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At least 91 records · Page 5

The NASA MODIS-VIIRS Continuity Cloud Optical Properties Products

The NASA Aqua MODIS and Suomi National Polar-Orbiting Partnership (SNPP) Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) climate data record continuity cloud properties products (CLDPROP) were publicly released in April 2019 with an update later that year (Version 1.1). These cloud products, having heritage with the NASA Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) MOD06 cloud optical properties product and the NOAA GOES-R Algorithm Working Group (AWG) Cloud Height Algorithm (ACHA), represent an effort to bridge the multispectral imager records of NASA’s Earth Observing System (EOS) and NOAA’s current generation of operational weather satellites to achieve a continuous, multi-decadal climate data record for clouds that can extend well into the 2030s. CLDPROP offers a “continuity of approach,” applying common algorithms and ancillary datasets to both MODIS and VIIRS, including utilizing only a subset of spectral channels available on both sensors to help mitigate instrument differences. The initial release of the CLDPROP_MODIS and CLDPROP_VIIRS data records spans the SNPP observational record (2012-present). Here, we present an overview of the algorithms and an evaluation of the intersensor continuity of the core CLDPROP_MODIS and CLDPROP_VIIRS cloud optical property datasets, i.e., cloud thermodynamic phase, optical thickness, effective particle size, and derived water path. The evaluation includes analyses of pixel-level MODIS/VIIRS co-locations as well as spatial and temporal aggregated statistics, with a focus on identifying and understanding the root causes of individual dataset discontinuities. The results of this evaluation will inform future updates to the CLDPROP products and help scientific users determine the appropriate use of the product datasets for their specific needs.

satellite remote sensing↗

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↗

Three Decades of Precision Orbit Determination Progress, Achievements, Future Challenges and its Vital Contribution to Oceanography and Climate Research

Although satellite altimetry has been around for thirty years, the last fifteen beginning with the launch of TOPEX/Poseidon (TP) have yielded an abundance of significant results including: monitoring of ENS0 events, detection of internal tides, determination of accurate global tides, unambiguous delineation of Rossby waves and their propagation characteristics, accurate determination of geostrophic currents, and a multi-decadal time series of mean sea level trend and dynamic ocean topography variability. While the high level of accuracy being achieved is a result of both instrument maturity and the quality of models and correction algorithms applied to the data, improving the quality of the Climate Data Records produced from altimetry is highly dependent on concurrent progress being made in fields such as orbit determination. The precision orbits form the reference frame from which the radar altimeter observations are made. Therefore, the accuracy of the altimetric mapping is limited to a great extent by the accuracy to which a satellite orbit can be computed. The TP mission represents the first time that the radial component of an altimeter orbit was routinely computed with an accuracy of 2-cm. Recently it has been demonstrated that it is possible to compute the radial component of Jason orbits with an accuracy of better than 1-cm. Additionally, still further improvements in TP orbits are being achieved with new techniques and algorithms largely developed from combined Jason and TP data analysis. While these recent POD achievements are impressive, the new accuracies are now revealing subtle systematic orbit error that manifest as both intra and inter annual ocean topography errors. Additionally the construction of inter-decadal time series of climate data records requires the removal of systematic differences across multiple missions. Current and future efforts must focus on the understanding and reduction of these errors in order to generate a complete and consistent time series of improved orbits across multiple missions and decades required for the most stringent climate-related research. This presentation discusses the POD progress and achievements made over nearly three decades, and presents the future challenges, goals and their impact on altimetric derived ocean sciences.

