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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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NASA NTRS2011

Communal Sensor Network for Adaptive Noise Reduction in Aircraft Engine Nacelles

Emergent behavior, a subject of much research in biology, sociology, and economics, is a foundational element of Complex Systems Science and is apropos in the design of sensor network systems. To demonstrate engineering for emergent behavior, a novel approach in the design of a sensor/actuator network is presented maintaining optimal noise attenuation as an adaptation to changing acoustic conditions. Rather than use the conventional approach where sensors are managed by a central controller, this new paradigm uses a biomimetic model where sensor/actuators cooperate as a community of autonomous organisms, sharing with neighbors to control impedance based on local information. From the combination of all individual actions, an optimal attenuation emerges for the global system.

Jones, Kennie H.↗
NASA NTRS2018

Early Earth and Rocky Extrasolar Planet Characterization

Scientists are currently designing instruments, telescopes, and spacecraft to search for evidence of life beyond Earth. This search for life beyond Earth comes with an expectation to detect life that is different than the life found on modern-day Earth. But scientists will also be expected to provide compelling proof behind any claims that we are not alone. These two expectations are seemingly at odds with each other, because it will be easiest to provide compelling evidence for life when we have a deep understanding of the life we are looking at.The study of Earth history provides a means to reconcile this tension. Different periods of Earth history present us with biospheres that are dramatically different from modern-day Earth, but for which we have abundant data. This informs our understanding of habitability, because of the variety of global chemical and climatic conditions in Earth history for which we know life has thrived. The study of Earth history also informs our understanding of how to detect life; as the global influences of life have completely changed, so have the detectable features of Earth's biosphere.The appreciation of our home planet as a tightly coupled system also provides us top-level lessons for how to search for an even broader set of biospheres with a wider variety of detectable features. The study of Earth history has taught us that life is a both a function of and critical forcing on the planetary environment. Numerical models of these interactions can by driven by our understanding of Earth history, and be validated against the geological and geochemical data. These models can then be applied to a wider variety of planetary conditions. This will help scientists determine what kinds of life are possible, and eventually help them recognize and confirm the presence of life on rocky planets around other stars.

Domagal-Goldman, Shawn D.↗
NASA NTRS2019

2018 NISAR Applications Workshop: Agriculture and Soil Moisture

Agricultural lands cover the globe and play an essential role in not only sustaining a growing global population, but can have significant implications on the Earth system through land use change (e.g., deforestation, grazing, etc.). As such, countries around the world have dedicated programs for managing these lands. Accurate and timely information concerning the status of agricultural crops (soil moisture, crop health, crop type, etc.) is essential to those nations’ anthropogenic and ecological health as well as economy. The joint NASA/US Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) workshop focused on advancing agriculture and soil moisture applications by using remote sensing data from the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission (expected launch 2022). Participants included representatives from the international agriculture community that are key players in facilitating integration of Earth Observations into decision support workflows including US Federal Agencies, nonprofits, and private sector. They included scientists, technicians, and program managers with a responsibility for data acquisition and exploitation such as product development, delivery, and use, as well as capacity building. Discussions were held over two and a half days to convey the broader agriculture and soil moisture community information needs, the mission and procedures for various representative participants and programs involved in the delivery of geospatial products, and the capabilities and status of the NISAR mission. Case studies were presented to demonstrate the current state of practice in the use of SAR remote sensing for applications of direct importance for the agriculture and soil moisture communities. Eleven organizations presented their information requirements in response to a set of questions provided by the NASA team, then the NASA team responded by describing the degree to which NISAR could meet these requirements. Discussion ensued about needed data product specifications to increase utility (e.g., projection, latency, etc.), tools and capacity building.

