Sea-Surface Salinity Science Team FY13 Q1 Meeting

1. Sea-Surface Salinity Science TeamFY13 Q1 Meeting 1:00 – 3:00 pm, Tuesday, 25 Sep 2012 NCWCP Conference Room 2552-2553Dial-in: 800-857-9605; passcode: 59393

2. Agenda • Welcome – Eric Bayler • Aquarius Mission update – Gary Lagerloef • SMOS-MODE meeting (11-12 Oct 2012) summary – Simon Yueh • NASA SPURS update – Yi Chao • SSS data repository status – Eric Bayler • NODC QA – Yongsheng Zhang • SMOS Newsletter – Eric Bayler • SSS Science Meetings – Eric Bayler • Proposals • NESDIS/STAR Ocean Remote Sensing – Eric Bayler • NASA 2012 ROSES • EMC – Dave Behringer • CPC – PingpingXie • FY12 Recap – Eric Bayler • Open Discussion (issues, topics of interest, …)

3. Aquarius MissionUpdate Gary Lagerloef Aquarius Mission Principal Investigator Earth & Space Research

4. Aquarius: NOAA SST support

5. NASA SPURSUpdate Yi Chao Remote Sensing Solutions, Inc.

6. SPURSSalinity Processes in the Upper Ocean Regional Study SPURS plans 5 cruises during Sept. 2012 – Sept. 2013 • Thalassa/Frence-2012 (8/16 - 9/13) • Knorr/US-2012 (9/6 – 10/9) • Sarmiento/Spain-2013 (3/14 – 4/20) • Endeavour/US-2013 (3/14 – 4/14) • US Cruise-2013 (Sept.)

7. SPURS Domain(see http://spurs.jpl.nasa.gov)

8. Examples: STS Float & WHOI Mooring

9. SSS Server / Repository • 24 TB SSS server/repository, STAR data001 (rhw1003), acquired and configured for processing, storage, development activities, and public access. • Also provides processing for hosting SSS data to the NOAA CoastWatch/OceanWatch web access. • Controlled access via STAR VPN/Linux accounts: • NWS / Environmental Modeling Center (EMC) • Marine Modeling & Analysis Branch (MMAB) • Global Climate & Weather Modeling Branch (GCWMB) • NWS / Climate Prediction Center (CPC) • NESDIS / National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC) • Marine Data Stewardship Division (MDSD) • Ocean Climatology Laboratory (OCL) • NESDIS/ Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR)

10. Satellite SSS Data • Aquarius • Level-2 (swath data) • Complete data record; first reprocessing expected Dec 2012 • Level-3 (gridded) • Complete data record • NASA Level-3 (binned, mapped) • CoastWatch/OceanWatch (reformatted NASA Level-3) • SMOS • Level-1C(swath radiances) • 1-month rolling window • Level-2(swath SSS) • Entire data record available • Reprocessed (Jan 2010 – Dec 2011) • Near-real-time stream; same processing as reprocessed data • Original binary data extracted to ASCII files • Authorization obtained from ESA SMOS for: • Life-of-mission access to restricted data • Operational use of SSS data • Use of data for breadth of NOAA’s mission

11. SMOS SSS Data • DATAAVAILABLE @ STAR • Level-1B (swath radiances) • 1-month rolling window • Level-2 (swath SSS) • Entire data record available • Reprocessed • (Jan 2010 – Dec 2011) • Near-real-time stream • Same processing as reprocessed data • Original binary data extracted to ASCII files • NOAA L3/4 (under development) • Anticipate: • SMOS-Barcelona Expert Centre (BEC) Level-3/4 • IFREMER CATDS/CEC-OS Level-3/4

12. Aquarius SSS Data • Level-2 SSS data • v1.1, v1.2, v1.2.2, v1.2DR, v1.2.3, v1.3 • First reprocessing planned for Dec 2012 • Level-3 SSS data • NASA Level-3 (binned, mapped) • NOAA CoastWatch/OceanWatch (reformatted NASA Level-3) • NOAA Level-3/4 (under development) NASA Level-3 SSS data

