SPoRT Products in Support of the GOES-R Proving Ground and NWS Forecast Operations

1. SPoRT Products in Support of the GOES-R Proving Ground and NWS Forecast Operations Andrew Molthan NASA Short-term Prediction Research and Transition (SPoRT) Center Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL NWS Eastern Region Satellite Virtual Workshop November 9, 2010 transitioning unique NASA data and research technologies to operations

2. Overview of SPoRT Activities Partners Receiving Data SPoRT Partner WFOs NWS Regional HQs Direct Broadcast sites Mission Objective: Transition unique NASA data and research technologies to operations Emphasis: 0-48 hour forecast period Activities: Long history (5+ years) of collaborative work with Southern Region WFOs Currently expanding with targeted collaborations in other regions. Eastern Region offices are a new partnership in the development of a Great Lakes temperature composite. transitioning unique NASA data and research technologies to operations

3. SPoRT and the GOES-R Proving Ground AWIPS • Development of GOES-R ABI proxies from MODIS • True color composites • Fog / Snow detection • Hybrid of GOES/MODIS • Development of GLM proxies from lightning mapping arrays • Total lightning • Lightning trends and jumps • Relationships to severe weather and lead time • Demonstrate products within the AWIPS and AWIPS II decision support systems. AWIPS II transitioning unique NASA data and research technologies to operations

4. MODIS Single Channel IR Hybrid Example • The primary challenge in using polar orbiting data is temporal resolution. • SPoRT has developed a “hybrid technique” that replaces GOES pixels with MODIS when available. • This allows for looping and viewing of higher resolution data comparable to GOES-R. MODIS GOES transitioning unique NASA data and research technologies to operations

5. MODIS Channel Differencing • Current MODIS bands can be used as proxies for future GOES-R ABI capabilities • Single channel and channel differencing techniques produce higher resolution products than currently available from GOES. Fog Overlay of the channel differencing MODIS fog product with semi-transparent terrain in AWIPS, highlighting valley fogs in high spatial resolution (1 km). transitioning unique NASA data and research technologies to operations

6. MODIS Color Composites • The GOES-R ABI will have additional spectral bands, allowing for color composites. • Color composites assist with image classification and the detection of various features. • SPoRT provides these products in AWIPS for evaluation and testing. False Color Composite cloud snow land smoke plume fire/burn scar True Color Composite transitioning unique NASA data and research technologies to operations

7. Developing RGB Image Techniques • EUMETSAT has developed several multispectral “RGB” composites from the SEVERI instrument. • By combining information from multiple channels, resulting images depict: • Air mass characteristics • Cloud microphysics • Separation of fog, low cloud, snow • Dust and other aerosols • SPoRT is experimenting with techniques to display these images in: • NAWIPS • AWIPS • AWIPS II MODIS “Air Mass” in AWIPS Hurricane “Earl” (MODIS) transitioning unique NASA data and research technologies to operations

8. Lightning Proxies for GLM LMA Coverage • The Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) will assist in the detection and prediction of severe weather. • As a proxy for GLM capabilities, SPoRT provides data from lightning mapping arrays: • North Alabama (NALMA) • Washington, D.C. (DCLMA) • NASA Kennedy Space Center • Other networks are available in CONUS and data are requested • These LMAs are used to develop products comparable to future GLM capabilities. land Possible GLM Coverage and 95-05 Lightning Climatology transitioning unique NASA data and research technologies to operations

9. Utility of Lightning Data • In addition to public safety, lightning data provides information related to storm strength and intensification. • The “lightning jump” technique has been used to predict severe weather. • Future GLM capabilities may provide similar datasets for “jump detection” over CONUS. Updraft Intensifies land Vortex Spin-up transitioning unique NASA data and research technologies to operations

10. The SPoRT “Pseudo-GLM” Product LMA • Serves as a placeholder until the official GLM proxy is available. • Evaluated as part of the SPC Hazardous Weather Testbed Spring Experiment. • Receives CONUS LMA datasets as inputs and downscales to a resolution (8 km) comparable to the GLM capabilities. updraft land Pseudo GLM Future GLM flash rates will help to identify updraft centers within other satellite imagery. transitioning unique NASA data and research technologies to operations

11. The SPoRT “Pseudo-GLM” Product LMA • Serves as a placeholder until the official GLM proxy is available. • Evaluated as part of the SPC Hazardous Weather Testbed Spring Experiment. • Receives CONUS LMA datasets as inputs and downscales to a resolution (8 km) comparable to the GLM capabilities. updraft land Pseudo GLM Future GLM flash rates will help to identify updraft centers within other satellite imagery. transitioning unique NASA data and research technologies to operations

12. Related SPoRT Research Activities • SPoRT research assists partner WFOs with their local modeling efforts. • SPoRT facilitates new model development: • WRF-EMS hourly maximum output fields • Lightning forecast algorithms for the NSSL WRF • SPoRT also provides unique initialization data sets: • Sea and lake surface temperatures • Land Information System soil moisture Hourly Maximum Updraft Helicity WRF Lightning Threat Prediction transitioning unique NASA data and research technologies to operations

13. Lightning Prediction Algorithm • Based upon the McCaul et al. 2009 (WAF) technique. • Uses graupel flux and vertically integrated ice to predict lightning threat from WRF-simulated thunderstorms. • Calibrated using NALMA data and WSM6 microphysics. Lightning threat prediction for organized thunderstorms in the southeast. Predicted units are flash rates per square kilometer, per 5 minutes. transitioning unique NASA data and research technologies to operations

14. WRF Environmental Modeling System Soil Moisture Difference 0-10 cm (LIS – CNTRL, %) • SPoRT is heavily involved in developing new data sets for the WRF Environmental Modeling System (WRF-EMS). • WRF-EMS is a convenient suite of the WRF model and post-processing routines. • Products are available through selection in WRF-EMS scripts. • SPoRT currently provides: • Sea surface temperatures • Great Lakes temperatures and ice cover • High resolution output from the Land Information System • Future efforts include: • Vegetation composites • AIRS profile assimilation SPoRT SST Grid Future NDVI Composites transitioning unique NASA data and research technologies to operations

15. Summary • SPoRT participates in the GOES-R Proving Ground, developing products for real-time use that are comparable to future GOES-R capabilities. • Current applications of MODIS and lightning data • Emphasizes collaborative partnerships with WFOs, focused on their forecast challenges. • In addition to GOES-R Proving Ground, SPoRT provides a variety of products for real-time use. • WRF-EMS initialization fields • Unique model outputs developed in SPoRT collaborations transitioning unique NASA data and research technologies to operations