Stavros, Natasha↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

NASA’s Earth System Observatory Formulation Progress

The 2017 Earth Science Decadal Survey by the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine identified five foundational observations, or Designated Observables (DO), to be implemented as missions by NASA. To address these five DO areas – Surface Biology and Geology; Mass Change; Aerosols; Cloud, Convection, and Precipitation; and Surface Deformation and Change – NASA is developing the Earth System Observatory (ESO) as an array of Earth-focused, interconnected satellite missions. The ESO will build on the strong history of international partnerships in NASA Earth science, with initial participation and collaboration on these missions across space agency partners including the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Centre National D'Etudes Spatiales (CNES), Canadian Space Agency (CSA), Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), and Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI). Targeting launch dates in the late 2020s and early 2030s, the ESO will work as a single observatory, with each satellite in the ESO delivering its own valuable information, but taken together, the data and imagery will provide the global community with a multidimensional, holistic view of the Earth. In addition to furthering the world’s scientific knowledge, data gathered by ESO missions will provide actionable science to inform decisions related to climate change, disaster mitigation, and wildfires, improve real-time agricultural processes, and many other applications. This paper will provide an overview of the ESO development activities, as well as an update on the individual ESO missions currently in formulation – Atmosphere Observing System, Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment-Continuity, and Surface Biology and Geology – including current mission architectures and concepts, international partner collaboration, science community engagement, and applications efforts, as well as how ESO data will be freely open and accessible to users all over the world.

NASA Earth Science↗
NASA NTRS2020

Harmonization of global land use change and management for the period 850–2100 (LUH2) for CMIP6

Human land use activities have resulted in large changes to the biogeochemical and biophysical properties of the Earth's surface, with consequences for climate and other ecosystem services. In the future, land use activities are likely to expand and/or intensify further to meet growing demands for food, fiber, and energy. As part of the World Climate Research Program Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6), the international community has developed the next generation of advanced Earth system models (ESMs) to estimate the combined effects of human activities (e.g., land use and fossil fuel emissions) on the carbon–climate system. A new set of historical data based on the History of the Global Environment database (HYDE), and multiple alternative scenarios of the future (2015–2100) from Integrated Assessment Model (IAM) teams, is required as input for these models. With most ESM simulations for CMIP6 now completed, it is important to document the land use patterns used by those simulations. Here we present results from the Land-Use Harmonization 2 (LUH2) project, which smoothly connects updated historical reconstructions of land use with eight new future projections in the format required for ESMs. The harmonization strategy estimates the fractional land use patterns, underlying land use transitions, key agricultural management information, and resulting secondary lands annually, while minimizing the differences between the end of the historical reconstruction and IAM initial conditions and preserving changes depicted by the IAMs in the future. The new approach builds on a similar effort from CMIP5 and is now provided at higher resolution (0.25°×0.25°) over a longer time domain (850–2100, with extensions to 2300) with more detail (including multiple crop and pasture types and associated management practices) using more input datasets (including Landsat remote sensing data) and updated algorithms (wood harvest and shifting cultivation); it is assessed via a new diagnostic package. The new LUH2 products contain > 50 times the information content of the datasets used in CMIP5 and are designed to enable new and improved estimates of the combined effects of land use on the global carbon–climate system.

land use land cover change↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

NASA's Earthdata Forum: Bringing the Science Community Together

The Earthdata Forum is an actively maintained and operational user forum for all participating NASA EOSDIS Distributed Active Archive Centers (DAACs) and GCMD. The Forum serves as a cross-DAAC platform from which user communities can obtain authoritative information relating to NASA Earth Science. The Atmospheric Science Data Center (ASDC) DAAC takes on the role of both Project Manager and Hosting Organization. As Project Manager, the ASDC leads and facilitates the project's efforts. The Forum launched February 2020 with five participating DAACs: Atmospheric Science Data Center (ASDC), Crustal Dynamics Data Information System (CDDIS), Goddard Earth Science Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC), Global Hydrology Resource Center (GHRC), and Land Processes DAAC (LP DAAC). Since February 2020, the of Level 1 and Atmosphere Archive and Distribution System DAAC (LAADS), the Ocean Biology DAAC (OBDAAC) and Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) have also joined the Forum. The Forum assumes both a proactive and reactive approach to NASA products scientific queries, allowing the scientific community to ask questions about NASA's products, tools, and services and receive announcements and news regarding products, new data releases, and such. In this presentation, we will describe the Earthdata Forum approach to support the scientific community in detail and discuss the successes and challenges of this approach.

