Comments on the Ocean-related Satellite Needs Identified in the GCOS Implementation Plan

1. Comments on the Ocean-related Satellite Needs Identified in the GCOS Implementation Plan Stan Wilson Senior Scientist, NOAA/NESDIS NOAA Climate Observation Program 4th Annual System Review 10-12 May 2006

2. Ocean-related satellite actions from the:IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR THE GLOBAL OBSERVING SYSTEM FOR CLIMATE IN SUPPORT OF THE UNFCCC (October 2004) • Action O12 – Sea surface height (SSH) • Action A11 – Surface vector winds (SVW) • Action O18 – Ocean color • Action O9 – Sea surface temperature (SST) • Action O23 – Sea ice • Action O16 – Sea surface salinity (SSS)

3. Where can NOAA make a difference? • Where can we in NOAA make a difference? – Use that as a basis to prioritize and focus • For the shorter term, we have been – and will continue to be – dependent on NASA’s remarkable capabilities • For the longer term, we need to consider NOPESS: • CMIS – for SVW & SST • VIIRS – for Ocean color & SST • Altimeter option – for SSH • Given the Nunn/McCurdy exercise underway, we won’t know its impact on NPOESS until completion on June 5 • FY08 budget process is considering two options: • No growth • 5 % cut

4. NASA Research & NOAA Operations – 1 • Research & operations (R&O) transitioning has been identified as a national issue • Congressional language in the NOAA FY05 budget: • “Provide NOAA the capability to transition NASA remote sensed ocean measurements into operational products for the user community” • Observations explicitly mentioned: “ocean winds from scatterometers,…sea level…from altimeters, and…ocean color” • $4M R&O earmark was provided in FY05 and again in FY06 – this is the first NOAA funding specifically directed at helping effect the transition of oceanic capabilities from NASA

5. NASA Research & NOAA Operations – 2 • Congressional language in the FY06 NASA budget directs the establishment of a Joint Working Group (JWG) • Chet Koblinsky is NOAA lead (with Louis Uccellini, Tom Karl & Stan Wilson) • Jack Kaye is NASA lead • This is a priority for the NOAA Administrator • The JWG will identify an initial set of a half-dozen capabilities for transitioning, for which initial implementation plans are to be developed this year • Progress will ultimately depend on success in the budget process – the first opportunity being FY09

6. Focus and Priorities • Capabilities includes the full range of activities – space hardware, calibration & validation, communications, ground data system & archival, timely data access, assimilation of data into models, and the generation of associated analyses and forecasts • While not sufficient, space hardware is a necessary element of the overall capability which NOAA should implement • This presentation specifically focuses on those aspects for which NOAA needs to take timely action – thus serving as a basis for prioritizing

7. Action O12 – Sea surface height (SSH) –Ensure continuous coverage from one high-precision altimeter and two lower-precision but higher-resolution altimeters. • NASA & CNES will implement OSTM/Jason-2 (2008 launch), with NOAA & EUMETSAT doing ground operations • If the Jason series is to be extended, NOAA & EUMETSAT must take the lead for a Jason-3 • Current possibilities for complementary altimeters include ESA/Sentinel-3, CNES/AltiKa, & NOPESS

8. Sea Surface Height 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 2-f MR & 66-deg, 10-day, 315-km OSTM (Jason-2) TOPEX-Poseidon JASON Jason Jason-3 AltiKa on OceanSat-3 98-deg, 35-day, 80-km ERS-2 GMES Sentinel 3 ENVISAT ? 108-deg, 17-day, 160-km 98-deg, 17-day, 130-km NPOESS C-3 GEOSAT Follow-on In orbit Approved Planned/Pendng Approval

9. Planning for a Jason-3 • NOAA and EUMETSAT have agreed to pursue a Jason-3 • Immediate objective is to develop a conceptual approach for the mission to: • Be presented to EUMETSAT Council this fall for approval • Support FY09 NOAA budget initiative • Applications and Implementation Working Groups are being established • Ants Leetmaa will be NOAA co-chair of AWG (with Laury Miller) • David Anderson will be involved on the EUMETSAT side • The Applications Working Group will work with its companion NASA Sea Surface Topography Science Team

10. Jason-3 Applications Working Groupto address questions such as: • To what extent are there orbital options – lower altitude and higher inclination – able to resolve major tidal components? • Together with POD and repeat ground tracks, to what extent could such an orbit extend the coverage initiated by TOPEX/Poseidon without compromising the capability to produce climate-quality data records? • To what extent are additional altimeters – what type and in which orbit – needed to meet operational needs? • If a wide-swath altimeter were to be offered for piggyback flight on Jason-3, to what extent could it also meet the needs for observing mesoscale eddies, coastal variability, and rivers & lakes?

