50 Years of Meteorological Satellite Experiments

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50 Yearsof Meteorological Satellite Experiments

• Hank Revercomb, DirectorSpace Science and
  Engineering Center (SSEC)
• 2 November 2009
• Monona Terrace Convention Center
• Madison, Wisconsin

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Explorer VII
Juno on pad
Bob Parent and Vern Suomi working on the sensor
package
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The Parent-Suomi Team
Co-founders of SSEC, inventors ATS spin-scan
camera
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Suomi and Parent Families

• Lois (Suomi) Young, Daughter
• Charles Young, Husband
• Elaine Young, Granddaughter
• Stephen Suomi, Son
• Eric Suomi, Son
• Judy Maki, Niece

• Winifred M. Parent,  Wife
• Patricia Callaway,  Daughter
• John Barnes,  Grandson
• Kristina Storage, Granddaughter
• Michelle Kimberly,    Great
  Granddaughters
• Barbara Parent,  Daughter
• John Parent, Son
• Jonathan Parent, Grandson
• Celeste Klein

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proclamation
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Historic Wisconsin Connections with Weather and
Climate Research

• Verner Suomi Father of Satellite Meteorology
• Gaylord Nelson Father of Earth Day (Wisconsin
  Governor on 13 October 1959)
• Increase Lapham Father of the U.S. Weather
  Service

Wisconsin Statue
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Herb Kohl Senators Statement (excerpt)on the
50th Anniversary
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Tammy Baldwin Congresswomans Statement on the
50th Anniversary
Although I am not able to be with you personally
this evening, I want to recognize and honor the
50th anniversary of the first successful
satellite meteorology experiment.
On October 13, 1959, Verner Suomi and colleague,
Robert Parent, from the University of
Wisconsin-Madison measured the radiative energy
balance of earth via satellite. This
groundbreaking experiment began a new age of
satellite meteorology, and represented the
culmination of a vision to utilize rocket
technology to increase our understanding of earth
and our climate. Suomi, the "Father of Satellite
Meteorology," began the University of
Wisconsin-Madison's historic legacy in the
development of satellite meteorology. Over the
past fifty years, UW-Madison has continued to
build upon this legacy through close research
collaboration with the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration and the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Professors Suomi and Parent typify the
Wisconsin Idea that the application of university
research should be used to better the global
community as a whole. I salute the efforts of
past, present, and future satellite researchers
and am deeply grateful for their contributions to
our community.
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The Wisconsin Idea-- A philosophy that Education
should influence and improve peoples lives
beyond the university classroom

• Satellite instrumentation is an example with
  great societal benefit
• As usual, Vern made a remarkably simple statement
  of the importance of Explorer VII
  Meteorologists have up to now been limited to
  viewing clouds from the bottom up rather than
  from the outside of the atmosphere down towards
  the earth.

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Verner E. Suomi (1915-1995)Father of Satellite
Meteorology
KISSKeep it simple Suomi
Keeping a critical eye on earth its
environment
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Verner E. Suomi (1915-1995)Father of Satellite
Meteorology
KISSKeep it simple Suomi
Verner Suomi was a giant of modern science.His
inventions were simple and elegant, andtheir
consequences are ubiquitous. Anyonelooking at a
satellite image of the earth onthe evening
weather is looking at the productof a rare mind
John D. Wiley, 1995
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And it was very good
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Oral History Participants

• Bob Fox (Moderator) (SSEC Executive Director
  1980-2000 Air Force connections)
• Tom Haig (SSEC Executive Director, 1970-1980
  Air Force connections)
• Don Johnson (Faculty/Scientific Colleague)
• Bill Smith (CIMSS Director/Scientific Colleague,
  Mentee)
• Larry Sromovsky (SSEC Scientist/Scientific
  Colleague)
• Chuck Stearns (Faculty Colleague, student at time
  of Explorer VII launch worked on
  instrumentation)
• Tom Vonder Haar (Scientific Colleague, PhD
  student)

Oral history will be available on the SSEC web
site and will be deposited in the UW Archives,
UCAR Archives, and SSEC Library
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A huge thank you to Paul Menzel, Jean Phillips,
and the 50th planning committee who conceived of
and made this event happen
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The 50th anniversary planning committee Tom
Achtor Leanne Avila Joann Banks Bill Bellon
Dan Bull Linda Hedges Mark Hobson Rick Kohrs
Dave Martin Margaret Mooney Mark Mulligan
Will Robus Maria Vasys Gary Wade
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Gary Davis NOAAs Environmental Satellite
Program Past, Present, and Future