Ingrid Garcia-Solera↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Progress Towards a Common CERES Cloud Mask Algorithm for MODIS and VIIRS: Evaluation using CALIOP Data

For over two decades The Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES) project has endeavored to produce a long-term global climate data record for detecting changes in the Earth’s radiation budget and to improve understanding of how clouds contribute to those changes. CERES incorporates cloud information derived from passive narrowband satellite imaging radiometers, and over the course of the project different instruments have contributed to this effort, namely the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS).Cloud properties have been derived from MODIS on the Aqua satellite for CERES since 2002,and VIIRS on the NOAA-20 satellite launched in 2017 will continue the cloud record once Aqua-MODIS reaches the end of its operational lifetime. However, MODIS and VIIRS have different spectral capabilities and characteristics which complicates our ability to seamlessly transition the record from MODIS to VIIRS. This study evaluates some of the recent algorithm modifications incorporated by the CERES Cloud Working Group towards developing a unified cloud mask algorithm for MODIS and VIIRS that utilizes a set of spectral bands common to both instruments. Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) data products are used to evaluate MODIS and VIIRS regional cloud fraction estimates and identify areas where improvements can be made. The cloud mask algorithm relies on computed estimates of cloud-free top-of-atmosphere radiances to differentiate cloudy and cloud-free imager pixels. The unified cloud mask algorithm currently under development uses a reduced number of spectral bands common to both MODIS and VIIRS and so relies on the accuracy of these simulated cloud-free radiances more heavily than predecessor algorithms, i.e., the CERES Edition 4 cloud mask, which use as much spectral information as available on each imager with less consideration for cross-platform consistency. Our validation strategy using CALIOP data is also described. The CALIOP observations are critical for assessing cloud detection accuracies and for independently confirming cloud-free conditions which enables a more robust evaluation of the simulated cloud-free radiances for biases due to factors such as view angle and the spectral dependence of water vapor absorption. These effects are known to differ for the two satellite instruments. Comparisons of MODIS and VIIRS cloud fractions are presented in context with estimates from CALIOP and from the CERES Edition 4 cloud mask algorithm to gauge current progress in developing accurate and consistent MODIS and VIIRS cloud properties for CERES.

CERES↗
NASA NTRS2000

Remote Sensing of Aerosol Over the Land from the Earth Observing System MODIS Instrument

On Dec 18, 1999, NASA launched the Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument on the Earth Observing System (EOS) Terra mission, in a spectacular launch. The mission will provide morning (10:30 AM) global observations of aerosol and other related parameters. It will be followed a year later by a MODIS instrument on EOS Aqua for afternoon observations (1:30 PM). MODIS will measure aerosol over land and ocean with its eight 500 m and 250 m channels in the solar spectrum (0-41 to 2.2 micrometers). Over the land MODIS will measure the total column aerosol loading, and distinguish between submicron pollution particles and large soil particles. Standard daily products of resolution of ten kilometers and global mapped eight day and monthly products on a 1x1 degree global scale will be produced routinely and make available for no or small reproduction charge to the international community. Though the aerosol products will not be available everywhere over the land, it is expected that they will be useful for assessments of the presence, sources and transport of urban pollution, biomass burning aerosol, and desert dust. Other measurements from MODIS will supplement the aerosol information, e.g., land use change, urbanization, presence and magnitude of biomass burning fires, and effect of aerosol on cloud microphysics. Other instruments on Terra, e.g. Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) and the Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES), will also measure aerosol, its properties and radiative forcing in tandem with the MODIS measurements. During the Aqua period, there are plans to launch in 2003 the Pathfinder Instruments for Cloud and Aerosol Spaceborne Observations (PICASSO) mission for global measurements of the aerosol vertical structure, and the PARASOL mission for aerosol characterization. Aqua-MODIS, PICASSO and PARASOL will fly in formation for detailed simultaneous characterization of the aerosol three-dimensional field, which will feed and evaluate global aerosol transport and climate models. In this talk, some examples of the MODIS measurements will be shown.

Kaufman, Yoram↗
NASA NTRS1997

MODIS Snow and Ice Products from the NSIDC DAAC

The National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC) provides data and information on snow and ice processes, especially pertaining to interactions among snow, ice, atmosphere and ocean, in support of research on global change detection and model validation, and provides general data and information services to cryospheric and polar processes research community. The NSIDC DAAC is an integral part of the multi-agency-funded support for snow and ice data management services at NSIDC. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) will be flown on the first Earth Observation System (EOS) platform (AM-1) in 1998. The MODIS Instrument Science Team is developing geophysical products from data collected by the MODIS instrument, including snow and ice products which will be archived and distributed by NSIDC DAAC. The MODIS snow and ice mapping algorithms will generate global snow, lake ice, and sea ice cover products on a daily basis. These products will augment the existing record of satellite-derived snow cover and sea ice products that began about 30 years ago. The characteristics of these products, their utility, and comparisons to other data set are discussed. Current developments and issues are summarized.

