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2005 Meeting of GRP Working Group on Data Management and Analysis
The 3rd Session of the WGDMA was held on 14-17 November 2005 in Darmstadt,
Germany, hosted by EUMETSAT (Ken Holmlund). The attendance list is given in Appendix A,
the agenda for the meeting is in Appendix B and a list of acronyms is given in Appendix C. The
general topics covered were: (1) a review of Data Project and Data Center Status and their
readiness to continue operations for 2006-2010, (2) a review of the Four Data Product
Assessment activities and early conclusions, (3) identification of needed or desired
improvements in the Data Products and planning for a Coordinated Product Re-processing, and
(4) discussion of related data product activities and plans for an integrated analyses of the global
energy and water cycle, specifically contributing to the formulation of GRP inputs to the
GEWEX Phase II plan.
Overview Reports on WCRP, GEWEX and GRP
Background for WGDMA discussions was provided in overview reports on relevant
issues raised at WCRP, GEWEX and GRP. Under the new WCRP organizational concept,
COPES, there is now a WCRP Observation and Assimilation Panel (WOAP), which had its first
meeting in June 2005, that will coordinate observational activities across all elements of WCRP.
Participants were informed that re-processing and re-analysis are now central concepts to WCRP
plans to describe climate variations and that WGDMA had a leadership role in developing
practical definitions of climate data records and coordinated re-processing, procedures for
moving research data analyses to “operational” processing, articulating a real concept of a
climate observing system including necessary analyses of the energy and water cycle variations.
Three issues forwarded from GEWEX concerned the need to develop practical linkages from
analysis of the global energy and water cycle to the water resource management community, the
need to formulate recommendations for developing a GCOS network to measure soil moisture
and the request to formulate specific inputs to the GEWEX Phase II plan. Discussions at the most
recent GRP meeting (Paris, October 2005) noted that there are no process studies of precipitation
within GEWEX (possible task for Cross-cut) and that global observations of the land surface will
have to be taken up by GRP to complete the description of the global energy and water cycle.
Project Data Center Reports
The remainder of the first day and all of the second day was occupied by reports from the
Project Data Centers and the Data Product Assessment working groups. The Data Center reports
focused on (1) the current status of data product processing (period of data availability) and
funding commitments to continue operations for 2006-2010, (2) any problems or issues, (3)
research activities using the GEWEX data products, (4) needed or desirable changes to the data
products that have been identified, and (5) plans for the next 1-2 years.
The SRB center reported that it was close to completing processing of the whole time
period from 1983 to 2004 with five years of overlap between the two periods produced using
noticeably different atmospheric reanalysis products from NASA GSFC. A new web site for SRB
was established, providing more information and better access to the dataset. It was noted that
access to data held in the World Radiation Data Center for the period after 1992 does not seem
possible. SRB is planning a re-processing in 2006 to reduce some of the inhomogeneities in
current product. Possible product improvements include (1) describing the variations of aerosol if
a dataset that covers the whole time period can be obtained from GACP, (2) replacing the
atmospheric properties product with one that is homogeneous over the whole time period (GEOS
4.03 is to be continued to support CERES), (3) replacing the ERBE angle dependence models
with those from CERES, (4) improving the spectral dependence of surface albedo and emissivity
and (5) taking better account of cloud base variations.
The report of the Radiation Product Assessment activity summarized plans from the first
workshop and early results concerning proper handling of solar position in such products. A web
site to support data comparisons was established. The next workshop, to be held in
Williamsburg, Virginia, 22-24 February 2006, will bring together substantial results from
comparisons of various top-of-atmosphere and surface radiative flux products and start drafting a
report.
