Winter 2008
After 35 years, the legacy of SSEC’s geophysical data processing software continues. From 16-18 October 2007, more than 60 programmers and scientists gathered to discuss and try out the next step in the evolution of McIDAS. Attendees included many members of the McIDAS Users’ Group (MUG)—some of whom traveled to Wisconsin from around the world.
The conference kicked off with an overview of the current state of satellite data options, including acquisition and processing. In addition to a summary of current weather satellite capabilities, participants heard about SSEC’s current online data archive and data ingestion facilities. SSEC’s Jay Heinzleman and Dave Santek also gave a presentation about recent updates to McIDAS-X.
After assessing the present, the conference switched to focus on the future of satellite data analysis and visualization tools. CIMSS Director Steve Ackerman explained why users need the functions that McIDAS-V will offer in the hyperspectral age. After lunch the group was given the first public viewing of McIDAS-V. SSEC’s Jessica Staude and Becky Schaffer gave a demonstration of the new software. A lively group discussion followed.
During the final day of the conference, attendees had the chance to try out the alpha version of McIDAS-V. The morning covered the basics of operating McIDAS-V, including loading and manipulating images, working with maps, and creating enhancements. The afternoon sessions allowed users to work with IASI and AIRS sounder data, and MODIS and SEVIRI imager data in McIDAS-V and HYDRA sessions. The hands-on sessions were energetic, fast-paced and supported by many SSEC employees who roamed the room helping users with their questions.
Check out the MUG group web site for more information about the meeting, becoming a MUG member and about the upcoming beta release of McIDAS-V.
Introducing the new CIMSS Tropical Cyclone web site
Figure 1: The front page of the new web site provides easy, visual access to current storm actvity and real time products.
Thirteen years ago, CIMSS launched an innovative web site devoted entirely to Tropical Cyclones (TCs). From its inception, the site rapidly gained popularity with both the TC community as well as with a more general audience. The site remains a prominent source for hurricane information, and as a portal for cutting edge CIMSS research on TCs. It is not unusual for the National Hurricane Center to mention our satellite-derived products in public forecast discussions during important hurricane events. Our web site also has daily “hits” in the millions during a major hurricane. In fact, on several occasions, web traffic to the site has slowed down the entire UW-Madison network! Advancements in web technology have alleviated this problem and opened doors to new possibilities for data displays and interactive features.
Since the initial launch 13 years ago, the site itself had not undergone any major changes aside from frequent minor updates and product additions. However, this summer, the CIMSS TC group launched a major site upgrade, taking advantage of new display tools and highlighting new research algorithms. Intended for a slightly more sophisticated user, the upgraded TC site has a new layout and increased interactive capabilities. Interested analysts, researchers or just plain hurricane aficionados can find real time information for current storms, regional analyses based on satellite-derived variables, special satellite imagery, and examples of the SSEC/CIMSS TC Group research projects.
Figure 2: The “TCTrak” window displays information about a specific, currently active storm.
Featured on the new site is an interactive window for viewing and analyzing real time TCs. Known as the “TCTrak” window, this analysis tool uses McIDAS utilities and allows multiple data and product overlays, animation manipulation, satellite-based TC estimates and diagnostics, and more. The intent is to make this site a “one stop shop” for a user to interrogate the meteorological conditions of a storm in real time. Among the available products are: multispectral imagery (IR and microwave) from virtually all operational (and some research) geo- and polar-orbiting satellites; SST analysis; satellite-derived products such as winds, shear, and intensity estimates; scatterometer winds; conventional observations; current TC track and forecast discussions; numerical model track forecasts, and more.
Despite a few remaining glitches, CIMSS released the new site to the TC community in July of 2007 to get feedback during the recent Atlantic TC season. The new site relies on functions found in the latest versions of popular web browsers—an issue that kept a few users from being able to view the new site. However, initial feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Most users have embraced the added functionalities and interactive access to the data and products. We will continue to add new features to the site, and are confident that it will be a valuable TC web resource and outreach element to those both inside and outside of the TC community.
In addition to the enhanced real time site, we will soon unveil a new online satellite data and product archive site that will allow interactive online browsing and retrieval of historical global TC satellite data, products, and locally produced diagnostics. We envision a graphical user interface that will allow researchers to easily peruse historical storms and access satellite data and products for their analyses.
The former TC web site will remain active for another year or so while we transition to the upgraded site, which is still a work in progress.