Scharfen, Greg R.↗
NASA NTRS1987

From pattern to process: The strategy of the Earth Observing System: Volume 2: EOS Science Steering Committee report

The Earth Observing System (EOS) represents a new approach to the study of the Earth. It consists of remotely sensed and correlative in situ observations designed to address important, interrelated global-scale processes. There is an urgent need to study the Earth as a complete, integrated system in order to understand and predict changes caused by human activities and natural processes. The EOS approach is based on an information system concept and designed to provide a long-term study of the Earth using a variety of measurement methods from both operational and research satellite payloads and continuing ground-based Earth science studies. The EOS concept builds on the foundation of the earlier, single-discipline space missions designed for relatively short observation periods. Continued progress in our understanding of the Earth as a system will come from EOS observations spanning several decades using a variety of contemporaneous measurements.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1999

Earth Observing System: Science Objectives and Challenges

The Earth Observing System (EOS) is a space-based observing system comprised of a series of satellite sensors by which scientists can monitor the Earth, a Data and Information System (EOSDIS) enabling researchers worldwide to access the satellite data, and an interdisciplinary science research program to interpret the satellite data. In this presentation we review the key areas of scientific uncertainty in understanding climate and global change, and follow that with a description of the EOS goals, objectives, and scientific research elements that comprise the program (instrument science teams and interdisciplinary investigations). Finally, I will describe how scientists and policy makers intend to use EOS data improve our understanding of key global change uncertainties, such as: (i) clouds and radiation, including fossil fuel and natural emissions of sulfate aerosol and its potential impact on cloud feedback, (ii) man's impact on ozone depletion, with examples of ClO and O3 obtained from the UARS satellite during the Austral Spring, and (iii) volcanic eruptions and their impact on climate, with examples from the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo.

King, Michael D.↗
NASA NTRS2018

Importance and Incorporation of User Feedback in Data Stewardship

Since August 1994, The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) Earth Observation System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) has been serving a global community of over 3 million users with Earth science data in a variety of disciplines. During the entire life of EOSDIS, various mechanisms for user feedback have been extremely important and valuable to its evolution and proven performance. Some inputs from user groups have resulted in fundamental changes in the architecture, design and operations of EOSDIS, while others have provided ideas for incremental changes. The purpose of this paper is to share this experience and the benefits that have resulted from the user feedback.In early to mid-1990s, the EOSDIS Advisory Panel (a.k.a. Data Panel) provided significant inputs for the architecture and design of EOSDIS resulting in NASA's establishment of a set of Distributed Active Archive Centers (DAACs) and development of a "working prototype with operating elements" called Version 0 EOSDIS, which went into operation in August 1994. The Data Panel also participated in many of the requirement and design reviews and influenced the design of EOSDIS through their comments.In 1995, the U.S. National Research Council's Committee on Global Change Research conducted a review of the U.S. Global Change Research Program and NASA's Mission to Planet Earth/EOS, including the plans for EOSDIS. One of this committee's recommendations was that the "Responsibility for product generation and publication and for user services should be transferred to a federation of partners selected through a competitive process open to all". In response, NASA initiated an experiment with a "self-governing" federation called the Working Prototype ESIP (WP-ESIP) Federation. This federation, with support from NASA, NOAA and USGS, has now grown into the Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP) with over 140 member organizations.The EOSDIS DAACs' User Working Groups (UWGs) represent broad user communities served by the respective DAACs. As regular users of the DAACs and experts in their scientific disciplines, the UWG members provide valuable inputs for planning and prioritizing the services as well as addition of new datasets for the benefit of the community.

