New Sensors

1. New Sensors NOAA/NESDIS/STAR & JCSDA Sid-Ahmed Boukabara The JCSDA Summer Colloquium, August 6th, 2015, Fort Collins, CO

2. Basic Space-Based Measurements Mechanisms 1 Plans for Future Sensors (Operational and Research) Conclusions & Look into the future 2 4 3 Trends & Challenges in Future Observing Systems Contents

3. What do satellites measure?All-Weather Radiative Transfer sensor • Satellite Data Assimilation is therefore able to analyze: • Atmosphere (Temperature, moisture, aerosols, …) • Surface (ice, snow, land, ocean) • Hydrometeors (cloud, rain, suspended ice) Aerosol Radiance Cloud-originating Radiance Upwelling Radiance Surface-reflected Radiance Absorption Downwelling Radiance Scattering Effect Surface-originating Radiance Scattering Effect Surface

4. Disclaimer • There are many, many Earth-Observing Sensors, current and new ones coming. Some from US agencies and some from International Partners. • We will focus mainly on sensors of interest to NWP data assimilation. • We will mention international partners new sensors but will focus mainly on US plans and trends in Earth-Observation Global Observing Systems

5. Major Types of Sensors(Focus on data assimilation and NWP) Passive Microwave (Imagers) Active Microwave Data Assimilation Passive Microwave (sounders) Infrared (Polar) Radio Occultation Infrared (Geostat.) Mechanisms/Phenomena driving the Sensors Measurements: Atmospheric Absorption & scattering at different spectral regions, Surface emission and scattering, cloud emissivity and scattering, aerosols scattering, optical path angle bending, slowing

6. Measurements & Applications of Sensors • Depending on targeted phenomena, sensors would be (in order of importance for DA) • Microwave sounders: sounding of T, Q • Hyperspectral Infrared sensors: sounding, trace gases, etc • Radio Occultation sensors: temperature sounding • Infrared Sensors from Geo: AMVs, .. • Active sensors: wind, wave height, Hydrom, Precip • Microwave Imagers: Precip, cloud, …

7. How important are Satellite Data ?(example in Weather Forecasting) • Satellite data as a group, had a very significant impact which surpasses the conventional data impact (by a wide margin), especially in the southern hemisphere. Results from the extensive data denials experiments performed in the JCSDA, aimed at assessing the impact of the global Plots courtesy of J. Jung.

8. Important Characteristics in Satellite Measurements (for DA) • Type of Measurements • Spatial Resolution (footprint size) • Temporal Resolution (time frequency) • Spectral resolution (information content) • Orbital Configuration of sensor • Accuracy and Precision of the measurements • Measurement Stability over time • Latency (real time availability)

9. Importance of Orbital Config NPP(PM) N-19(PM) Aqua (PM) Mean Local Times at the Ascending Node (hh:mm) 21:40 21:30 N18(PM) 00:00 20:25 20:08 19:xx N-15(PM) 19:17 18:50 F17(Early AM) 18:00 17:xx F19(Early AM) 06:00 17:37 F16(Early AM) N17(AM) 16:41 F20(AM) F18(AM) N-16(AM) 12:00 Noon 14:48 METOP-A(AM) METOP-B(AM) 13:32 13:30 13:30 Future satellite Sun Constellation as of September 2012. Sources: NESDIS/OSO & CGMS/WMO pages

10. Importance of Orbital Coverage

11. Importance of Footprint Size (Example of AMSU/MHS) • Footprint size is important for many applications (especially hydrometeors, precip, land applications, etc) • Different Approaches for Footprint matching: • Simple averaging • Backus Gilbert + + + + + + + + + If footprint size is limited (often by antenna size), over-sampling allows higher resolution reconstruction

12. Basic Space-Based Measurements Mechanisms 1 Plans for Future Sensors (Operational and Research) Conclusions & Look into the future 2 4 3 Trends & Challenges in Future Observing Systems Contents

13. Main Upcoming Operational Satellites in US/NOAA (Polar) Major DA Sensors : - CrIS (Hyperspectral Infrared) - ATMS (Microwave Imager/Sounder) - OMPS (Ozone Sensor)and - VIIRS (High Spatial Resolution Visible Infrared Imager) These are already on Suomi-NPP satellite Launch scheduled in 2017

14. Overall planning of NOAA’s satellite system (LEO) The plan for NOAA’s polar satellites ET-SAT-9 briefing

15. New Sensors Characteristicsfor NOAA Polar Platforms Status: • Currently 3 PM satellites (N18, N19 and SNPP) • SNPP extended operations planned until 2022 before de-orbiting • JPSS1, 2 scheduled for 2017 and 2022 • Beyond JPSS2, possible upgrades and/or alternatives • Sensors Options considered for Future Polar Platforms (JPSS): • Constellation of micro satellites (in Microwave) as gap mitigation (J1-J2), • J3 and J4 will likely be similar to J2. • Small changes are being discussed – for example, adding water vapor channel to VIIRS, filling in spectral gaps in CrIS, higher spectral resolution,…. • Significant changes, if needed, after “J4” • Smaller latency • OSSE studies being undertaken (in NOAA) to support decision: • Higher spatial resolution of CrIS sensor • Assess Microsatellites mitigation value for the potential Afternoon data gap

16. Main Upcoming Operational Satellites in US/NOAA (GOES-R) Major DA Sensors : - ABI - ABI-equivalent sensor is flying on Japanese Himawar i satellite (AHI) Significant Effort underway to optimize the assimilation of data from GLM into Operational NWP models Expected to become a standard System in DA Launch scheduled in 2016