Luthcke, Scott↗

Uncertainty Assessment of the SeaWiFS On-Orbit Calibration

Ocean color climate data records require water-leaving radiances with 5% absolute and 1% relative accuracies as input. Because of the amplification of any sensor calibration errors by the atmospheric correction, the 1% relative accuracy requirement translates into a 0.1% long-term radiometric stability requirement for top-of-the atmosphere radiances. The rigorous on-orbit calibration program developed and implemented for SeaWiFS by the NASA Ocean Biology Processing Group (OBPG) Calibration and Validation Team (CVT) has allowed the CVT to maintain the stability of the radiometric calibration of SeaWiFS at 0.13% or better over the mission. The uncertainties in the resulting calibrated top-of-the-atmosphere (TOA) radiances can be addressed in terms of accuracy (biases in the measurements), precision (scatter in the measurements), and stability (repeatability of the measurements). The calibration biases of lunar observations relative to the USGS RObotic Lunar Observatory (ROLO) photometric model of the Moon are 2-3%. The biases from the vicarious calibration against the Marine Optical Buoy (MOBY) are 1-2%. The precision of the calibration derived from the solar calibration signal-tonoise ratios are 0.16%, from the lunar residuals are 0.13%, and from the vicarious gains are 0.10%. The long-term stability of the TOA radiances, derived from the lunar time series, is 0.13%. The stability of the vicariouslycalibrated TOA radiances, incorporating the uncertainties in the MOBY measurements and the atmospheric correction, is 0.30%. These results allow the OBPG to produce climate data records from the SeaWiFS ocean color data.

Eplee, Robert E., Jr.↗

An Update on Global Satellite-Based Precipitation Products and Services at NASA GES DISC

The NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC) is home to major NASA satellite precipitation measurement missions including the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) and the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) as well as other NASA projects. Accurate and timely available global and regional precipitation products play an important role in research and applications around the world. The GES DISC provides near-real-time, near-global precipitation products (e.g.IMERG) to support a wide variety of interdisciplinary research and operational activities including flood modeling, landslides, crop monitoring and assessment, vector-borne diseases, etc. Climate data record products (e.g.GPCP3) are essential for climate research, assessment, model evaluation and applications. To facilitate data access and exploration, the GES DISC has developed data services such asGiovanni, an online visualization and analysis tool for easy access to over 2000 satellite- and model-based variables. Established in the mid 1980s, the GES DISC also distributes data in other disciplines including hydrology, atmospheric chemistry, atmospheric dynamics, etc. In this presentation, we will present an update on global precipitation products and data services including the new IMERG V06B suite, the latest version of GPCP (Version 3) and value-added data subsetting services (L34RS, L2S).

Liu, Zhong↗

Assimilation of Blended Satellite Soil Moisture Data Products to Further Improve Noah-MP Model Skills

Microwave satellite remote sensing has enabled observations of soil moisture (SM) at the global scale, and multiple SM data products have been developed in the past decades. However, single-sensor-based measurements are insufficient for continuous spatiotemporal coverage. In the context of its climate program, the Climate Change Initiative, the European Space Agency (ESA) has developed robust, long term, global scale, multi instrument satellite derived time series of climate data record for key component of the climate system, including soil moisture (CCI), while the Soil Moisture Operational Product System (SMOPS) was specifically developed by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to offer the real time blended SM datasets through merging all available individual products. Before combining, all individual SM data ingested into both SMOPS and CCI blended products are scaled to Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS) 0-10 cm SM climatology. Benefiting from land surface model evolution and the availability of high-quality forcing data, GLDAS has become more comprehensive to track SM changes and dynamic trends. The development of GLDAS and the scaling procedure in CCI and SMOPS leave an open scientific and operational question: do the blended satellite SM data products have added value comparing to the GLDAS product? This study clearly reveals that both CCI and SMOPS can provide the reliable SM observations with independent information, although their climatology matches well with GLDAS. Relative to assimilation of GLDAS 0-10 cm SM data, Noah-MP model can be further improved by assimilating the blended satellite SM observations with respect to the quality-controlled in situ measurements. The strong consistency of results presented in this paper proves that the blended satellite SM data products are more useful than the GLDAS product in terms of improving Noah-MP model performance.