Research Integrity↗
NASA NTRS1998

Global tropospheric ozone investigations

Ozone (O3) is one of the most important trace gases in the troposphere, and it is responsible for influencing many critical chemical and radiative processes. Ozone contributes to the formation of the hydroxyl radical (OH), which is central to most chemical reactions in the lower atmosphere, and it absorbs UV, visible, and infrared radiation which affects the energy budget and atmospheric temperatures. In addition, O3 can be used as a tracer of atmospheric pollution and stratosphere troposphere exchange. At elevated concentrations, O3 can also produce detrimental biological and human health effects. The US National Research Council (NRC) Board on Sustainable Development reviewed the US Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) [NRC, 1995], and it identified tropospheric chemistry as one of the high priority areas for the USGCRP in the next decade. The NRC identified the following specific challenges in tropospheric chemistry. Although we understand the reason for the high levels of 03 over several regions of the world, we need to better establish the distribution of O3 in the troposphere in order to document and understand the changes in the abundance of global tropospheric O3. This information is needed to quantify the contribution of O3 to the Earth' s radiative balance and to understand potential impacts on the health of the biosphere. Having recognized the importance of particles in the chemistry of the stratosphere, we must determine how aerosols and clouds affect the chemical processes in the troposphere. This understanding is essential to predict the chemical composition of the atmosphere and to assess the resulting forcing effects in the climate system. We must determine if the self-cleansing chemistry of the atmosphere is changing as a result of human activities. This information is required to predict the rate at which pollutants are removed from the atmosphere. Over nearly two decades, airborne Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) systems have been used in over fifteen major field experiments conducted all over the world to address important atmospheric processes affecting the amount and distribution of 03 and aerosols across the troposphere. This paper discusses some of these wide-ranging field experiments and their results and presents a direction for future global studies of O3 and aerosols from space.

Browell, Edward V.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Introduction The Role of the Agricultural Model Intercomparison and Improvement Project

Climate impacts on agriculture are of increasing concern in both the scientific and policy communities because of the need to ensure food security for a growing population. A special challenge is posed by the changes in the frequency and intensity of heat-waves, droughts, and episodic rainstorms already underway in many parts of the world. Changes in production are directly linked to such variations in temperature and precipitation during the growing season, and often to offseason changes in weather affecting soil-water storage and availability to crops. This is not an isolated problem but one of both global and regional importance, because of impacts on the livelihoods of smallholder farmers as well as consequences for the world food trade system. This two-part set the Agricultural Model Intercomparison and Improvement Project (AgMIP): Integrated Crop and Economic Assessments is the first to be entirely devoted to AgMIP (www.agmip.org). AgMIP is a major international research program focused on climate change and agriculture. The goal of the two parts is to advance the field by providing detailed information on new simulation techniques and assessments being conducted by this program. It presents information about new methods of global and regional integrated assessment, results from agricultural regions, and adaptation strategies for maintaining food security under changing climate conditions.

security↗
NASA NTRS1998

Earth Observing System: Science Objectives and Challenges

The Earth Observing System (EOS) is a space-based observing system comprised of a series of satellite sensors by which scientists can monitor the Earth, a Data and Information System (EOSDIS) enabling researchers worldwide to access the satellite data, and an interdisciplinary science research program to interpret the satellite data. In this presentation I will describe the key areas of scientific uncertainty in understanding climate and global change, and follow that with a description of the EOS goals, objectives, and scientific research elements that comprise the program (instrument science teams and interdisciplinary investigations). Finally, I will describe how scientists and policy makers intend to use EOS data to improve our understanding of key global change uncertainties, such as: (i) clouds and radiation, including fossil fuel and natural emissions of sulfate aerosol and its potential impact on cloud feedback, (ii) man's impact on ozone depletion, with examples of ClO and O3 obtained from the UARS satellite during the Austral Spring, and (iii) volcanic eruptions and their impact on climate, with examples from the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo.