GPCP involves activities at six Data Processing Centers, as well as receiving processed
radiance data from the weather satellite operators (currently NOAA, EUMETSAT and JMA): the
Gauge Center (GPCC) at DWD, the Geosynchronous Satellite Center (GSC) at NOAA CPC, the
Microwave-Land Center (MLC) at NOAA NESDIS and Microwave-Ocean Center (MOC) at
NASA GSFC, the Global Merge Center (GMC) at NASA GSFC and the Validation Center at
University of Oklahoma. All of these centers gave reports except the Validation Center. The key
points raised in the project overview were that: (1) product improvements are needed to reduce
biases of precipitation in mountainous areas and in the polar regions, to replace the microwave
analysis with more modern techniques based on TRMM (in part), and to eliminate anomalies in
the record caused by changing data characteristics, (2) plans are being made to incorporate new
datasets (TRMM, AMSU, AMSR) in the analysis, (3) a science advisory group will be re-formed with links to IPWG, GHP, CEOP, the GEWEX Precipitation Cross-cut and CLIC, and
(4) the status of the Validation Center is currently not known. GMC reported that full product
processing had stopped recently (April 2005) because the TOVS product used to fill in the polar
regions was no longer being produced; however, a replacement product based on ATOVS/AIRS
is expected to become available by March 2006. A new “quick-look” product for climate
monitoring is being developed. The key product improvement studies underway include (1)
implementation of newer, TRMM-based microwave analysis methods, (2) development of
rain/snow discrimination procedures including new retrieval methods for high latitudes that were
the subject of a recent workshop (Madison, Wisconsin, October 2005), (3) extending the higher
space-time resolution products using newer techniques and improved data sources that are being
considered in a new product intercomparison activity (PEHRPP), and (4) re-consideration of data
sources to optimize trade-offs among resolution, homogeneity and length of record. GPCC
reported the development of new data products beyond the “monitoring” product used in the
GPCP product: a “first guess” product that is more timely for drought monitoring, a “full
reanalysis” that maximizes the total number of gauge stations included for hydrological studies
and a “50-yr analysis” that maximizes homogeneity of record. Two new analysis procedures have
been developed: an improved weather-dependent correction for wind effect on gauge
precipitation amounts and a procedure for separating rain and snow. MLC noted four aspects of
the current analysis that could be improved: (1) the analysis uses a sub-sampling of the real-time
data stream, so it has not benefitted from retrospective calibrations that are available, (2) the
density of measurements could be increased to the full SSM/I dataset, (3) the analysis could be
extended in time to compensate for loss of the 85 GHz channel by using the 37 GHz channel
results and (4) the analysis could be extended to use SSM/I measurements from all available
satellites instead of just one as currently. Studies are underway to incorporate AMSU and AMSR
measurements as well as to anchor the microwave analysis method on TRMM results. MLC also
reported on progress in developing a snow retrieval method. MOC noted that the current
microwave analysis method is very old, being one of the first microwave precipitation retrievals
for ocean areas, and is limited to estimating monthly mean values only. However, this analysis
method is also one of the most thoroughly studied methods, including analysis of the long time
record it has produced. To increase the time resolution available for GPCP, newer microwave
methods, tested against TRMM radar results, should be implemented. GSC reported studies of
several alternate precipitation products based on infrared radiance measurements, particularly
different methods for obtaining much higher space-time resolution using geosynchronous
satellite measurements. It was noted in particular that the time resolution of the GPCP product
could be increased if the ISCCP B1 (10 km sampling) radiances were used to cover the older
time periods. Specific improvements of precipitation estimates over mountainous areas have
been obtained using the higher resolution analysis.
The Precipitation Product Assessment involves about 40 scientists and has completed its
third workshop in April 2005. A draft report is nearly complete. Although there is no global trend
in precipitation apparent in the GPCP (and some other) products, there is an increase of
precipitation in the tropics that appears to be real. However, analysis of the space-time
characteristics of precipitation and the various data products indicates that the current 26-yr data
record is too short to determine a systematic trend in precipitation, given the magnitude of other
modes of variation occurring.
