National Polar Orbiting Environmental Satellite System Research Articles

Land and cryosphere products from Suomi NPP VIIRS: Overview and status.

[1] The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument was launched in October 2011 as part of the Suomi National Polar-Orbiting Partnership (S-NPP). The VIIRS instrument was designed to improve upon the capabilities of the operational Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer and provide observation continuity with NASA’s Earth Observing System’s Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). Since the VIIRS first-light images were received in November 2011, NASA- and NOAA-funded scientists have been working to evaluate the instrument performance and generate land and cryosphere products to meet the needs of the NOAA operational users and the NASA science community. NOAA’s focus has been on refining a suite of operational products known as Environmental Data Records (EDRs), which were developed according to project specifications under the National Polar-Orbiting Environmental Satellite System. The NASA S-NPP Science Team has focused on evaluating the EDRs for science use, developing and testing additional products to meet science data needs, and providing MODIS data product continuity. This paper presents to-date findings of the NASA Science Team’s evaluation of the VIIRS land and cryosphere EDRs, specifically Surface Reflectance, Land Surface Temperature, Surface Albedo, Vegetation Indices, Surface Type, Active Fires, Snow Cover, Ice Surface Temperature, and Sea Ice Characterization. The study concludes that, for MODIS data product continuity and earth system science, an enhanced suite of land and cryosphere products and associated data system capabilities are needed beyond the EDRs currently available from the VIIRS.

Ozone sensor restored to weather satellite

A sensor for measuring ozone will be included on the National Polar‐Orbiting Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) Preparatory Project (NPP) satellite, NASA and NOAA announced on 11 April. The Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite (OMPS) Limb will measure the vertical distribution of ozone in the atmosphere. A U.S. National Academies committee recommended the restoration of the OMPS Limb to the NPOESS program earlier this year in its Earth science decadal survey (see Eos 88(13), 2007). Restoration of the OMPS Limb to the NPOESS program is contingent upon the cost of the instrument. The NPP satellite is scheduled to launch in 2009, and the first NPOESS satellite is scheduled for 2013.

Bulk Scattering Properties for the Remote Sensing of Ice Clouds. Part III: High-Resolution Spectral Models from 100 to 3250 cm−1

Abstract This study reports on the development of bulk single-scattering models for ice clouds that are appropriate for use in hyperspectral radiative transfer cloud modeling over the spectral range from 100 to 3250 cm−1. The models are developed in a manner similar to that recently reported for the Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS); therefore these models result in a consistent set of scattering properties from visible to far-infrared wavelengths. The models incorporate a new database of individual ice-particle scattering properties that includes droxtals, 3D bullet rosettes, hexagonal solid and hollow columns, aggregates, and plates. The database provides single-scattering properties for each habit in 45 size bins ranging from 2 to 9500 μm, and for 49 wavenumbers between 100 and 3250 cm−1, which is further interpolated to 3151 discrete wavenumbers on the basis of a third-order spline interpolation method. Bulk models are developed by integrating various properties over both particle habit and size distributions. Individual bulk models are developed for 18 effective diameters Deff, ranging from Deff = 10 μm to Deff = 180 μm. A total of 1117 particle size distributions are used in the analyses and are taken from analysis of the First International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project Regional Experiment (FIRE)-I, FIRE-II, Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program intensive operation period (ARM-IOP), Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission Kwajalein Experiment (TRMM-KWAJEX), and Cirrus Regional Study of Tropical Anvils and Cirrus Layers Florida-Area Cirrus Experiment (CRYSTAL-FACE) data. The models include microphysical and scattering properties such as median mass diameter, effective diameter, single-scattering albedo, asymmetry factor, and scattering phase function. The spectral models are appropriate for applications involving the interpretation of the radiometric measurements of ice clouds acquired by infrared spectrometers such as the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) on the NASA Aqua satellite and the Cross-Track Infrared Sounder (CrIS) on the upcoming National Polar-Orbiting Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) platforms.

Problems with weather satellite program raise concerns

A major U.S. weather and environmental satellite program has gone over budget and is years behind schedule mostly due to poor management oversight, the U.S. Department of Commerce inspector general testified at an 11 May hearing before the U.S. House of Representatives Science Committee.The National Polar‐orbiting Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) is a set of six satellites that are intended to replace weather satellites currently used by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD).As of March 2005, the program was to be completed for $6.8 billion, and the first satellite launch take place in 2009.