13. CoastWatch/OceanWatch SSS Distribution • http://coastwatch.noaa.gov/ • Aquarius Level-3 • Daily, 7-day, Monthly, 3-month • Mapped • Gridded - CoastWatch-HDF • Browse – PNG images • Geotiff images • Metadata • Java tool to explore image pixel values • SMOS • Pending

14. Data Access and Use • CoastWatch/OceanWatch • Internet statistics for Aquarius data • SSS server/repository • Controlled access via STAR VPN and Linux accounts • Accounts • NWS EMC • MMAB • GCWMB • NWS CPC • NESDIS NODC • MDSD • OCL • NESDIS STAR

15. SSS Data QA - NODC Yongsheng Zhang NESDIS/NODC – UMD College Park/ESSIC/CICS

16. SMOS-MODE MeetingSummary Simon Yueh Aquarius Mission Project Scientist NASA/JPL/Science Division Climate, Oceans and Solid Earth Sciences Section

17. SMOS Newsletter • Highlights • Funding opportunity • RFI over Central Europe • SMOS data disseminated through EUMETCAST • Validating SMOS sea-surface salinity • Data and Processors • Data availability • Instrument calibration • Data quality • Updates on operational processors • Radio Frequency Interference (RFI)

18. SSS Science Meetings • Aquarius Cal/Val Mtg at GSFC: 29 Oct – 1 Nov • SMOS training course at CESBIO: 5-9 November, Toulouse, France • AGU Fall Meeting: 3-7 December, San Francisco, CA; • Sessions: • Science Results From the Aquarius and SMOS Ocean Salinity Missions; OS11H, OS12C, OS21E(posters) • Ocean Surface Emissivity for Passive Remote Sensing Observations (posters); OS13E • Using Field Measurements and Experiments to Advance Science; H31G • Observations and Modeling of Regional and Global Freshwater and Saltwater Budgets and Transports; OS24D • SMOS - Aquarius workshop: 15-17 April 2013, IFREMER, Brest, France • Combines(?): • SMOS-MODE Annual Mtg, TBD, Toulon, France • Aquarius Science Team Mtg, TBD, Seattle, WA

19. SMOS Funding Opportunity:Call for Proposals • Grid Processing-on-Demand (G-POD) for processing SMOS data • The Grid Processing-on-Demand (G-POD) environment [http://gpod.eo.esa.int] is a tool for EO data users offered by ESA for conducting Earth Science research activities. • G-POD is open to SMOS data users, who are again encouraged to submit proposals for: • The prototyping, development, validation, and operational deployments of new algorithms and “scientific added value products”, requiring high volumes of data and processing resources, • The development of new Earth science applications exploiting the synergetic use of EO data, including synergy with other space-borne and ground data, models and multidisciplinary applications. • G-POD SMOS proposals need to be submitted directly onto the following website: http://eopi.esa.int/G-POD. This is an open call, i.e. proposals can be submitted at any time.

20. Ocean Remote Sensing (ORS) Proposal (pending)PI: STAR, Co-I: NODC, CPC • FY2013 Research Objectives and Tasks • Observations • Aquarius • Develop experimental quality-filtered Aquarius Level-2 SSS data stream for data assimilation • Routinely produce developmental NOAA-gridded Aquarius Level-3 products for specific applications and disseminate via NOAA OceanWatch • SMOS • Develop experimental quality-filtered SMOS Level-2 SSS data stream for data assimilation • Routinely produce developmental NOAA SMOS Level-3 products for specific applications and disseminate via NOAA OceanWatch • Ocean Color Radiometry • Compare ocean color radiometry (OCR) models to empirically estimated estuarine SSS • Generate error estimates of OCR-derived SSS in the Chesapeake Bay from the ANN and GAM models • Initiate SSS quality-monitoring framework • Climatology • Routinely produce developmental blended analysis of surface salinity (BASS) products in conjunction with NWS/CPC • Modeling • Investigate the SSS dependencies of operationally-significant passive microwave retrievals. • Initiate SSS data assimilation research and development for global HYCOM