ISCCP involves activities at eight data centers: a Sector Processing Center (SPC) for each
weather satellite (NOAA, CSU, MSC, EUMETSAT, JMA and a new participant, CMA), the
Satellite Calibration Center (SCC, CMS Meteo France), the Global Processing Center (GPC,
NASA GISS) and the Central Archives (ICA, NOAA NCDC). All of these centers gave reports
except for MSC. The main points raised in the project overview were that all data processing is
up to date and funding to continue operations through at least 2007 is in place. The main
improvements in the cloud products that could be made during a re-processing planned for 2007
are an improved cloud detection in polar regions, a reduction of the satellite view angle
dependence of the cloud properties and replacement of the ancillary datasets with products that
are more uniform over the whole time period. Because of a major accomplishment of NOAA
NCDC to refurbish the ISCCP B1 (10 km sampling) radiance dataset, there is now an
opportunity to significantly improve the sampling density of the ISCCP products which would
allow for higher spatial resolution results to be reported and make it easier to re-design the
ISCCP products to be compatible with the GPCP and SRB products. The SCC reported that all
calibration processing is up to date but raised the question of whether it was practical to make the
AC data formats uniform for all satellites. Also, the SCC requested a decision on the dates for
transitioning from NOAA-16 to NOAA-18 and from METEOSAT-7 to METEOSAT-8 (MSG-1). Each SPC reported on the status of their satellite and on research using these data. NOAA has
two primary polar orbiters operating, NOAA-17 and 18, with NOAA-15 and 16 as backups.
Planned launches are of METOP-A (operated by EUMETSAT) in summer 2006 into the
“morning” orbit and NOAA-N’ at the end of 2007 into the “afternoon” orbit. Three GOES
satellites are operational: GOES-9 as a replacement for GMS-5 that has just ended its operations
in the west Pacific, GOES-10 operating as GOES-WEST, which will be replaced by GOES-11
after the spring eclipse season ends (April 2006), and GOES-12 operating as GOES-EAST.
GOES-N and O launches are scheduled for November 2005 (postponed into 2006) and April
2007, respectively. CSU processes the data from GOES-WEST, currently GOES-10, but also acts
as backup to MSC for GOES-EAST (as it did in 2004). CSU raised questions about what quality
threshold should be used to discard images and whether the radiances archived for ISCCP ought
now to be stored at 10-bit precision. CSU presented the results of an on-going major
investigation into artifacts in the cloud amounts reported in the ISCCP products, focusing on
view-angle effects on long-term trends. JMA reported on the successful operation of GOES-9 in
place of GMS-5 since May 2003 and that now, MTSAT-1R has become operational for ISCCP
as of October 2005 (GPCP processing began in July 2005). MTSAT is a new series of weather
satellites with a five channel imager; product quality and information content is an improvement
over the previous GMS series, especially radiance calibration. Launch of MTSAT-2 for backup is
planned for early 2006. EUM on continuing operations of METEOSAT-7 as its primary satellite
and METEOSAT-5 over the Indian Ocean and on transitioning of operations to METEOSAT-8
(MSG-1). Launch of MSG-2 was imminent (successfully launched at the end of 2005). Plans are
to put MSG-2 into operations in the primary position (0° longitude) with MSG-1 as backup by
June 2006 and move METEOSAT-7 to the Indian Ocean position to replace METEOSAT-5 (the
commitment for Indian Ocean operations is through 2008 and might end with METEOSAT-7).
Several notable activities were described. The re-processing of METEOSAT data to refine both
navigation and calibration was completed for primary operations back to METEOSAT-2 and
now the METEOSAT-3 data from the period when it replaced GOES-EAST was being worked
on. Radiance calibrations have been re-done and the results are now being compared with those
from ISCCP. An effort is also underway to implement an improved operational cloud analysis.
With the successful start of operations of the FY-2C satellite at the beginning of 2005, CMA is
preparing to begin deliveries of radiance data to ISCCP (and GPCP). The first B2 data were
provided for the period August – October 2005; AC and B1 data deliveries have not yet started.