This summer, a UW-Madison alumnus returned to his roots in the Midwest. After spending the past 17 years at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Virginia, Brad Pierce recently transferred to NOAA and is currently stationed at SSEC. In his new post he will continue his atmospheric modeling work and will facilitate the transition of CIMSS research into operations.
During his time at NASA, Pierce provided support for airborne field missions and worked on developing a global model of atmospheric chemistry. In recent years, he concentrated on improving an operational global chemistry forecasting model. He has also become a strong advocate for including more satellite data in forecast models.
Pierce received his PhD from UW-Madison and worked with Professor Don Johnson as a Postdoc in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences. As a student, Pierce worked on an early version of the UW Hybrid Model pioneered by Johnson. Since his time at UW-Madison, Pierce has continued to collaborate with Johnson and other colleagues at SSEC. Coupled with the chemistry model Pierce developed at NASA, the UW Hybrid Model constitutes one part of the Real time Air Quality Monitoring System (RAQMS)—a project that has perpetuated Pierce’s collaboration with SSEC scientists. This existing partnership with SSEC is one of the reasons Pierce welcomed a chance to return to the Midwest.
Pierce also anticipates continued work with other groups of SSEC/CIMSS scientists. CIMSS has had a critical role in transitioning research algorithms into operations. Pierce’s involvement in satellite data assimilation will contribute to this process.
In addition to making himself at home in his new work environment, Pierce enjoys living in Madison. Having grown up outside Minneapolis, he is happy to return to the Midwest.
Dr. Ackerman goes to Washington
After 20 years at the UW-Madison (including 15 years as a faculty member in the Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Department and eight years as the Director of CIMSS), I am taking my first sabbatical and spending nine months at NOAA’s Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR). As I planned my time away from Madison, I chose to focus on a few specific areas for research and collaboration: working with NOAA scientists as they plan future weather satellites systems, exploring methods of using satellite observations to measure cloud properties, and developing e-learning materials in support of teaching and learning satellite meteorology.
UW-Madison has a long history of collaborating with NOAA to develop and improve weather satellite technology. With the next generation of weather satellites in sight, I hope to use my visit to strengthen this ongoing partnership. CIMSS is already actively working with NOAA to develop the GOES-R Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) by supporting instrument trade studies, algorithm development and data visualization. I’m currently working with a group of NOAA scientists developing a Satellite Recapitalization Plan. During my time at STAR, I have gained a better appreciation of how NOAA plans and implements its satellite systems.
In addition to taking part in GOES activities, I will also continue my research activities using data from NASA’s MODIS and CALIPSO programs. In particular, I’ll continue to work with Goddard, Langley and UW-Madison scientists to study the optical properties of cirrus clouds and improve methods of detecting clouds over polar regions during winter. When I first came to CIMSS, I got involved with remote sensing studies using collocated AVHRR, HIRS and ERBE observations – the emphasis was on cloud properties and changes in the spectral radiances in clear-sky scenes. I’m particularly interested in continuing this approach to observing Earth with collocated observations.
Beyond scientific research, I hope to take some time during my sabbatical to develop a better understanding of how to teach (and learn) satellite meteorology. Supported by education grants from NOAA, NASA and NSF, I have studied recent research on e-Learning. I am particularly interested in the effective use of graphics combined with audio in instruction for both introductory and advanced science courses. Through NASA-funded collaborations with the UW-Madison’s Division of Information Technology, I have come to appreciate new approaches to effective use of web-based technologies. These efforts focus on material appropriate to satellite remote sensing courses for undergraduate juniors and seniors. One goal of the NASA proposal was to develop Reusable Content Objects, which can be used easily and effectively in developing new lessons and modules. I plan to incorporate these learning modules and develop new ones in order to create an e-Learning resource on satellite meteorology for undergraduate students.
Don’t worry, I won’t forget about CIMSS while I’m away. I plan to take time to reflect on the organizational structure of CIMSS. Since my arrival to UW-Madison 20 years ago, CIMSS has nearly doubled in size. All those who support the administration of CIMSS do a wonderful job and the current structure may remain the best one for our institute. It is important that we be guided by the traditions that have made CIMSS a collaborative and productive working place. But I think it is also important to now and then step back and ponder if there are ways of doing things better.
Finally, Anne (my wife) and I are enjoying the big city life. Check in with us at our blog.