11. Jason-3 Implementation Working Groupto address questions such as: • Compare and contrast the implementation approaches for a clone of Jason-2 in its same orbit versus one in a lower altitude and higher inclination orbit? • If a wide-swath altimeter were considered as a piggyback instrument, • What additional spacecraft capabilities would be needed to facilitate a 100% duty cycle? • To what extent would it represent an added risk and/or delay to Jason-3? • Identify possibilities for sharing of responsibilities in implementation. • Help establish ROM mission costs.

12. Action A11 – Surface vector winds (SVW) –Ensure continuous operation of AM and PM satellite scatterometer or equivalent observations. • NWS operational use of QuikScat SVW – NCEP began four years ago & WFOs began within past year • ASCAT will launch on METOP later this year, but will have only ~60% of QuikSCAT swath • While evaluation of WindSat passive polarimetry is not yet complete, neither passive polarimetry (NPOESS/ CMIS) nor scatterometry (QuikSCAT) will meet all needs • Further improvements – required to resolve the wind vs. rain ambiguity – will be addressed in a workshop at NHC early next month • NASA has initiated a study of advanced concepts for scatterometry

13. CMIS/NPOESS-C1 CMIS/NPOESS-C2 Surface Vector Winds 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 895 km 1700 km ? WINDSAT CMIS/NPOESS-C3 500 km 2 x 550 km with 768 km gap AMI/ERS-2 ASCAT/METOP – 3 satellites SeaWINDS/ADEOS-II 1600 km Seawinds/QuikSCAT In orbit Approved Planned/Pendng Approval

14. Planning for Surface Vector Winds • NOAA is establishing an Applications Working Group with Bob Atlas as chair (with Paul Chang) to work with its companion NASA SVW Science Team • Resolution of the wind vs. rain ambiguity will most likely require a two-channel scatterometer with a companion microwave radiometer • We are working to have NOAA needs factored into the NASA-funded study of advanced concepts for scatterometry • If this were done, NOAA could be positioned to define a budget initiative appropriate for SVW

15. Action O18 – Ocean color – Implement plans for a sustained and continuous deployment of ocean color satellite sensors together with research and analysis. • Space observing capabilities for ocean color are in place • NASA has essentially been providing sole U.S. support for satellite ocean color (SeaWiFS & MODIS) • NOAA just initiated support for research access to SeaWiFS global GAC and U.S. LAC data • NPOESS/VIIRS is to serve as the nation’s continuing source of ocean color observations • But considering climate-quality data records, NOAA lacks support for: • In-situ calibration capability (included in FY09 initiative with NIST) • Capability for algorithm refinement, routine reprocessing, and science team (include in initiative for Scientific Data Stewardship)

16. VIIRS/NPOESS-C1 VIIRS/NPOESS-C2 Ocean Color 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 FY-3A, B,.. (VIRR/MODI) OCM/OCEANSAT OCM/OCEANSAT-2 MERIS/ENVISAT MODIS/Terra SGLI/GCOM MODIS/AQUA SeaWiFS/SeaStar VIIRS/NPP ? VIIRS/NPOESS-C3 In orbit Approved Planned/Pendng Approval

17. Action O9 – Sea surface temperature (SST) –Ensure a continuous mix of polar orbiting and geostationary IR measurements combined with passive microwave coverage. • Space observing capabilities for SST are in place • GHRSST and NOPP provide a direction for SST-related efforts internationally and nationally • Work is underway to demonstrate improved SST based on combining IR and microwave observations • But considering climate-quality data records, NOAA lacks support for a capability for algorithm refinement, routine reprocessing, and science team (include in initiative for Scientific Data Stewardship) • Some improved SST coordination within NOAA might be helpful (OAR/ESRL; NESDIS/NCDC, NODC, ORA; JCSDA)