Launch of FY-2D is planned for 2006. The FY-2 imager is a 5-channel instrument with 10-bit
radiances. A large number of operational products, including cloud, fog, dust and fire detection,
rainfall estimation, snow and sea ice cover determinations and cloud-tracked winds, have been
implemented. Research activities using ISCCP and other satellite cloud observations are being
used to characterize the detailed variations over China. The ICA reported that the highest-resolution cloud product, DX, will soon be available from NCDC (now available); archival of all
other products continued routinely. A significant effort by the ICA has now made it possible to
access the ISCCP B1 radiance data (10 km sampling) with common software routines (like the
re-formatted B3 version) for the first time: this is called the B1U dataset. Together with extensive
quality checking, including recovering missed images from the original archives and
implementation of routine and automated collection of image statistics, this effort makes it
feasible to consider switching the cloud analysis from B3 to B1U. Because of the increasing
number of channels and participating satellites, the B1 data volume has gone from about 40
Gbytes/year at the beginning of the project to more than 160 Gbytes/year for 2006. The GPC
reported that processing of all cloud products was complete through 2004 and that the products
through the first half of 2005 would be completed in the next few months. New products released
during the past year include the convective tracking and tropical cloud cluster analysis results;
the cloud particle size survey has also been completed and will be released as soon as
adjustments for varying calibration and diurnal phase are developed. The first full description of
the three-dimensional distribution of cloudiness, developed by combining ISCCP with
radiosonde humidity profiles that identify cloud layers, was published in the past year: once
CloudSat/Calipso data become available, a similar analysis can be done to provide a much more
detailed result. Work is underway to make improvements in the products for a complete re-processing planned in 2007.
Some preliminary results from the Cloud Product Assessment activity were presented
based on a first workshop in April 2005 and subsequent activities. Eight global, long-term
datasets (plus two of the reanalysis products) are being examined. As expected, the main
questions concerning the accuracy of the long-term variations depicted in these datasets arise
because of the heterogeneity of the data sources – many satellites (and instruments) must be
combined to produce these products. However, the agreement for shorter-term (larger magnitude)
variations appears to be good. The second workshop will be held in Ft. Collins on 19-21 April
2006.
GACP has completed a global, monthly mean record of aerosol optical thickness and
particle size over oceans for a 23-yr period and evaluated its accuracy against the available ship-borne and island measurements. Although the agreement with surface measurements is good,
these results do not agree well with newer results being determined by different kinds of
instruments: compared with AVHRR, MODIS has more spectral channels, MISR uses a multi-angle measurements at visible or near-visible wavelengths and POLDER uses both multi-angle
and polarimetric measurements. The spread of optical thicknesses among these products is about
a factor of two and is just as large when GACP is compared with older satellite products (NOAA
PATMOS and TOMS).
The Aerosol Product Assessment activity did not get started this past year as planned;
new working group co-chairs have been found and the first workshop is planned for March 2006.
Separate Project Break-out Sessions
The next half day of the meeting was devoted to separate project break-out meetings to
discuss specific project issues. Because SRB and GACP are dependent on ISCCP products, these
two projects met with the ISCCP group. Each project was also asked to prepare answers to two
specific questions. (1) How will needed or desired improvements in the basic data products be
achieved and (2) what specific inter-dependencies or linkages are there among the projects that
should be accounted for to achieve better physical consistency among the products when
planning for their re-processing? Some examples of inter-dependency are: (1) GACP and SRB
use the ISCCP cloud products to produce their own products but because of schedule
incompatibilities the GACP product was not used by SRB and (2) both ISCCP and SRB need to
specify atmospheric temperatures (and GPCP could separate precipitation into rain and snowfall
by surface air temperature) but they did not use the same atmospheric temperatures. In addition,
each project was asked to discuss the proposed activity timeline to be submitted as part of the
GEWEX Phase II plan.