King, Michael D.↗
NASA NTRS2019

Global Assimilation of Loon Stratospheric Balloon Observations

Accurate analyses of stratospheric winds are important for determining realistic constituent transport and providing improved diagnostic studies and forecasts of the stratosphere. This study examines impacts on global meteorological analyses resulting from using winds derived from Loon superpressure balloons in the lower stratosphere (hereafter Loon winds) as additional input observations to the Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) data assimilation system. To fully investigate the impacts of assimilating the Loon winds, two steps are taken: (1) comparison of the GEOS analysis winds with Loon winds (Control experiment) and (2) examination of the impacts of assimilating the Loon winds into the GEOS data assimilation system (Loon experiment). The time period selected is June–August 2014 when over 150 Loon balloons were launched, mainly in the Southern Hemisphere. In the middle latitudes, the Loon winds and Control winds agree well (Loon balloon zonal wind observation minus forecast, O − F, root‐mean‐square (RMS) values of ~2.75 m/s) and assimilating the Loon winds has a small impact (O − F RMS values unchanged). In the tropics, the Loon observations and Control analysis winds differ more than in middle latitudes (zonal wind O − F RMS ~3.75 m/s) and assimilating the Loon winds improves the zonal wind O − F RMS by ~1 m/s. In selected cases where the Loon observations and Control analysis differ greatly (O − F RMS values greater than 10 m/s), assimilating Loon winds significantly decreases the zonal wind O − F RMS by 5 m/s. These decreases in O − F RMS values show that the 6‐hr forecasts are improved at the Loon balloon observation locations. While satellites routinely measure Earth's global temperatures from space, in situ wind measurements are relatively scarce, consisting mainly of a network of ground‐based weather balloons. Since only a limited number of the weather balloons even reach stratospheric altitudes, there is a need for additional stratospheric observations. One option for addition wind information is the use of experimental superpressure balloons (SPBs). SPBs can remain in the stratosphere for many months traveling with the winds and hence, by reporting their changing positions, providing in situ wind observations. These SPBs experiments are generally limited in terms of time period and number of balloons. However, over the past few years Loon has been launching hundreds of SPBs (hereafter called Loon balloons) providing a more consistent set of observations of wind in the stratosphere. Here we assimilate some of the Loon balloon winds into the NASA GEOS global data assimilation system. The data assimilation system combines all observations with an atmospheric model to produce global analysis of winds and temperatures. Results show that including the Loon balloon wind information noticeably affects the global analysis as well as forecasts with the largest impact in the tropics. These results provide direction to future model and analysis improvements.

L. Coy↗
NASA NTRS2002

Microphysics, Radiation and Surface Processes in the Goddard Cumulus Ensemble (GCE) Model

One of the most promising methods to test the representation of cloud processes used in climate models is to use observations together with Cloud Resolving Models (CRMs). The CRMs use more sophisticated and realistic representations of cloud microphysical processes, and they can reasonably well resolve the time evolution, structure, and life cycles of clouds and cloud systems (size about 2-200 km). The CRMs also allow explicit interaction between out-going longwave (cooling) and in-coming solar (heating) radiation with clouds. Observations can provide the initial conditions and validation for CRM results. The Goddard Cumulus Ensemble (GCE) Model, a CRM, has been developed and improved at NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center over the past two decades. The GCE model has been used to understand the following: 1) water and energy cycles and their roles in the tropical climate system; 2) the vertical redistribution of ozone and trace constituents by individual clouds and well organized convective systems over various spatial scales; 3) the relationship between the vertical distribution of latent heating (phase change of water) and the large-scale (pre-storm) environment; 4) the validity of assumptions used in the representation of cloud processes in climate and global circulation models; and 5) the representation of cloud microphysical processes and their interaction with radiative forcing over tropical and midlatitude regions. Four-dimensional cloud and latent heating fields simulated from the GCE model have been provided to the TRMM Science Data and Information System (TSDIS) to develop and improve algorithms for retrieving rainfall and latent heating rates for TRMM and the NASA Earth Observing System (EOS). More than 90 referred papers using the GCE model have been published in the last two decades. Also, more than 10 national and international universities are currently using the GCE model for research and teaching. In this talk, five specific major GCE improvements: (1) ice microphysics, (2) longwave and shortwave radiative transfer processes, (3) land surface processes, (4) ocean surface fluxes and (5) ocean mixed layer processes are presented. The performance of these new GCE improvements will be examined. Observations are used for model validation.

Tao, Wei-Kuo↗
NASA NTRS2018

WGISS-45 International Directory Network (IDN) Report

The objective of this presentation is to provide IDN (International Directory Network) updates on features and activities to the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) Working Group on Information Systems and Services (WGISS) and provider community. The following topics will be will be discussed during the presentation: Transition of Providers DIF-9 (Directory Interchange Format-9) to DIF-10 Metadata Records in the Common Metadata Repository (CMR); GCMD (Global Change Master Directory) Keyword Update; DIF-10 and UMM-C (Unified Metadata Model-Collections) Schema Changes; Metadata Validation of Provider Metadata; docBUILDER for Submitting IDN Metadata to the CMR (i.e. Registration); and Mapping WGClimate Essential Climate Variable (ECV) Inventory to IDN Records.

WGISS↗