21. NASA 2012 ROSES Physical Oceanography (pending) On Assimilating Remotely-Sensed Sea-Surface Salinity in Ocean Models to (a) Improve Ocean State Estimates, and (b) Identify Errors in Surface Buoyancy Fluxes PI: EMC, Co-I: CPC, STAR • Addresses: • NWS operational SSS data assimilation: • Global Ocean Data Assimilation System (GODAS) • Real-Time Ocean Forecast System (RTOFS) • Surface buoyancy fluxes and salt budget analysis GODAS currently assimilates: a SSS climatology, Argo and CTD salinity profiles. A clear understanding of the SSS observations’ error characteristics required before attempting to assimilate the SSS observations. PLOTS: Scatter plots of monthly L3 salinity products (SMOS, Aquarius vs Argo); averaged over the top 20 meters and averaged into the same grid of 5o by 10o boxes. The Aquarius SSS fields have a strong positive bias in the Southern Ocean. Both SMOS and Aquarius SSS fields have a negative bias in the NE Tropical Pacific, although the bias is stronger for Aquarius. These kinds of issues need to be resolved and/or understood before these observations can be assimilated.

22. NASA 2012 ROSES – Physical Oceanography (pending)Development and Application of Satellite and In-situ Blended Global Sea-Surface Salinity AnalysesPI: CPC, Co-I: NODC, STAR, JPL Components: • Develop a technique to construct global SSS analyses with uncertainty estimation through integrating (blending) information from in situ and satellite platforms, covering the global ocean at a 1° lat/lng grid for time resolutions of monthly or shorter. • Construct a processing system to generate the blended SSS analysis on a real-time basis to improve global ocean monitoring. • Examine the spatial distribution and temporal variation patterns of SSS and the interactions with air-sea fluxes, oceanic mixed-layer processes, and oceanic circulations. • Explore the possibility of improving the seasonal climate prediction using the SSS analyses developed.

23. NOAASea-Surface SalinityScience Team / Community of Practice FY12 Recap

24. NOAA SSS Science TeamParticipants (operational) • Objectives: • Facilitate research and development exploiting satellite SSS data • Transition the use of satellite SSS data into operations, applications, and decision-making tools • Coordinate integration, strategic planning, and financial resources • Open meetings and membership • NOAA • National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS ) • Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR) • National Oceanographic Data Center • Marine Data Stewardship • Ocean Climate Laboratory • National Weather Service (NWS) • Environmental Modeling Center • Marine Modeling and Analysis • Global Climate and Weather • Ocean Prediction Center • Climate Prediction Center • National Ocean Service (NOS) • Coast Survey Development Laboratory • Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services • National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) • Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center • Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) • Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory • Physical Oceanography • Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory • Ocean Climate Research • Joint Center for Satellite Data Assimilation • NASA • Headquarters • Physical Oceanography Program • Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) • Aquarius Deputy PI • Aquarius • Principal Investigator • Project Scientist

25. Activities • Quarterly science team meetings • NASA-NOAA Aquarius Mission Workshop • Aquarius 2012 Science Team Meeting • NOAA membership in the European Union’s Cooperation in Science & Technology (COST) Action: SMOS Mission Oceanographic Data Exploitation (SMOS-MODE) • Established NOAA SSS data server/repository

26. SSS Applications Development • SSS Data Assimilation Research and Development • Leveraged STAR’s satellite data assimilation R&D computing capacity at the CIMSS (U Wisconsin – Madison) • Satellite Simulations and data assimilation Studies (S4) • Porting NCEP’s operational global HYCOM model (Real-Time Ocean Forecast System (RTOFS)) • ocean data assimilation research, develop, and transition to operations • SSS data assimilation is targeted for initial research and development • Operational SSS Data Assimilation • Operational User Requests submitted for SSS Level-2 data from the SMOS and Aquarius missions • NWS/EMC/ Marine Modeling and Analysis Branch – Real-Time Ocean Forecast System (RTOFS) • NWS/EMC/ Global Climate and Weather Modeling Branch – Global Ocean Data Assimilation System / Coupled Forecast System (GODAS/CFS) • Initial technical readiness assessment by NESDIS Office of Satellite and Product Operations (OSPO) has commenced. • Ocean Heat Content (OHC) Integrated Product Team • Satellite sea-surface salinity constrains the calculation of upper-ocean density by measuring an otherwise sparsely known value, thereby improving the determination of upper-ocean heat content while reducing uncertainty. • Newly implemented operational NESDIS OHC product employs the 2001 World Ocean Atlas SSS climatology that is largely out of date because it lacks much of the Argo float data • Working to improve representativeness of SSS inputs • Blended SSS Product Development • Partnership established: NWS/CPC/Development Branch, NESDIS/NODC (MDSD and OCL), NESDIS/STAR • SSS optimally-interpolated Level-3/4 products, including merged products. • Initial results and prototype presented at the Aquarius Science Team

