Report from the 15th meeting of the ADMAG

1. Report from the 15th meeting of the ADMAG Lars Peter Riishojgaard and Mike Hardesty

2. Overview • Mission status • Flight hardware • Data processing • Ground segment • Cal/val plans • US/Europe collaborations • Science • Data dissemination • Future mission scenarios

3. Aeolus statussummary First space mission to measure global wind profiles: new technology, new challenges Hardware manufacturing and integration is well advanced:Aeolus satellite bus mostly integrated,ALADIN structure/thermal/electronics hardware all available But the critical technologies do need time to chase the new Gremlins away… Launch in the mean time has officially been slipped to June 2009 Gilles Labruyére 2007

4. GS Design Review Aeolus Ground Segment Design Review - GSDR (Oct - Dec 2006) • Findings, actions • Mission planning: tasks to be consolidated (commanding of calibration modes, optimization of on-board settings, …) • Off-line calibration processing: algorithms to be refined/detailed (end-to-end response calibration, mispointing characterization …) • Dissemination of Aeolus Level 1B data via WMO GTS network (ingestion either via L2/Met PF (ECMWF), national NWP centers or directly, via PDS) • Data downlink concept: NRT / QRT baseline scenario to be established

5. ADM product generation plans • Level 1B data available on GTS in BUFR • Both availability and data format deviate from standard ESA practice • Details for e.g. data uploading/GTS entry point therefore still TBD

6. Summary (from 15th ADM/MAG) • A stand-alone portable L2B processor is being developed including User Manual and Release Note to install, configure, test & run L2Bp • AMD profiles need be replaced by user, but no substantial L2B output change is expected (verification test to be provided?) • Data assimilation input may be L1B or L2B at user convenience • For L1B input, L2B subroutine and its inputs need to be ported and interfaced to the user system and subsequently tested • Standalone L2Bp tests should be used as reference for testing subroutine L2Bp; guidance will be given for the user subroutine version (?), but no guarantees • Observation operator is expected identical for stand-alone and subroutine versions, i.e., HLOS profiles • Feedback/suggestions on this development will be appreciated

7. ADM data latency (I) • “NRT” (Global NWP) • Available to end user within 3 h from time of measurement • Baseline ground segment includes one receiving station (Svalbard) • ADM orbit has 3 to 4 blind passes per day at Svalbard • Discussion with EUMETSAT and K-Sat (Norway) about adding Troll station in Antarctica • This would guarantee 100% NRT availability

8. ADM data latency (II) • “QRT” • Available to end user within 30 min from time of measurement • Regional/mesoscale NWP • QRT availability for Europe is guaranteed under combined Troll/Svalbard scenario • QRT will not be available for North America under this scenario • ESA is prepared to carry out delta-study for alternative QRT scenario

9. Downlink scenario case 3 - QRT coverage (Svalbard + Troll, all dump opportunities)

10. GS Design Review GSDR (con’t) - Data downlink concept • number of X-band transmitter on/off switches compatible with NRT/QRT scenario? • [ confirmed – no hardware limitation ] • shall QRT, NRT dumps be complementary or shall data segments overlap? • [ segments shall overlap ] • control of start of downlink for ascending, descending passes • [ late start of downlink to be implemented in mission planning ] • NRT / QRT processing & data dissemination requirements • [ … analysis in progress; scenario to include Troll / Antarctica ]

11. Transatlantic collaboration(based on informal discussion note by L. P. Riishojgaard) • Collaboration on future DWL mission scenarios • Reducing data latency for ADM observations – especially for North America and the SH • OSSEs; NASA, NOAA, ECMWF already collaborating on this; KNMI seeking to engage also ESA and EUMETSAT • Creation of a formal European/US working group on space-borne wind Lidars

12. Future mission scenarios • Projected ADM lifetime: 2009-2012 • Post-EPS (commencing in 207/18) is earliest opportunity for European operational system • ESA and KNMI are briefing interim “post-ADM” scenarios to EUMETSAT (presented by M. Endemann at the 27th Lidar Working Group meeting in Miami, January 2007) • Funding is problematic; two of many possible scenarios: • No ESA follow-on; observing capability could be taken over by GWOS • One orbit covered by ESA post-ADM system; GWOS could contribute to a “joint system” patterned on the IJPS

13. Data latency • NRT can be covered under combined Svalbard/Troll scenario • Only Svalbard is guaranteed • NOAA could provide alternative to Troll • QRT is not provided for North America • Could be accomplished by providing North American ground station • ESA is prepared to study this

14. OSSE • Parts of the ADM community is already engaged in US-led OSSE initiative • ADMAG recommended that ESA and EUMETSAT support the Joint OSSE initiative

15. US/European working group? • Would provide a context in which to discuss these issues as well as other topics (e.g. wind lidar science, ADM cal/val) • ADMAG was supportive of the idea and suggested that it be discussed at the Snowmass meeting • One suggestion was that the US WLG form an “ADM sub-group” to interact with the ADMAG in a more formal way