Jifu Yin↗

Global SO 2 Data Record from OMPS Instruments on the JPSS Constellation

NASA’s Earth Observing System (EOS) SO 2 climate data record (CDR) started in 2004, with the launch of the Aura/Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) and is now being continued with the SNPP/Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite (OMPS) launched in 2011. Both OMI and SNPP/OMPS SO 2 CDRs are produced with the Goddard principal component analysis (PCA) spectral fitting algorithm. An advantage of the data-driven PCA retrieval technique is that it enables highly consistent retrievals from different instruments, by inherently accounting for various instrumental factors. To further extend the EOS SO 2 CDR, we are implementing the PCA SO 2 retrieval algorithm with the L1B measurements from OMPS instruments flying on the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) constellation. In this presentation, we will provide an update on our progress in NOAA-20 (launched in 2017) and NOAA-21 (launched in 2022) PCA SO2 retrievals. We will focus on our new NOAA-20/OMPS PCA SO 2 EOS continuity product, to be publicly released in fall of 2023. We will present statistical analyses on the quality of NOAA-20 PCA SO 2 product, including retrieval noise, biases over background areas, and long-term stability. We will compare our PCA SO 2 retrievals from NOAA-20 with those from OMI, SNPP/OMPS, and S5P/TROPOMI (TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument) for anthropogenic sources as well as large volcanic plumes. We will also discuss the application of a new machine learning technique that helps to further reduce the noise of NOAA-20 SO 2 retrievals. In addition, we will present preliminary PCA SO 2 retrievals from NOAA-21/OMPS, including those from direct readout implementation for aviation disaster avoidance. Finally, we will share some first results applying the PCA algorithm to NASA’s geostationary TEMPO (Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution) instrument to obtain hourly, high resolution SO 2 data over North America.

SO2↗

Continuing Long-term Global SO 2 Data Record with JPSS OMPS Instruments

NASA’s long-term Earth Observing System (EOS) SO 2 climate data record (CDR) started with Aura/Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI, launched in 2004) and is now being continued with the SNPP/Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite (OMPS, launched in 2011). Both OMI and SNPP/OMPS SO 2 CDRs are produced with the Goddard principal component analysis (PCA) spectral fitting algorithm. By inherently accounting for various instrumental factors, the PCA technique enables highly consistent retrievals between different instruments. In this presentation, we will provide an overview on our effort to further extend the EOS SO 2 CDR, by implementing the PCA SO 2 algorithm with multiple OMPS instruments flying on the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) constellation, including NOAA-20 (launched in 2017) and NOAA-21 (launched in 2022). We will present results analyzing our new NOAA-20/OMPS PCA SO 2 EOS continuity product, to be publicly released in fall of 2023. We will show statistical analyses on the quality of NOAA-20 PCA SO 2 product, such as retrieval noise, biases over background areas, and long-term stability. We will employ a previously established top-down method to estimate SO2 emissions from selected large point sources, using NOAA-20 SO 2 retrievals and assimilated wind fields as input. The SO 2 emission estimates derived from NOAA-20 retrievals will be compared with those from OMI, SNPP/OMPS, and S5P/TROPOMI (TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument). We will also demonstrate the application of a new machine learning technique that further reduces the noise of NOAA-20 SO 2 retrievals. Finally, we will present preliminary PCA SO 2 retrievals from recently launched satellite sensors, including NOAA-21/OMPS and NASA’s geostationary TEMPO (Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution) instrument.

SO2↗

Updated global and regional trends of stratospheric ozone profiles

We present updated evaluation of stratospheric ozone profile trends in the 60° S–60°N latitude range using long-term ground-based and satellite climate data records, as well as simulations by chemistry-climate models. The trends are evaluated using the LOTUS (Long-term Ozone Trends and Uncertainties in the Stratosphere) regression model. Analyses of satellite data confirm the statistically significant positive ozone trends in the period 2000–2024 in the upper stratosphere of ~1–3% per decade, with larger trends at mid-latitudes compared to the tropics. The trends are slightly positive or close to zero in the middle stratosphere, and mostly negative, -1 to -2% per decade, in the lower stratosphere, but they are not statistically significant. The morphology and magnitude of ozone trends are similar to previous analyses (2000–2020 trends). Ozone trends in 2000–2024 predicted by chemistry-climate model simulations are in good agreement with combined satellite trends. In the upper stratosphere, models predict a slightly stronger ozone recovery than observations. In the lower stratosphere, both models and satellite observations report negative trends in the tropics, while modelled ozone trends are slightly positive at mid-latitudes. Ozone profile trends over several stations estimated from ground-based records capture the same overall vertical pattern of ozone trends as merged gridded satellite datasets. Analyses of regional ozone profile trends in 2003–2024 using merged satellite datasets confirmed the previous observations of a longitudinal structure in ozone trends in the NH mid-latitude stratosphere, with positive trends over Scandinavia and negative trends over Siberia. However, the magnitude of this dipole-like structure is reduced compared to previous analyses.

