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NASA NTRS1975

Pressure Contact Sounding Data for NASA's Atmospheric Variability Experiment (AVE 3)

The basic rawinsonde data are described at each pressure contact from the surface to sounding termination for the 41 stations participating in the AVE III measurement program that began at 0000 GMT on February 6 and ended at 1200 GMT on February 7, 1975. Soundings were taken at 3-hour intervals during a large period of the experiment from most stations within the United States east of about 105 degrees west longitude. Methods of data processing, change in reduction scheme since the AVE II pilot experiment, and data accuracy are briefly discussed. An example of contact data is presented, and microfiche cards of all the contact data are included in the appendix. The AVE III project was conducted to better understand and establish the extent of applications for meteorological satellite sensor data through correlative ground truth experiments and to provide basic experimental data for use in studies of atmospheric scales of-motion interrelationships.

Fuelberg, H. E.↗

NASA NTRS1976

EarthSat spring wheat yield system test 1975, appendix 4

A computer system is presented which processes meteorological data from both ground observations and meteorologic satellites to define plant weather aspects on a four time per day basis. Plant growth stages are calculated and soil moisture profiles are defined by the system. The EarthSat system assesses plant stress and prepares forecasts of end-of-year yields. The system was used to forecast spring wheat yields in the upper Great Plains states. Hardware and software documentation is provided.

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NASA NTRS1976

Comparisons of cloud cover evaluated from LANDSAT imagery and meteorological stations across the British Isles

The author has identified the following significant results. This stage of the study has confirmed the initial supposition that LANDSAT data could be analyzed to provide useful data on cloud amount, and that useful light would be thrown thereby on the performance of the ground observer of this aspect of the state of the sky. This study, in comparison with previous studies of a similar nature using data from meteorological satellites, has benefited greatly from the much higher resolution data provided by LANDSAT. This has permitted consideration of not only the overall performance of the surface observer in estimating total cloud cover, but also his performance under different sky conditions.

Barrett, E. C.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Geometrical procedures for the analysis of spacecraft attitude and bias determinability

Geometrical procedures are presented for predicting the determinability of spacecraft attitude and bias parameters. An analysis is presented on three common attitude measurements: sun angle, nadir angle, and sun-to-earth mid-scan rotation angle. First, the geometry of these measurements is considered for an arbitrary fixed location of the spacecraft; then the effect of orbital motion is analyzed. The results are summarized in a set of simple geometrical rules. The application of these rules to the Synchronous Meteorological Satellite-2 (SMS-2) is discussed. As a result of this geometrical analysis, modifications were made to the SMS-2 bias determination schedule which substantially enhanced the determinability of attitude sensor biases.

Wertz, J. R.↗

NASA NTRS1976

Solar radiation measurement - Techniques and instrumentation

A general survey is presented of solar radiation measurement, techniques, and instrumentation. The importance of determining the total and spectral irradiance of the sun is examined in the context of the energy crisis and utilization of solar energy. The survey includes the extraterrestrial solar fluxes, their possible variations, problems relating to energy received by collecting surfaces on the ground, major types of instrumentation, and the radiation scales to which the measurements are referred. The type of insolation data available is reviewed. Alternate techniques of deriving insolation data with high space-time resolution are discussed with reference to solar energy conversion requirements. Energy received on the ground can be computed from known values of the extraterrestrial solar spectrum and of the spectral absorption parameters of the atmosphere. Another technique is based on measurements made by meteorological satellites of the cloud-cover and of the solar energy reflected and scattered back to space by the earth-atmosphere system.

Thekaekara, M. P.↗

NASA NTRS1976

Wind sets from SMS images - An assessment of quality for GATE

The paper analyzes the accuracy, representativeness, and reproducibility of tracer winds in the 1974 GARP Atlantic Tropical Experiment whose data are used as ground truth. The tracer winds were generated by tracking clouds in SMS (Synchronous Meteorological Satellite) images. Data availability limits comparisons to satellite winds with ship winds at the surface and at 250 mb. Attention is focused on how accurately the cloud displacements can be measured and on the extent to which the cloud displacements represent the wind field. Operator errors in obtaining the cloud displacements are examined in a series of reproducibility tests and wind sets. Differences between proximate satellite and ship winds were all under 3 m/sec. Representativeness of cloud tracers for cumulus and cirrus level flow is found to be good within the accuracy of currently available ground truth data.

Suchman, D.↗

NASA NTRS1977

Meteorological sensors and related technology for the eighties

The sensors currently projected for the new generation of meteorological satellites which will be in operation during the First Global Atmospheric Research Program GARP Global Experiment (FGGE) are described. The closely related subject of on-board data processing is treated briefly as well as efforts by the countries/agencies responsible for these satellites to make useful products available to developing countries at low cost.

Heacock, E. L.↗

NASA NTRS1977

Remote sensing-aided systems for snow qualification, evapotranspiration estimation, and their application in hydrologic models

The design of general remote sensing-aided methodologies was studied to provide the estimates of several important inputs to water yield forecast models. These input parameters are snow area extent, snow water content, and evapotranspiration. The study area is Feather River Watershed (780,000 hectares), Northern California. The general approach involved a stepwise sequence of identification of the required information, sample design, measurement/estimation, and evaluation of results. All the relevent and available information types needed in the estimation process are being defined. These include Landsat, meteorological satellite, and aircraft imagery, topographic and geologic data, ground truth data, and climatic data from ground stations. A cost-effective multistage sampling approach was employed in quantification of all the required parameters. The physical and statistical models for both snow quantification and evapotranspiration estimation was developed. These models use the information obtained by aerial and ground data through appropriate statistical sampling design.

