variations in elevation and slope for mountainous regions. Using the Google Earth Engine LandTrendr (LT) code algorithm, along with Landsat data, the team developed an app called Forest Disturbances Detection Toolbox (FDDT) to assess forest changes in Bhutan. The app includes climate variables for the focus districts, along with LT variables, which allows the end users to further examine the cause of disturbances. The team compared geocoordinates for known disturbances with LT disturbance detection products. Although additional work is needed in the future to validate the project end products from the FDDT, the tool will be provided to the project partners to aid forest management efforts in Bhutan.

Tashi Choden↗

AmeriFlux US-GL2 Granite Island

This is the AmeriFlux version of the carbon flux data for the site US-GL2 Granite Island. Site Description - Granite Island is a small island on Lake Superior approximately 10 miles due north of Marquette, Michigan. It is roughly 6.5 miles from shore and is occupied by a lighthouse, bell tower, Coast Guard light tower, and other small structures. A flux tower to measure H, LE, and meteorological data was installed atop the bell tower in July of 2009 and has been in continuous operation since then (aside from occasional power outages or other sources of data loss). CO2 measurements were added to the flux tower in October of 2010.

Lenters, John [University of Michigan Biological S↗

Initial assessment of the stratospheric and climatic impact of the 1991 Mount Pinatubo eruption - Prologue

An overview is given of the techniques employed to evaluate the early effects of the volcanic eruption on the stratosphere and climate, and data are given on the initial eruption yield. Global satellite measurements were taken by TOMS, SAGE II, AVHRR, and other devices, and the initial results indicate an eruption yield of 20 megatons of SO2 and 20-30 megatons of H2SO4/H2O aerosol mass. The predicted effects of the eruption - accelerated global ozone depletion and surface cooling - can be compared to meteorological data to test the validity of present climate models based on these data.

Mccormick, M. P.↗

A study of turbulence near thunderstorm tops

It has been known for many years that turbulence significant for aviation often occurs near thunderstorm tops. However, that turbulence is not well-predicted because of an incomplete understanding of the processes which generate it and because of inadequate observations. The current study seeks to alleviate these problems via: (1) a comprehensive review of recent theoretical and experimental studies related to turbulence near thunderstorm tops (TNTT), and (2) three case studies designed to examine the feasibility of using data derived from commercial aircraft to study TNTT. The literature review revealed extensive evidence which showed that convection often produces significant barrier effects; several mesoscale phenomena capable of producing turbulence may occur, depending on wind and stability conditions near the thunderstorm tops. These include two- and three-dimensional lee waves, rotors, Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities, and Karman vortices. Conventional meteorological data were combined with data derived from the aircraft flight tapes to produce quantitative descriptions of the turbulence and its mesoscale environment for the three cases.

Pantley, Kim Christine↗

The GEMPAK Barnes objective analysis scheme

GEMPAK, an interactive computer software system developed for the purpose of assimilating, analyzing, and displaying various conventional and satellite meteorological data types is discussed. The objective map analysis scheme possesses certain characteristics that allowed it to be adapted to meet the analysis needs GEMPAK. Those characteristics and the specific adaptation of the scheme to GEMPAK are described. A step-by-step guide for using the GEMPAK Barnes scheme on an interactive computer (in real time) to analyze various types of meteorological datasets is also presented.

Koch, S. E.↗

Automatic Weather Station (AWS) Lidar

An autonomous, low-power atmospheric lidar instrument is being developed at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. This compact, portable lidar will operate continuously in a temperature controlled enclosure, charge its own batteries through a combination of a small rugged wind generator and solar panels, and transmit its data from remote locations to ground stations via satellite. A network of these instruments will be established by co-locating them at remote Automatic Weather Station (AWS) sites in Antarctica under the auspices of the National Science Foundation (NSF). The NSF Office of Polar Programs provides support to place the weather stations in remote areas of Antarctica in support of meteorological research and operations. The AWS meteorological data will directly benefit the analysis of the lidar data while a network of ground based atmospheric lidar will provide knowledge regarding the temporal evolution and spatial extent of Type la polar stratospheric clouds (PSC). These clouds play a crucial role in the annual austral springtime destruction of stratospheric ozone over Antarctica, i.e. the ozone hole. In addition, the lidar will monitor and record the general atmospheric conditions (transmission and backscatter) of the overlying atmosphere which will benefit the Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS). Prototype lidar instruments have been deployed to the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station (1995-96, 2000) and to an Automated Geophysical Observatory site (AGO 1) in January 1999. We report on data acquired with these instruments, instrument performance, and anticipated performance of the AWS Lidar.