Topics discussed in the GPCP break-out session were: (1) actions needed to replace the
TOVS polar precipitation product with one based on ATOVS and AIRS, (2) whether to
substitute the 50-yr gauge analysis for the original “monitoring” dataset to revise the GPCP
products in 2006, (3) whether to establish a “withheld” gauge product for validation, (4) actions
needed to develop a topography-dependent adjustment to the current products, (5) actions need to
develop a “quick-look” product, (6) and reasons for re-establishing a scientific user advisory
group. Presentations were made concerning on-going validation studies; more work is to be
completed using the atoll gauges and by participating in PEHRPP. A list of possible product
improvements, including changes to increase consistency with other GEWEX products, was
developed (see below) and specific inputs for the GEWEX plan were formulated (see below).
Topics discussed in the ISCCP-GACP-SRB break-out session were: (1) radiance data
improvements (GPC will re-evaluate calibration by comparison with new EUM and NOAA
results, SCC will determine 6-month overlap of normalization of all geostationary satellites to
both NOAA-16 and 18, NOAA has improved navigation accuracy for B1U), (2) review of data
formats (feasibility of uniform AC data format to be studied, no change of internet protocols for
data exchange where all SPCs push data to GPC and ICA and the SCC pulls data from SPCs), (3)
transition dates were decided for NOAA-16 to 18 (July 2005), but NOAA-16 deliveries will
continue until end of 2005, for METEOSAT-7 to 8 (January 2006), for METEOSAT-8 to 9 (July
2006) and for METEOSAT-5 to 7 (July 2006), (4) archived radiances will be changed from 8-bit
to 10-bit precision either at the next satellite change or by July 2006, (5) the GPC and ICA will
distribute their current Quality Control statistics to all other centers for review and revision, (6)
the ISCCP and SRB projects will complete their review of alternate ancillary datasets and will
seek inputs from other data centers. A list of possible product improvements, including changes
to increase consistency with other GEWEX products, was developed (see below) and specific
inputs for the GEWEX plan were formulated (see below).
The results of break-out session discussions were discussed further in plenary to
formulate data product improvements, activities to prepare for a coordinated re-processing of the
data products and specific milestones for the GEWEX Phase II plan.
Data Product Improvements
Proposed improvements to the GPCP data products are: (1) substitute the GPCC 50-yr
gauge analysis for the original product to improve record homogeneity, (2) implement an
adjustment of results for topographic altitude, (3) replace the microwave radiance data by a more
homogeneous version and modernize the microwave algorithms, (4) anchor the microwave
products to TRMM, (5) increase time resolution in the earlier products using the denser IR
radiance product (B1U), (6) consider the possibility of obtaining and using daily rain gauge data,
(7) implement new snow retrieval methods as part of analysis and use ancillary surface air (and
skin?) temperature data to discriminate between rain and snow.
Proposed improvements to the ISCCP data products are: (1) refine detection of polar
clouds, (2) refine treatment of ice clouds and land and ice surfaces, (3) reduce the satellite
viewing angle dependence in the results, (4) switch processing from B2 to B1U radiance dataset,
(5) process all overlapping data, (6) release a global DX product, the DS product and consider a
daily product.
Proposed improvements to the SRB data products are: (1) use uniform atmospheric
temperature and humidity dataset for the whole record, (2) improve the trace gas climatology
used and use SAGE and GACP for aerosol records, (3) use modern products to improve surface
albedo and emissivity spectral and seasonal dependence, (4) consider processing all available
satellite pixels in grid box rather than using current satellite hierarchy, (5) evaluate clear-sky
composite-based values of surface albedo and temperature, (5) refine cloud emissivities and day-night difference treatment, (6) implement new CERES ADMs and refine optical properties for
aerosol and ice clouds, (7) evaluate cloud layer thickness, overlap and cloud base location
treatments.
Proposed improvements to the GACP data products are: (1) develop and implement a
retrieval procedure over land, (2) evaluate differences among satellite aerosol products to
“calibrate” long-term product, (3) merge aerosol and cloud products to facilitate study of aerosol
indirect effects.