Highlights of recent publications
Weisz, Elisabeth; Li, Jun; Menzel, W. Paul; Heidinger, Andrew K.; Kahn, Brian H., and Liu, Chian-Yi. Comparison of AIRS, MODIS, CloudSat and CALIPSO cloud top height retrievals. Geophysical Research Letters v.34, no.17, 2007.
Understanding the impact of clouds on the Earth’s radiation budget and on climate change requires information about cloud properties such as cloud-top height. Hyperspectral infrared measurements from polar orbiting satellites provide valuable cloud-top information with global coverage. The cloud-top research product derived from NASA’s Atmospheric InfraRed Sounder (AIRS) agrees well with observations from radar and lidar instruments onboard CloudSat and CALIPSO platforms. These instruments provide accurate cloud measurements but with limited spatial coverage.
Schreiner, Anthony J.; Ackerman, Steven A.; Baum, Bryan A., and Heidinger, Andrew K. A multispectral technique for detecting low-level cloudiness near sunrise. Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology v.24, no.10, 2007, pp1800-1810.
A technique using the GOES sounder radiance data has been developed to improve detection of low clouds and fog just after sunrise. The technique is based on a simple difference method using the Short Wave Window (3.7μm) and Long Wave Window (11.0μm) bands in the infrared range of the spectrum. The time period just after sunrise is noted for the difficulty in being able to correctly identify low clouds and fog over land. For the GOES sounder cloud product, this difficulty is a result of the visible reflectance of the low clouds falling below the “cloud” threshold over land. By requiring the difference between the 3.7μm and the 11.0μm bands to be greater than 5.0K, successful discrimination of low clouds and fog is found for 85% of the cases beginning 14 September 2005 through 6 March 2006 over the GOES-12 sounder domain.
The success rate further improved to 95% by including a difference threshold of 5.0K between the 3.7μm and 4.0μm bands, requiring that the 11.0μm band be greater than 260K, and limiting the test to fields of view where the surface elevation is below 999 meters. These final three limitations were needed to more successfully deal with cases involving snow cover and dead vegetation.
Vimont, Daniel J. and Kossin, James P.. The Atlantic Meridional Mode and hurricane activity. Geophysical Research Letters, Volume 34, 2007.
We reconsidered Atlantic hurricane variability in a new framework based on a pattern of coupled ocean–atmosphere variability known as the Atlantic meridional mode (AMM). We show that a large part of the variability of overall “hurricane activity,” which depends on the number of storms in a season, their duration, and their intensity, can be explained by systematic shifts in the cyclogenesis regions. These shifts are strongly correlated with the AMM on interannual as well as multidecadal time scales. The AMM serves to unify a number of previously documented relationships between hurricanes and Atlantic regional climate variability.
Wimmers, Anthony J. and Velden, Christopher S.. MIMIC: A new approach to visualizing satellite microwave imagery of tropical cyclones. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, Volume 88, Issue 8, 2007, pp.1187-1196.
Satellite-based microwave imagery of tropical cyclones (TCs) is a valuable source of information, which is particularly important when often no other observations exist. However, current microwave-sensing satellites make only semi-random passes over their targets, resulting in time gaps averaging four hours but varying from less than 30 minutes to more than 24 hours. To address this issue, we have developed a family of algorithms called Morphed Integrated Microwave Imagery at CIMSS (MIMIC) to create synthetic “morphed” images that use the observ ed imagery to fill in the time gaps and present time-continuous animations of tropical cyclones and their environment. MIMIC presents a storm-centered 15-minute resolution animation of microwave imagery in the ice-scattering range (85-92 GHz) that can be interpreted very much like a ground-based radar animation. MIMIC allows forecasters and analysts to use microwave imagery to follow trends in a tropical cyclone’s structure more efficiently and effectively, which can result in higher-confidence short-term intensity forecasts.
Visit SSEC's Schwerdtfeger Library to find more publications by SSEC/CIMSS scientists.
Paul Menzel
The scientific community honored his recent retirement from NOAA after forty years of service
with a special plaque recognizing his contributions to the global understanding of atmospheric
science and his enduring commitment to advancing the field across the globe.
Andy Heidinger (NOAA at SSEC)
NASA Group Achievement Award for NASA’s Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder
Satellite (CALIPSO) — The team won the award for “exceptional achievements in
the successful development, launch, and operation of the CALIPSO satellite.”
Jordan Gerth
National Weather Association Meteorological Satellite Applications Award Grant
