Abstract
Abstract. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) established Regional Climate Centres (RCCs) around the world to create science-based climate information on a regional scale within the Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS). The paper introduces the satellite component of the WMO Regional Climate Centre on Climate Monitoring (RCC-CM) for Europe and the Middle East. The RCC-CM product portfolio is based on essential climate variables (ECVs) as defined by the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS), spanning the atmospheric (radiation, clouds, water vapour) and terrestrial domains (snow cover, soil moisture). In the first part, the input data sets are briefly described, which are provided by the EUMETSAT (European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites) Satellite Application Facilities (SAF), in particular CM SAF, and by the ESA (European Space Agency) Climate Change Initiative (CCI). In the second part, the derived RCC-CM products are presented, which are divided into two groups: (i) operational monitoring products (e.g. monthly means and anomalies) based on near-real-time environmental data records (EDRs) and (ii) climate information records (e.g. climatologies, time series, trend maps) based on long-term thematic climate data records (TCDRs) with adequate stability, accuracy and homogeneity. The products are provided as maps, statistical plots and gridded data, which are made available through the RCC-CM website (www.dwd.de/rcc-cm).
Highlights
Since the launch of the first satellites observing Earth’s atmosphere in the 1970s (e.g. Meteosat-1 in 1977), more than 30 years of satellite imagery have become available
The Regional Climate Centres (RCCs)-CM product portfolio is based on essential climate variables (ECVs) as defined by the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS), spanning the atmospheric and terrestrial domains
The derived Regional Climate Centre on Climate Monitoring (RCC-CM) products are presented, which are divided into two groups: (i) operational monitoring products based on near-real-time environmental data records (EDRs) and (ii) climate information records based on long-term thematic climate data records (TCDRs) with adequate stability, accuracy and homogeneity
Summary
Since the launch of the first satellites observing Earth’s atmosphere in the 1970s (e.g. Meteosat-1 in 1977), more than 30 years of satellite imagery have become available. In 2008, the WMO (World Meteorological Organization) network for Sustained and Coordinated Processing of Environmental Satellite Data for Climate Monitoring (SCOPE-CM) was established for the coordination of the sustainable generation of long-term climate data records (CDR), building upon essential climate variables (ECV) as defined by the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS). Soil moisture is a key parameter in the water, energy and carbon cycles and a critical variable in monitoring hazards such as floods and droughts. It is of high relevance for a variety of agricultural and environmental applications.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