Planning for Coordinated Re-Processing
Specific actions were formulated to prepare for a coordinated re-processing of all the
products. (1) Complete the product assessments to identify problems and suggest product
improvements – the focus is on improved homogeneity of the time record. (2) Coordinate review
of all radiance calibrations and adopt common results for all projects. (3) Evaluate available
ancillary datasets describing the properties of the atmosphere (temperature, humidity,
composition) and surface (albedo, emissivity, snow and ice cover) and adopt a common set for
all projects. (4) Exploit interdependencies: use SAGE and GACP as input for ISCCP, use SAGE,
GACP and ISCCP as inputs for SRB and GPCP. (5) Implement refinements to increase space-time sampling intervals, where possible, towards a common goal of at least 100 km, daily (3 hr if
possible). (6) Develop at least one product from all projects that has a common map grid interval
and time step.
Recommended specific inputs to GEWEX Phase II
Specific inputs to the GEWEX Phase II plan were formulated for the first objectives:
producing research quality datasets of the Earth’s energy and water cycle. The WGDMA
members emphasized that this group of projects is the only producer of global, long-term
datasets for study of the energy and water cycle. Specific milestones were proposed.
2005: Release current products as a package and place announcements in various publications
2006: Complete first analyses of the global energy and water cycle with current products
2006: Complete review and revision of radiance calibrations
2007: Complete data product assessments
2008: Complete re-processing of precipitation, aerosols, cloud and radiation products
2009: Complete energy and water cycle with improved SeaFlux products and new LandFlux
products
2010: Complete second product assessment
2011: Complete second global analyses
The next WGDMA meeting is planned for October-November 2006.
APPENDIX A: ATTENDANCE LIST
Global Precipitation Climatology Project
>Robert Adler (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center)
> Long Chiu (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center)
> George Huffman (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center)
> V. Levizzani (ISAC)
> Udo Schneider (Deutche Wetterdienst)
> Pingping Xie (NOAA)
International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project
> William Rossow (NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies)
> Garrett Campbell (Colorado State University)
> Yves Desormeaux (Meteo France)
> Ken Holmlund (EUMETSAT)
> Ken Knapp (NOAA NCDC)
> Yujie Liu (CMA)
> Ruixia Liu (CMA)
> Arata Okuyama (JMA)
> Herve Roquet (Meteo France)
Surface Radiation Budget project
> Paul Stackhouse (NASA Langley Research Center)
> Steve Cox (NASA Langley Research Center)
GEWEX
> Peter van Oevelen (ESA)
APPENDIX B: MEETING AGENDA
14 November 2005
0830-0845: Welcome
0845-0915: WCRP Report (Rossow)
0915-1000: GRP Report (Rossow)
1000-1030: Break
1030-1100: Project Data Center Reports (SRB - Stackhouse)
1100-1130: Data Product Assessment Report: Radiation (Stackhouse)
1130-1200: Discussion of Product Improvements
1200-1330: Lunch
1330-1400: Project Data Center Report (GPCP Overview - Adler)
1400-1430: Project Data Center Report (GPCP Merge Center - Huffman)
1430-1500: Project Data Center Report (GPCP Gauge Center - Schneider)
1500-1530: Break
1530-1600: Project Data Center Report (GPCP Microwave-Land Center - Xie)
1600-1630: Project Data Center Report (GPCP Microwave Ocean - Chiu)
1630-1700: Project Data Center Report (GPCP Geosynchronous Center - Xie)
1700-1730: Data Product Assessment Report: Precipitation (Levizzani)
1730-1800: Discussion of Product Improvements
1800: Adjourn
1800: EUMETSAT Tour and Reception
15 November 2005
0830-0900: GEWEX Report (van Oevelen)
0900-0930: Project Data Center Report (ISCCP Overview - Rossow)
0930-1000: Project Data Center Report (ISCCP SCC - Desormeaux)
1000-1030: Break