Future of Environmental Satellite Program uncertain

The National Polar‐orbiting Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS), over budget and behind schedule, is undergoing a mandatory review process that could leave the program cut back or canceled. However, the outcome of the review will not be known until June, witnesses testified at a 30 March hearing before the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Subcommittee on Disaster Prevention and Prediction.NPOESS is a set of six satellites that are intended to replace the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Polar‐orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite (POES) program and the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, which collects weather data for the military. POES supports many of NOAA's environmental monitoring programs.

Satellite Monitoring of Forest Fires in Russia at Federal and Regional Levels

This paper presents an overview of current satellite-based fire mapping activities at several institutions in Russia that provide operational fire monitoring at federal and regional levels. The current operational systems are based on data from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) and the TIROS Operational Vertical Sounder (TOVS) on the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration (NOAA) operational polar orbiting environmental satellite series. Detailed descriptions of the data acquisition and preprocessing systems, algorithms, and the suite of fire products are provided. Each institution has expertise in addressing a specific aspect of satellite-based fire mapping and monitoring. The methodologies described include proper georegistration of AVHRR data and elimination of false alarms while retaining a high active fire detection rate. Statistical and physical approaches are presented to account for, among other effects, reflection from bright surfaces and clouds, sun-glint, and atmospheric attenuation by smoke and haze. An approach for fire danger estimation is also presented. The fire mapping activities at the various institutions are being organized into a regional network within the international Global Observation of Forest and Landcover Dynamics (GOFC/GOLD) program. Concerted efforts will facilitate the implementation of processing systems for new and improved sensors, such as the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on the experimental NASA Earth Observing System Terra and Aqua satellites and the Visible/Infrared/Imager/Radiometer Suite on the next generation National Polar Orbiting Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS).

A calibration method for fully polarimetric microwave radiometers

A technique for absolute end-to-end calibration of a fully polarimetric microwave radiometer is presented. The technique is based on the tripolarimetric calibration technique of Gasiewski and Kunkee, but is extended to provide a means of calibrating all four Stokes parameters. The extension is facilitated using a biaxial phase-retarding microwave plate to provide a precisely known fourth Stokes signal from the Gasiewski-Kunkee (GK) linearly polarized standard. The relations needed to determine the Stokes vector produced by the augmented standard are presented, and the effects of nonidealities in the various components are discussed. The application of the extended standard to determining the complete set of radiometer constants (the calibration matrix elements) for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Polarimetric Scanning Radiometer in a laboratory environment is illustrated. A calibration matrix inversion technique and error analysis are described, as well. The uncertainties associated with practical implementation of the fully polarimetric standard for spaceborne wind vector measurements are discussed relative to error thresholds anticipated for wind vector retrieval from the U.S. National Polar-Orbiting Environmental Satellite System.

Managing new satellite data

With the first satellite in the $6.5‐billion U.S. National Polar Orbiting Environmental Satellite System (NPOEES) scheduled for launch as early as 2008, some critics are concerned that planning efforts to manage and archive satellite data are lagging.Experts at a 24 July hearing of the House of Representatives science subcommittee on environment, technology, and standards called for more progress in managing data from NPOESS. The system is expected to produce more than 200 terabytes annually and also produce more types of data products than NOAAs existing Polar‐orbiting Operational Environmental Satellites (POES) data management system. By comparison, POES was designed to accommodate about 2 terabytes of data per year.

VSWIR to VLWIR MBE grown HgCdTe material and detectors for remote sensing applications

The molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) growth technology is inherently flexible in its ability to change the Hg1−xCdxTe material’s bandgap within a growth run and from growth run to growth run. This bandgap engineering flexibility permits tailoring the device architecture to the various specific requirements. Material with active layer x values ranging from ∼0.198 to 0.570 have been grown and processed into detectors. This wide range in x values is perfectly suited for remote sensing applications, specifically the National Polar Orbiting Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) program that requires imaging in a multitude of infrared spectral bands, ranging from the 1.58 to 1.64 µm VSWIR (very short wave infrared) band to the 11.5 to 12.5 µm LWIR (longwave infrared) band and beyond. These diverse spectral bands require high performance detectors, operating at two temperatures; detectors for the VSWIR band operate near room temperature while the SWIR, MWIR (mid wave infra red), LWIR and VLWIR (very long wave infrared) detectors operate near 100K, because of constraints imposed by the cooler for the NPOESS program. This paper uses material parameters to calculate theoretical detector performance for a range of x values. This theoretical detector performance is compared with median measured detector optical and electrical data. Measured detector optical and electrical data, combined with noise model estimates of ROIC performance are used to calculate signal to noise ratio (SNR), for each spectral band. The SNR are compared with respect to the meteorological NPOESS system derived focal plane. The derived system focal plane requirements for NPOESS are met in all the spectral bands.