27. Papers, Presentations, and Posters • AMS Annual Meeting (Jan 2012) Joint session • 2nd Conference on Transition of Research to Operations • 18th Conference on Satellite Meteorology, Oceanography and Climatology • 1st Joint AMS-Asia Satellite Meteorology Conference • Oral presentation and conference paper, “The Significance of Permittivity Model Choice at Operational Passive Microwave Frequencies” • SMOS-MODE meeting (28-30 Mar 2012) • ~ 15 participating European Union countries plus the European Space Agency (ESA) • Invited Annual Workshop keynote talk, “Satellite Sea-surface Salinity Data Exploitation at NOAA” • Oceanographic Exploitation Working Group talk, “Satellite Sea-surface Salinity (SSS) in Passive Microwave Retrievals” • Aquarius Science Team Meeting (11-13 Apr 2012) • NESDIS/STAR; “Satellite SSS Applications at NOAA” Author (STAR); • CPC/NODC/STAR; “NOAA Blended Analysis of Surface Salinity: Preliminary Investigation” • CPC; “An Examination of the Sea-surface Salinity and Fresh Water Flux Relationship Using the Aquarius PMW Retrievals” • NODC; “Comparing Aquarius satellite SSS with NODC in situ analyzed SSS” • IEEE 2012 International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS) (22-27 Jul 2012) • STAR (with international partners) extended abstract, “Derivation of an Experimental Satellite-based T-S Diagram” • STAR accepted extended abstract, “The Significance of Permittivity Model Choice at Operational Passive Microwave Frequencies”; rescinded due to reduced travel funding • Tropical Atlantic Variability Meeting (10-14 Sep 2012) • CPC/NODC/STAR oral presentation, “An In Situ – Satellite Blended Analysis of Sea Surface Salinity of Oceanic Variability Studies”

28. Proposals • Pending: • Ocean Remote Sensing (ORS) • Principal Investigator STAR, Co-Investigator NODC • “SSS Science Team” , $152,680 • NASA 2012 ROSES • Principal Investigator CPC, Co-Investigators STAR, NODC, JPL • “Development and Application of Satellite and In-situ Blended Global Sea Surface Salinity Analyses”, $536,126 over 3 years • Principal Investigator EMC, Co-Investigators STAR, CPC • “On Assimilating Remotely-Sensed Sea Surface Salinity in Ocean Models to (a) Improve Ocean State Estimates, and (b) Identify Errors in Surface Buoyancy Fluxes”, $365,467 over 2 years • JCSDA Science and Development Implementation (JSDI) proposal (EMC, STAR), “Towards the Operational Use of Remotely-Sensed Sea Surface Salinity in NCEP Ocean Forecast Systems,” declined

29. Summary • Cross-NOAA SSS Community of Practice • All NOAA LOs • Research and operational representation • NASA HQ and JPL • Aquarius PI and Project Scientist • Complete Level-2 (swath) SSS data records for the Aquarius and SMOS missions • Applications development • Operational data assimilation • Freshwater flux determination • Blended analysis of surface salinity • Passive microwave radiometry • Strong representation at domestic and international science meetings • International partnerships established: EU SMOS-MODE Action • Funding: • Leveraging STAR Ocean Remote Sensing project ($89,196) • Pending Proposals: • Ocean Remote Sensing • NASA 2012 ROSES

30. Other ?