17. Official planning of NOAA’s satellite system (GEO) The plan for NOAA’s geostationary satellites

18. New Sensors Characteristicsfor NOAA Geostationary Platforms Status: • Currently, GOES-13 in operations (East), GOES-14 On-orbit storage • GOES-15 Operational. West • GOES-R, S, T, U launches on schedule • GOES-V/W Possible Upgrades discussed (for 2040). • Sensors Options considered for Future Geostationary Platforms (GOES-U/V): • Geo IR sounder, • Ocean color, • Evolved ABI with additional bands, • GLM with higher spatial resolution, • Space weather, • OSSE studies being undertaken (in NOAA) to support decision: • To assess impact of Geo-based hyperspectral infrared Sensor • To assess impact of a Geo-based Microwave sensor

19. Upcoming COSMIC-2 Radio Occultation Sensors • Radio occultation measures bending and slowing of GPS microwave signal transmisisons which relate to atmospheric density with altitude (profiling) • New sensors planned in the future will have a denser sampling of the Earth. Photo credit: Taiwan NSO Launch scheduled in 2016

20. Overall Planning & Status of COSMIC The COSMIC2 is a collaboration between Taiwan and the US (NOAA, AF, NASA/JPL). - COSMIC-2 (equatorial launch in 2016); - Polar launch planned for (2018-2019), pending securing funding.

21. Upcoming Major Radar Altimeter Sensors • A long series of altimeters dating back to 1992 is continuing (starting as research and has become operational : NOAA and EUMETSAT taking over) • Radar Altimeters are important for measuring ocean wave heights, slope, etc and ocean topography • Important for ocean data assimilation • Basic measurement is backscattering coefficient • From backscattering, are derived ocean surface characteristics • Onboard microwave radiometer, helps correct for atmospheric delay. Photo credit NASA

22. JASON-2,3 and CS 1-2 The JASON program is led by multiple organizations: NOAA, CNES, NASA’/JPL and EUMETSAT The Jason-2 satellite mission launched successfully on June 20, 2008 The Jason-3 satellite launch imminent (was planned for August 8 2015 but was postponed) The Jason-CS planned for 2020 on Sentinel 6

23. Research Sensors (NASA) Photo credit NASA There are many sensors being planned for research activities in NASA and other research institutions. JCSDA aims at testing those sensors with a potential to improve data assimilation for forecast performances

24. International Partners Source: Euroconsult and ITU Clear Increase in number of satellites in the last decade, mainly from Europe, Southern Asia, Middle East/Africa For satellite Data Assimilation sensors, major emerging players include China, Korea, Canada, Russia, Germany, etc

25. Basic Space-Based Measurements Mechanisms 1 Plans for Future Sensors (Operational and Research) Conclusions & Look into the future 2 4 3 Trends & Challenges in Future Observing Systems Contents

26. Current Global Observing System Structure and Associated Applications

27. Main Challenges Facing Earth Observation Sensors • Cost and willingness of taxpayers to sustain it • Spectrum Loss: “No spectrum, no global observations!” • Enormous Pressure to ‘sell’ Earth-Observation spectrum to Industry (telecommunications, etc) • Radio Frequency Interference: Even protected bands are being impacted • Real risk of losing capability of measuring certain parameters in the future (sub-surface remote sensing essentially lost) • More and more space debris constitute a challenge and a risk to Earth-Observation sensors

28. Main Challenges Facing Earth Observation Sensors • Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) is spreading more and more upward in the microwave spectrum 1.4GHz Interference to AMSR-E passive sensor (blue is the 6-7 GHz and green the 10.6 GHz) Source: International Telecommunications Union

29. Trends: Driving Factors (for New Sensors) • Cost • Need (what we can’t measure currently and users want) • Technological advances (Measure them or measure them better and users will come)

30. Major Trends in GOS (Satellites and Orbits Configurations) • Trend toward cheaper, focused Observing systems (Microsatellites) • More and more sensors onboard the International Space Station (Rapidscat, etc) • Near-Space Global Observing System • Trend toward Commercialization of Satellite Data & Privatization of Satellites • New Global GOS international partners will allow better spatial coverage (denser orbital configuration) • Convergence of meteorological and commercial needs for Earth global coverage (Google Loon project, Polar Communication & Weather PCW mission, etc) could lead to coordination

31. Major Trends in GOS (New Sensors characteristics) • Active and Passive Microwave Sensors will merge • Hyperspectral Microwave sensors (hydrometror profiling, microphysics sensing, etc) • Measurement of Surface pressure from Space (OCO-2) with high enough accuracy. Significant potential for hurricane intensity • Atmospheric wind profilers from Space (Aeolus/ADM) • Trend toward Higher spectral, temporal and spectral Sampling • Shift to sub-millimeter frequencies (no man’s land)

32. Basic Space-Based Measurements Mechanisms 1 Plans for Future Sensors (Operational and Research) Conclusions & Look into the future 2 4 3 Trends & Challenges in Future Observing Systems Contents

33. Conclusion & Look Into the Future (1) • An explosion of new sensors and data volume have occurred and will continue to occur in the near future • New technologies are allowing more measurements (new) to be made, more frequently, better • Overall, more nations are building and launching satellite-based Earth Observing sensors • Clearly be we might be in the middle of a golden era of satellite-based earth observation sensors

34. Conclusion & Look Into the Future (2) • Perhaps satellites will be complemented by near-space constellation of sensors-equipped balloons • Perhaps man-held devices (iPhone) and vehicle-mounted devices will also contribute to be sensors in global earth-observing system. • Challenges exist (Cost sustainability, Spectrum loss, RFI, debris, etc)

35. Thank You ! Questions?

36. Questions