Rall, Jonathan A.R.↗

Data reduction analysis and application technique development for atmospheric trace gas constituents derived from remote sensors on satellite or airborne platforms

The applicability of the gas filter correlation radiometer (GFCR) to the measurement of tropospheric carbon monoxide gas was investigated. An assessment of the GFRC measurement system to a regional measurement program was conducted through extensive aircraft flight-testing of several versions of the GFRC. Investigative work in the following areas is described: flight test planning and coordination, acquisition of verifying CO measurements, determination and acquisition of supporting meteorological data requirements, and development of supporting computational software.

Casas, J. C.↗

The compatible balancing approach to initialization, and four-dimensional data assimilation

A unified theoretical approach to both the four-dimensional assimilation of asynoptic data and the initialization problem is attempted. This approach relies on the derivation of certain relationships between geopotential tendencies and tendencies of the horizontal velocity field in primitive-equation models of atmospheric flow. The approach is worked out and analyzed in detail for some simple barotropic models. Certain independent results of numerical experiments for the time-continuous assimilation of real asynoptic meteorological data into a complex, baroclinic weather prediction model are discussed in the context of the present approach. Tentative inferences are drawn for practical assimilation procedures.

Ghil, M.↗

Evaluation of Aerosol Data Assimilation and Forecasts in the NASA GEOS Model during the ASIA-AQ Campaign

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) poses significant risks to human health and the environment by penetrating the lungs and causing respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, making it crucial to understand its sources and behavior for effective air quality management. The Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) Forward Processing (FP) system model, operated by the Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO) at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, provides real-time weather and aerosol analyses and forecasts. In addition to meteorological data assimilation, the GEOS-FP system also assimilates aerosol using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) and Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) AOD data. In this study, the aerosol data assimilation and forecasts performance of the GEOS-FP model were evaluated for predicting PM2.5 in Korea using observations from the Airborne and Satellite Investigation of Asian Air Quality (ASIA-AQ) campaign. The ASIA-AQ campaign, an international collaborative field study initiative, aims to enhance understanding of local air quality issues and address common challenges in interpreting satellite data and air quality modeling. Conducted in South Korea from February 15 to March 13, 2024, during the high PM2.5 concentration winter season, this campaign provided extensive airborne and ground observations for intensive analysis of PM2.5 model simulations. We demonstrate how the assimilation runs and the forecasting performance of PM2.5 at 24-hour and 48-hour intervals vary. Additionally, we analyzed the differences and characteristics of PM2.5 composition in cases of long-range transport and local emissions. Using ASIA-AQ airborne data, we also examined the vertical profile of fine particulate matter. Through the intensive observations of this campaign, the GEOS model was assessed over South Korea using both in situ and airborne measurements to establish a baseline and identify priorities for future development.

Seunghee Lee↗

Arctic Sea ice studies with passive microwave satellite observations

The objectives of this research are: (1) to improve sea ice concentration determinations from passive microwave space observations; (2) to study the role of Arctic polynyas in the production of sea ice and the associated salinization of Arctic shelf water; and (3) to study large scale sea ice variability in the polar oceans. The strategy is to analyze existing data sets and data acquired from both the DMSP SSM/I and recently completed aircraft underflights. Special attention will be given the high resolution 85.5 GHz SSM/I channels for application to thin ice algorithms and processes studies. Analysis of aircraft and satellite data sets is expected to provide a basis for determining the potential of the SSM/I high frequency channels for improving sea ice algorithms and for investigating oceanic processes. Improved sea ice algorithms will aid the study of Arctic coastal polynyas which in turn will provide a better understanding of the role of these polynyas in maintaining the Arctic watermass structure. Analysis of satellite and archived meteorological data sets will provide improved estimates of annual, seasonal and shorter-term sea ice variability.