trends↗

VIIRS Product Evaluation at the Ocean PEATE

The National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) Preparatory Project (NPP) mission will support the continuation of climate records generated from NASA missions. The NASA Science Data Segment (SDS) relies upon discipline-specific centers of expertise to evaluate the NPP data products for suitability as climate data records, The Ocean Product Evaluation and Analysis Tool Element (PEATE) will build upon Well established NASA capabilities within the Ocean Color program in order to evaluate the NPP Visible and Infrared Imager/Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) Ocean Color and Chlorophyll data products. The specific evaluation methods will support not only the evaluation of product quality but also the sources of differences with existing data records.

Patt, Frederick S.↗

An Overview of Inter-comparison Methodologies for Terra and Aqua MODIS Calibration

With increasing efforts on data fusion and long-term climate data records (CDR) using observations made by multiple sensors, on the same or different platforms, their cross-calibration and validation work has become more and more important. The uncertainties of the climate models and data records depend not only on the calibration quality of individual sensors but also on their calibration consistency. This paper provides an overview of methodologies used by the MODIS Characterization Support Team (MCST) at NASA GSFC for the inter-comparison studies of Terra and Aqua MODIS on-orbit calibration. Each MODIS was built with a set of onboard calibrators (OBC) that include a blackbody (BB), a solar diffuser (SD), and a solar diffuser stability monitor (SDSM). The BB is primarily used for the thermal emissive bands (TEB) calibration and the SD/SDSM system for the reflective solar bands (RSB) calibration. Although the-instrument design and calibration approach are nearly identical for both Terra and Aqua MODIS and they all went through an extensive and similar pre-launch calibration and characterization process, still their on-orbit calibration consistency needs to be carefully examined and validated as many science products have been generated from observations made by both instruments. Methodologies discussed in this paper include inter-comparison studies using the Moon, a third sensor, and ground targets. Our results show that Terra and Aqua reflective solar bands and thermal emissive bands have been calibrated consistently with excellent long-term stabilities. For the 11 and 12 micrometers sea surface temperature (SST) bands, the calibration difference of Terra and Aqua MODIS is less than 0.2K.

Xiong, X.↗

Comparative Results of AIRS AMSU and CrIS/ATMS Retrievals Using a Scientifically Equivalent Retrieval Algorithm

The AIRS Science Team Version 6 retrieval algorithm is currently producing high quality level-3 Climate Data Records (CDRs) from AIRSAMSU which are critical for understanding climate processes. The AIRS Science Team is finalizing an improved Version-7 retrieval algorithm to reprocess all old and future AIRS data. AIRS CDRs should eventually cover the period September 2002 through at least 2020. CrISATMS is the only scheduled follow on to AIRSAMSU. The objective of this research is to prepare for generation of a long term CrISATMS level-3 data using a finalized retrieval algorithm that is scientifically equivalent to AIRSAMSU Version-7.

AIRS↗

Comparative Results of AIRS/AMSU and CrIS/ATMS Retrievals Using a Scientifically Equivalent Retrieval Algorithm

The AIRS Science Team Version-6 retrieval algorithm is currently producing high quality level-3 Climate Data Records (CDRs) from AIRS/AMSU which are critical for understanding climate processes. The AIRS Science Team is finalizing an improved Version-7 retrieval algorithm to reprocess all old and future AIRS data. AIRS CDRs should eventually cover the period September 2002 through at least 2020. CrIS/ATMS is the only scheduled follow on to AIRS/AMSU. The objective of this research is to prepare for generation of long term CrIS/ATMS CDRs using a retrieval algorithm that is scientifically equivalent to AIRS/AMSU Version-7.

