THE GODAE HIGH-RESOLUTION SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURE PILOT PROJECT

Craig Donlon,Olivier Arino,Kenneth Casey,John Stark,Pierre Leborgne,Ian Robinson,Robert Evans,Edward Armstrong,Ian Barton,Nick Rayner,Richard Reynolds,Peter Minnett,Chelle Gentemann,David Poulter,Helen Beggs,David Llewellyn-Jones,Christopher Merchant,Jorge Vazquez-Cuervo

doi:10.5670/oceanog.2009.64

Abstract

Sea surface temperature (SST) measurements are required by operational ocean and atmospheric forecasting systems to constrain modeled upper ocean circulation and thermal structure. The Global Ocean Data Assimilation Experiment (GODAE) High Resolution SST Pilot Project (GHRSST-PP) was initiated to address these needs by coordinating the provision of accurate, high-resolution, SST products for the global domain. The pilot project is now complete, but activities continue within the Group for High Resolution SST (GHRSST). The pilot project focused on harmonizing diverse satellite and in situ data streams that were indexed, processed, quality controlled, analyzed, and documented within a Regional/Global Task Sharing (R/GTS) framework implemented in an internationally distributed manner. Data with meaningful error estimates developed within GHRSST are provided by services within R/GTS. Currently, several terabytes of data are processed at international centers daily, creating more than 25 gigabytes of product. Ensemble SST analyses together with anomaly SST outputs are generated each day, providing confidence in SST analyses via diagnostic outputs. Diagnostic data sets are generated and Web interfaces are provided to monitor the quality of observation and analysis products. GHRSST research and development projects continue to tackle problems of instrument calibration, algorithm development, diurnal variability, skin temperature deviation, and validation/verification of GHRSST products. GHRSST also works closely with applications and users, providing a forum for discussion and feedback between SST users and producers on a regular basis. All data within the GHRSST R/GTS framework are freely available. This paper reviews the progress of GHRSST-PP, highlighting achievements that have been fundamental to the success of the pilot project.

Highlights

Assimilation Experiment (GODAE) recognized that the diverse Sea surface temperature (SST) products available could not meet the stringent availability, accuracy, coverage, and timeliness criteria required for operational ocean or meteorology prediction and Essential Climate Variable (ECV) production
The primary aim of Group for High Resolution SST (GHRSST)-PP was to develop and demonstrate a system that could deliver high-resolution, globalcoverage SST data products operationally in near-real time according to Global Ocean Data Assimilation Experiment (GODAE) specifications
This paper provides a summary of GHRSST-PP, beginning with a review of user requirements and challenges

Summary

Introduction

GODAE initiated the GODAE High-Resolution SST Pilot Project (GHRSST-PP) to address these issues through the production of a common format data set that includes all satellite SST data together with uncertainty estimates. They conducted detailed research on the impact and mitigation of diurnal SST variability in SST measurements and analyses, developed satellite pixel and grid-point time varying uncertainty estimates, coordinated international data management systems, established procedures and protocols, tested and implemented archives to manage the extensive GHRSST-PP data sets (currently ~ 25 Gb per day), provided near-real-time data access portals and user services, implemented nearreal-time quality control monitoring services, and developed a framework of international collaboration, support, and resource sharing that was actively nurtured by an international science team, an international project office, and dedicated technical advisory groups.

Results

Conclusion