Cavalieri, D. J.↗

Assessment of climate variability of the Greenland Ice Sheet: Integration of in situ and satellite data

The proposed research involves the application of multispectral satellite data in combination with ground truth measurements to monitor surface properties of the Greenland Ice Sheet which are essential for describing the energy and mass of the ice sheet. Several key components of the energy balance are parameterized using satellite data and in situ measurements. The analysis will be done for a ten year time period in order to get statistics on the seasonal and interannual variations of the surface processes and the climatology. Our goal is to investigate to what accuracy and over what geographic areas large scale snow properties and radiative fluxes can be derived based upon a combination of available remote sensing and meteorological data sets. Operational satellite sensors are calibrated based on ground measurements and atmospheric modeling prior to large scale analysis to ensure the quality of the satellite data. Further, several satellite sensors of different spatial and spectral resolution are intercompared to access the parameter accuracy. Proposed parameterization schemes to derive key component of the energy balance from satellite data are validated. For the understanding of the surface processes a field program was designed to collect information on spectral albedo, specular reflectance, soot content, grain size and the physical properties of different snow types. Further, the radiative and turbulent fluxes at the ice/snow surface are monitored for the parameterization and interpretation of the satellite data. The expected results include several baseline data sets of albedo, surface temperature, radiative fluxes, and different snow types of the entire Greenland Ice Sheet. These climatological data sets will be of potential use for climate sensitivity studies in the context of future climate change.

Steffen, K.↗

Assessment of Climate Variability of the Greenland Ice Sheet: Integration of In Situ and Satellite Data

The proposed research involves the application of multispectral satellite data in combination with ground truth measurements to monitor surface properties of the Greenland Ice Sheet which are essential for describing the energy and mass of the ice sheet. Several key components of the energy balance are parameterized using satellite data and in situ measurements. The analysis has been done for a 6 to 17 year time period in order to analyze the seasonal and interannual variations of the surface processes and the climatology. Our goal was to investigate to what accuracy and over what geographic areas large scale snow properties and radiative fluxes can be derived based upon a combination of available remote sensing and meteorological data sets. For the understanding of the surface processes a field program was designed to collect information on spectral albedo, specular reflectance, soot content, grain size and the physical properties of different snow types. Further, the radiative and turbulent fluxes at the ice/snow surface were monitored for the parameterization and interpretation of the satellite data. Highlights include AVHRR time series and surface based radiation measurements, passive microwave time series, and geodetic results from the ETH/CU camp.

Steffen, K.↗

Meteorological effects on long-range outdoor sound propagation

Measurements of sound propagation over distances up to 1000 m were carried out with an impulse sound source offering reproducible, short time signals. Temperature and wind speed at several heights were monitored simultaneously; the meteorological data are used to determine the sound speed gradients according to the Monin-Obukhov similarity theory. The sound speed profile is compared to a corresponding prediction, gained through the measured travel time difference between direct and ground reflected pulse (which depends on the sound speed gradient). Positive sound speed gradients cause bending of the sound rays towards the ground yielding enhanced sound pressure levels. The measured meteorological effects on sound propagation are discussed and illustrated by ray tracing methods.

Klug, Helmut↗

Municipality Level Simulations of Dengue Fever Incidence in Puerto Rico Using Ground Based and Remotely Sensed Climate Data

Dengue fever (DF) is caused by a virus transmitted between humans and Aedes genus mosquitoes through blood feeding. In recent decades incidence of the disease has drastically increased in the tropical Americas, culminating with the Pan American outbreak in 2010 which resulted in 1.7 million reported cases. In Puerto Rico dengue is endemic, however, there is significant inter‐annual, intraannual, and spatial variability in case loads. Variability in climate and the environment, herd immunity and virus genetics, and demographic characteristics may all contribute to differing patterns of transmission both spatially and temporally. Knowledge of climate influences on dengue incidence could facilitate development of early warning systems allowing public health workers to implement appropriate transmission intervention strategies. In this study, we simulate dengue incidence in several municipalities in Puerto Rico using population and meteorological data derived from ground based stations and remote sensing instruments. This data was used to drive a process based model of vector population development and virus transmission. Model parameter values for container composition, vector characteristics, and incubation period were chosen by employing a Monte Carlo approach. Multiple simulations were performed for each municipality and the results were compared with reported dengue cases. The best performing simulations were retained and their parameter values and meteorological input were compared between years and municipalities. Parameter values varied by municipality and year illustrating the complexity and sensitivity of the disease system. Local characteristics including the natural and built environment impact transmission dynamics and produce varying responses to meteorological conditions.

Remote Sensing↗