18. Action O23 – Sea ice – Ensure sustained satellite (microwave, SAR, visible and IR) operations. • A variety of space observing capabilities for sea ice are in place • Future visible, IR & microwave radiometry to come from VIIRS & CMIS on NPOESS • Data access – timeliness and cost – is an issue for SAR observations (Radarsat and ENVISAT) • Ice thickness is a challenge • The same comment can be made regarding climate-quality data records

19. Action O16 – Sea surface salinity (SSS) – Research programs to demonstrate feasibility of utilizing satellite data to help resolve global fields of SSS. • ESA SMOS in 2007 and NASA/CONAE Aquarius in 2009 represent opportunities to demonstrate the utility of satellite determination of SSS

20. SUMMARYWhere can NOAA make a difference? • Pursue joint Jason-3 initiative with EUMETSAT in NOAA FY09 budget • Harmonize NASA/NOAA planning for an improved capability to observe SVW • Include support for in-situ calibration capability for Ocean Color in NOAA/NIST initiative in FY09 • Include support for oceanic parameters in NOAA initiative for Scientific Data Stewardship

21. SUMMARYWhere can NOAA make a difference? • Pursue joint Jason-3 initiative with EUMETSAT in NOAA FY09 budget • Harmonize NASA/NOAA planning for an improved capability to observe SVW • Include support for in-situ calibration capability for Ocean Color in NOAA/NIST initiative in FY09 • Include support for oceanic parameters in NOAA initiative for Scientific Data Stewardship • But these will not happen because of NESDIS – support must come from the NOAA Goal Teams and Line Office Heads

22. A Sustained, Systematic Global Ocean Observing, Assimilation, Analysis & Forecasting Capability KEY SATELLITE OBSERVATIONS • A state variable: • Surface pressure field – Extend the Jason series of altimetry as a complement to Argo • A boundary condition: • Surface stress field – Use what exists (QuikSCAT, WindSat, CMIS on NPOESS, ASCAT on METOP) and pursue advanced scatterometry with NASA • A non-physical variable: • Near-surface chlorophyll – Effect the collection of scientific-quality data records linking SeaWiFS, MODIS, and VIIRS on NPP/NPOESS

23. Backups

24. CBERS-2 CBERS-4 CBERS-3 VIIRS/ C2 SGLI/GCOM-B1 Sea Surface Temperature 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 FY-1C FY-1D FY-3A, B,.. (VIRR/MODI) CBERS-2B AVHRR/NOAAam orbit AVHRR/EPS(Metop) am orbit AVHRR/NOAA pm orbit VIIRS/NPOESS C1 TRMM WINDSAT ATSR/ERS-2 AATSR/ENVISAT VIIRS/NPP MODIS/EOS-Terra ESA GMES S-3 MOS/IRS-P3 ADEOS-2 MODIS/EOS-Aqua HY-1 HY-2 **Geostationary sats: GOES, MSG important but not shown MSMR/IRS-P4 In orbit Approved Planned/Pendng Approval

25. CMIS/NPOESS-C1 Seawinds/QuikSCAT TERRASAR X band Sea Ice (Concentration, Extent, Drift, Thickness) 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 ASAR/EnvisatC-band ESA GMES S-1 AMI/ERSC-band Drift RADARSAT-2 C-band RADARSAT-1C-band RADARSAT-3 ALOS L-band COSMO-SKYMED X band JERS-1 L band ESA GMES S-3 CRYOSAT ICESAT Thickness MODIS& AMSR-E/EOS-Aqua SMOS WindSat HY-1 GODAE OLS&SSMI/DMSP—AVHRR& AMSU/NOAA MODIS/EOS-Terra VIIRS/NPP In orbit Approved Planned/PendngApproval

26. Geoid and Salinity Missions 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 Gravity/Geoid missions (for absolute circulation) Oersted SAC-C Swarm CHAMP GRACE GOCE Salinity SMOS AQUARIUS In orbit Approved Planned/Pendng Approval