Scientific Theme: Advanced Modeling and Observing Systems

Theme report: Advanced Modeling and Observing Systems
ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR CET01.1:
During FY2007, the CET operated the PSR/CXI soil
moisture (SM) imaging radiometer as part of the DoE Cloud
and LAnd Surface Interaction Campaign (CLASIC). The
mission took place during June in Oklahoma, and resulted
in eight successful mapping sorties during which the PSR
mapped SM within the topmost 5 cm over a region of size
~255 x 190 km with ~1.5 km resolution. Mapping occurred
during the wettest month of June in Oklahoma history, thus
providing unique conditions under which to test C-band SM
mapping capabilities under near-saturation. For the first
time a self-contained algorithm was demonstrated for
retrieval of SM with geo-registered overlap product
delivered consistently within 24 hours of imaging and
estimated accuracy of ~5-10%, depending on vegetation
overburden. The mission included the first-ever use of
airborne SM mapping technology to assist in real-time flood
risk assessment over deluged areas of central Texas.
MILESTONE CET01.2:
Develop an improved version of the DOTLRT radiative transfer model with radiance assimilation
capabilities.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR CET01.2:
The DOTLRT radiative transfer model was improved in two major capacities
during FY2007: 1) a fast Henyey-Greenstein Mie lookup library was created
to improve execution speed, and 2) a fully-polarimetric surface emission
model based on WindSat satellite data and the OSU two-scale radiative
transfer model was developed. These models have been delivered to the
NOAA-NASA-DoD Joint Center for Satellite Data Assimilation, and are
expected to be used with the JCSDA Community Radiative Transfer Model
(CRTM). In addition, the DOTLRT Jacobian capabilities were incorporated
within a precipitation-locking all-weather radiance assimilation algorithm to
demonstrate for the first time all-weather microwave-radiance assimilation
over precipitation. Results of running the locking algorithm over first frames
of data indicate reasonable convergence of the radiance innovation field. The
locking algorithm is being applied to the simulation of the short-term QPF
performance of a geostationary microwave sounder.
MILESTONE CET01.3:
Demonstrate the potential for geostationary microwave imaging of precipitation using simulation
experiments.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR CET01.3:
Precise system simulations of the GEostationary Microwave (GEM) imager/sounder and the GeoSTAR synthetic
thinned-aperture imaging radiometer have been studied within the context of the NOAA Geostationary Microwave
Pathway study. The simulations use extensive 6-km MM5 simulations of Hurricane Bonnie at landfall, and include
five-phase precipitation microphysics and full scattering-based Jacobian calculations. The data illustrate – more
accurately than any other simulation to date – what will be observed from the future GEM and GeoSTAR sensors.
The results of the study have been presented at the World Meteorological Organization‘s IGeoLab series of
workshops.
25