Korram, S.↗

NASA NTRS1977

A multichannel passive microwave atmospheric temperature sounding system

The development of a small, lightweight, low-power, seven channel passive microwave radiometer system for use on the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) was described. The 50-60 GHz sensor system operates in the region of an intense atmospheric oxygen absorption band to provide atmospheric temperature profiles to 30 kilometer altitudes on a global basis.

Louappe, M. E.↗

NASA NTRS1977

Data processing for the DMSP microwave radiometer system

A software program was developed and tested to process microwave radiometry data to be acquired by the microwave sensor (SSM/T) on the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program spacecraft. The SSM/T 7-channel microwave radiometer and systems data will be data-linked to Air Force Global Weather Central (AFGWC) where they will be merged with ephemeris data prior to product processing for use in the AFGWC upper air data base (UADB). The overall system utilizes an integrated design to provide atmospheric temperature soundings for global applications. The fully automated processing at AFGWC was accomplished by four related computer processor programs to produce compatible UADB soundings, evaluate system performance, and update the a priori developed inversion matrices. Tests with simulated data produced results significantly better than climatology.

Rigone, J. L.↗

NASA NTRS1977

SMS/GOES cell and battery data analysis report

The nickel-cadmium battery design developed for the Synchronous Meteorological Satellite (SMS) and Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) provided background and guidelines for future development, manufacture, and application of spacecraft batteries. SMS/GOES battery design, development, qualification testing, acceptance testing, and life testing/mission performance characteristics were evaluated for correlation with battery cell manufacturing process variables.

Armantrout, J. D.↗

NASA NTRS1977

Interactive image processing for meteorological applications at NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

The paper reviews the development of the AOIPS (Atmospheric and Oceanographic Information Processing System) system for the interactive manipulation of meteorological satellite images. A block diagram of the system is presented; both software and hardware considerations are examined; and attention is given to the Image 100 processing system and to the interactive terminal. As a example the paper examines the functions of Metpak (the software package) which involve cloud tracking and wind vector generation.

Billingsley, J. B.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Dayside auroral arcs and convection

Recent Defense Meteorological Satellite Program and International Satellite for Ionospheric Studies dayside auroral observations show two striking features: a lack of visible auroral arcs near noon and occasional fan shaped arcs radiating away from noon on both the morning and afternoon sides of the auroral oval. A simple model which includes these two features is developed by reference to the dayside convection pattern of Heelis et al. (1976). The model may be testable in the near future with simultaneous convection, current and auroral light data.

Reiff, P. H.↗

NASA NTRS1977

Thunderstorm-associated cloud motions as computed from 5-minute SMS pictures

The five-minute rapid-scan imagery from the Synchronous Meteorological Satellite is employed to study cloud motions associated with the Omaha tornado of May 6, 1975. Cloud-motion vectors derived from automated and man-machine interactive systems provide an account of the mesoscale phenomena. In addition to the geostationary satellite data, aerial photography obtained during a cloud-truth mission is used in the severe storm investigation. For tracking overland cumuli with short half-lives, a three-minute scan interval appears necessary for the satellite imagery.

Tecson, J. J.↗

NASA NTRS1977

Dust storms - Great Plains, Africa, and Mars

Dust storms in the Great Plains of North America and in the Sahara Desert are analyzed on the basis of imagery from the geostationary Synchronous Meteorological Satellite. The onset time, location and areal extent of the dust storms are studied. Over land surfaces, contrast enhancement techniques are needed to obtain an adequate picture of dust storm development. In addition, infrared imagery may provide a means of monitoring the strong horizontal temperature gradients characteristic of dust cloud boundaries. Analogies between terrestrial dust storms and the airborne rivers of dust created by major Martian dust storms are also drawn.

Woiceshyn, P. M.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Cloudiness and the radiation budget

The problem of obtaining data for quantification of the effects of clouds on radiation budget measurements is discussed. Areas considered include the relationship between observed cloud characteristics and model predicted characteristics and selection of an angular distribution function for conversion of scanning radiometer radiance to irradiance. Storage of meteorological satellite data related to cloud-radiation interactions is discussed.

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NASA NTRS1979

Case studies of gravity waves associated with isolated tornadic storms on January 13, 1976

Penetrative convection, thunderstorms, squall lines, etc., all generate atmospheric gravity waves which can be observed by a ground-based ionospheric Doppler sounder array. Sources of these waves can be determined from reverse ray tracing computations. Case studies of gravity waves associated with isolated tornadic storms on January 13, 1976 were summarized to establish the minimum data sampling time required for correct spectral analysis and ray tracing computations. It was concluded that the data sampling time can be reduced to two to three times the wave period while still obtaining a reasonably good power spectral density. It was also demonstrated that the data sampling time can be reduced to two to three times the time delay of the wave arrival between two station pairs while still obtaining a justifiably good cross-spectral analysis. Computed source locations of the observed gravity waves are compared with conventional and satellite meteorological data.

Hung, R. J.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Visual observations from space

Visual observations from space reveal a number of fascinating natural phenomena of interest to meteorologists and aeronomists, such as aurorae, airglow, aerosol layers, lightning, and atmospheric refraction effects. Other man-made radiation, including city lights and laser beacons, are also of considerable interest. Of course, the most widely used space observations are of the large-scale weather systems viewed each day by millions of people on their local television. From lower altitudes than the geostationary meteorological satellite orbits, obliques and overlapping stereo views are possible, allow height information to be obtained directly, often a key element in the use of the photographs for research purposes. However, this note will discuss only the less common observations mentioned at the beginning of this paragraph.

Garriott, O. K.↗