1030-1100: Project Data Center Report (ISCCP SPC-NOA - Knapp)
1100-1130: Project Data Center Report (ISCCP SPC-JMA - Okuyama)
1130-1200: Project Data Center Report (ISCCP SPC-EUM - Holmlund)
1200-1330: Lunch
1330-1400: Project Data Center Report (ISCCP SPC-CSU - Campbell)
1400-1500: Project Data Center Report (ISCCP SPC-CMA - Y. Liu/R. Liu)
1500-1530: Break
1530-1600: Project Data Center Report (ISCCP ICA - Knapp)
1600-1630: Project Data Center Report (ISCCP GPC and GACP - Rossow)
1630-1700: Data Product Assessment Report: Clouds (Campbell)
1700-1730: Discussion of Product Improvements
1730-1800: Break-out Session Assignments
1800: Adjourn
Agenda – Draft for October 05
16 November 2005
0830-1000: Project Break-Out Meetings (SRB and GACP meet with ISCCP)
1000-1030: Break
1030-1200: Project Break-Out Meetings Continue
1200-1330: Lunch
1330-1415: Presentation of Planned Retrieval and Product Improvements - ISCCP
1415-1500: Presentation of Planned Retrieval and Product Improvements - SRB
1500-1530: Break
1530-1615: Presentation of Planned Retrieval and Product Improvements - GPCP
1615-1700: Discussion of Product Improvements and Re-processing
1700-1745: Discussion of GRP Contributions to GEWEX Phase II
1745: Adjourn
2000: Group Dinner
17 November 2005
0830-1000: Planning for Coordinated Product Improvement and Re-Processing
1000-1030: Break
1030-1200: Assignments and Wrap-up
1200: Adjourn
APPENDIX C: ACRONYMS
ADM Angle Dependence Model
AIRS Atmospheric Infrared Sounder
AMSR Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer
AMSU Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit
ATOVS Advanced TOVS
AVHRR Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer
CEOP Coordinated Enhanced Observation Period
CERES Clouds and Earth’s Radiant Energy System
CLIC Climate and Cryosphere
CMA China Meteorological Administration
CMS Centre de Meteologie Spatiale
COPES Coordinated Observation and Prediction of the Earth System
CPC Climate Prediction Center (NOAA)
CSU Colorado State University
DWD Deutche Wetterdienst
EOS Earth Observation System
ERBE Earth Radiation Budget Experiment
EUMETSAT European Organization for Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites
GACP Global Aerosol Climatology Project
GCOS Global Climate Observing System
GEOS Goddard EOS Data Assimilation System (NASA)
GEWEX Global Energy and Water Experiment
GHP GEWEX Hydrometeorology Panel
GISS Goddard Institute for Space Studies (NASA)
GMC Global Merge Center (GPCP)
GPC Global Processing Center (ISCCP)
GPCC Global Precipitation Climatology Center (GPCP)
GPCP Global Precipitation Climatology Project
GRP GEWEX Radiation Panel
GSC Geosynchronous Satellite Center (GPCP)
GSFC Goddard Space Flight Center (NASA)
ICA ISCCP Central Archives
IPWG International Precipitation Working Group
ISCCP International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project
JMA Japan Meteorological Administration
MISR Multiangle Imaging SpectroRadiometer
MLC Microwave – Land Center (GPCP)
MOC Microwave – Ocean Center (GPCP)
MODIS Moderate Resolution Imaging SpectroRadiometer
MSC Meterological Service Canada
NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NCDC National Climatic Data Center
NESDIS National Environmental Satellite Data and Information Service
NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
PATMOS Pathfinder Atmospheric Analysis
PEHRPP Pilot Evaluation of High Resolution Precipitation Products
POLDER Polarization and Directionality of Earth’s Reflectances
SAGE Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment
SCC Satellite Calibration Center (ISCCP)
SPC Sector Processing Center (ISCCP)
SRB Surface Radiation Budget project
SSM/I Special Sensor Microwave/Imager
TOMS Total Ozone Monitor Sensor
TOVS TIROS Operational Vertical Sounder
TRMM Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission
WCRP World Climate Research Program
WGDMA Working Group on Data Management and Analysis
WOAP WCRP Observation and Assimilation Panel
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