AIRS AMSU↗

Explore Information Content Efficiently from Current and Future Hyperspectral Satellite Missions using a Spectral Fingerprinting Method

Hyperspectral remote sensors from current and future missions provide measurements of the Top of Atmosphere (TOA) radiance or reflectance spectra with high information content. For example, the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS), together with the Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS), and the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) have provided more than 20 years radiance measurements with thousands of spectral channels. These measurements will be continued for the next two decades with the same or more advanced hyperspectral sensors. The upcoming missions such as NASA’s CLARREO Pathfinder (CPF) and ESA’s TRUTHS will provide unprecedented accurate TOA hyperspectral radiance measurements in solar spectral region. Traditional ways to derive Climate Data Records (CDRs) from these measurements are performing spatial and temporal averages of the retrieved Level-2 products. However, it is a time-consuming process to generate decades of Level-2 data from Level-1 data. Furthermore, the differences in Level-2 algorithms used for different satellite sensors will introduce errors in derived CDRs. In this presentation, we will describe a spectral fingerprinting method to generate high-quality CDRs directly from spatiotemporally averaged Level-1 data. By using consistent radiative kernels which contain the spectral information of various atmospheric and surface CDRs, we can reduce the errors due to algorithm inconsistency. Additionally, the spectral fingerprinting method reduces the time needed to generate CDRs by more than three orders of magnitude. This makes it easy to reprocess CDRs once the Level-1 data from different satellites have been improved via either re-calibrations or inter-satellite calibrations. We will present results of applying spectral fingerprinting method to 20-years of AIRS and CrIS data. The resulting CDRs include: 1) vertical profiles of atmospheric temperature and water vapor, 2) cloud properties such as optical depth, effective size, and height, 3) vertical profiles or column amounts for atmospheric trace gases such as O3 and CO, and 4) surface emissivity spectra and skin temperatures. These CDRs will be publicly available at NASA GES DISC in late 2024. The same fingerprinting method is planned to be applied to future CPF and TRUTHS data for solar spectral region.

hyperspectral remote sensing↗

Analysis of CrIS-ATMS Data Using an AIRS Science Team Version 6 - Like Retrieval Algorithm

CrIS/ATMS is flying on NPP and is scheduled to fly on JPSS-1. CrIS/ATMS has roughly equivalent capabilities to AIRS/AMSU. The AIRS Science Team Version 6 retrieval algorithm is currently producing very high quality level-3 Climate Data Records (CDR's) that will be critical for understanding climate processes AIRS CDRs should eventually cover the period September 2002 through at least 2020. CrIS/ATMS is the only scheduled follow on to AIRS AMSU. I have been asked by Ramesh Kakar if CrIS/ATMS can be counted on to adequately continue the AIRS/AMSU CDRs beyond 2020, or is something better needed? This research is being done to answer that question. A minimum requirement to obtain a yes answer is that CrIS/ATMS be analyzed using an AIRS Version 6 - like algorithm. NOAA is currently generating CrIS/ATMS products using 2 algorithms: IDPS and NUCAPS

Retrieval Algorithm↗

Validation of GOSAT Data Products; Interim Report on the GOSAT/TANSO Project

The Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2) Team has continued working closely with the Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT) team to (i) conduct vicarious calibration experiments in Railroad Valley, NV, U.S.A., (ii) retrieve estimates of X CO2 from OCO-2 and GOSAT TANSO-FTS data, and (iii) validate these products using internationally recognized standards. The OCO-/GOSAT relationship was reinforced in March 2015 with the signing a new Memorandum of Understanding between NASA and the GOSAT and GOSAT-2 partners. Over the past year, while the GOSAT team has been finalizing the V201 product, the OCO-2 team has focused primarily on the delivery of the OCO-2 product, providing new opportunities for cross calibration of the OCO-2 and GOSAT instruments and cross validation of their products. These efforts are just now producing results. Members of the OCO-2 team have also continued the analysis of the GOSAT V161.161 data and the ACOS B3.5 products. Those efforts have produced 2 new refereed publications and several others in review. The OCO-2 now preparing to reprocess the entire GOSAT TANSO-FTS data record using the GOSAT V201 product and OCO-2 B7 algorithm to produce a 7-year, multi-satellite climate data record for X(sub CO2).

Wennberg, Paul↗