• Director, Office of Systems Development,
  NOAA/NESDIS
• Responsible for program management, planning,
  requirements and acquisition of the nations
  civil remote sensing satellites and their
  associated ground systems
• OSD gt1/2 B budget, 165 on-site personnel
• 2002 Presidential rank award for outstanding
  service1994 Dept of Commerce Gold Medal (highest
  Dept honor)1989 NOAA Administrators award, and
  many others
• Transplanted New Yorker, lives in Maryland with
  wife MonaUniversity of Maryland graduate

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Franco Einaudi 50 Years of Meteorological
Satellite Experiments The NASA Perspective

• Director, Earth Sciences Division of the
  Sciences and Exploration Directorate, GSFC, NASA
• Diverse career, including8 years professor,
  Georgia Institute of Technology10 year CIRES,
  University of Colorado, Boulder2 years
  postdoctoral fellow, Physics Dept, U. of Toronto
• 2006 President of AMS
• Native of Turin, Italy, Ph.D. Cornell University

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Jérôme Lafeuille 50 Years of Innovation and
Cooperation in Satellite Meteorology

• 2005-present World Meteorological Organization,
  Geneva, Switzerland--Chief of the Space-based
  Observing Division, Space Programme Office
• 1998-2005 Meteo-France--Director of the
  Satellite Meteorology Centre in Lannion
• 1993-1998 EUMETSAT--Head of International
  Affairs and served as Secretary of the
  Coordination Group for Meteorological Satellites
  (CGMS)
• Graduate of Ecole Polytechnique in Paris

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Terence (Terry) F. Kelly Introducing Satellite
Data to the Public Back to the Future

• Chairman, CEO, and principal owner of Weather
  Central, Inc., and its sister company, MyWeather,
  LLC
• A leader in the development of innovative weather
  display forecasting equipment, software, and
  services for over 30 years and holds several US
  international patents
• Received AMS Seal of Approval, and award for
  Outstanding Service by a Broadcast Meteorologist
• Founded ColorGraphics Systems, Inc and New Star
• 2003 Named Entrepreneur of the Year in
  Wisconsin by Ernst Young
• Terry is also a founding investor in Air America
  Radio, and is involved in many local community
  projects including Chairman of the Aldo Leopold
  Nature Center, President of Madison Fireworks
  Fund, Inc. which hosts Madisons annual
  Independence Day celebration Rhythm Booms,
  and Board Member of the Madison Symphony
  Orchestra.
• Degree in Meteorology from University of
  Wisconsin-Madison and lives in Madison with his
  wife Mary

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John Lewis Suomi Pragmatic Visionary

• National Severe Storms Laboratory Research
  Meteorologist,Adjunct Professor, Desert Research
  Institute, Reno, NV
• John couples theory of dynamic data assimilation
  with the practical problem of numerical weather
  prediction
• Career path has included National Meteorological
  Center, Fleet Numerical Weather Center, and the
  Space Science and Engineering Center
• Degrees from U. of Chicago and U. of Oklahoma
• Avocations baseball, art, and history of
  science. Johns training in baseball is from the
  sandlot leagues in Sacramento, CA, and through
  lengthy discussions with colleagues in Madison,
  Wisconsin.

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Fred House Suomis ERB Experiments on Explorer
VII and TIROS Satellites

• Professor of Atmospheric Science, Drexel
  University
• In 39th year of teaching students at Drexel
• June 1960 began 5 years of Graduate School at
  University of Wisconsin-Madison
• BS degrees in math/physics at North Texas State
  University, and in meteorology at Penn State
  under the Air Force Weather Officer training
  program. He was stationed in France for 3 years
  and forecast weather in Europe supporting NATO
  forces

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Keynote--Tom Vonder Haar Science
Investigations The Legacy of Explorer VII

• Distinguished Professor of Atmospheric Science,
  Emeritus Director, CIRA, Colorado State
  University
• Department head for 10 years (1974-1984), during
  which CSU becamerecognized as one of the top
  Atmospheric Science graduate programs in the US
• 1980 Founded Cooperative Institute for Research
  in the Atmosphere (CIRA) at CSU, a university
  research center in partnership with NOAA, the
  National Park Service, and the Department of
  Defense
• Advisor for 30 Ph.D. and gt 100 M.S. graduate
  students
• AMS Fellow and 1982 Charney Award
  recipient,named University Distinguished
  Professor at CSU in 1995, and elected Member of
  Academy of Engineering in 2003
• Ph.D. under Vern Suomi in 1967 published the
  first global, multi-seasonal measurements of
  Earths Radiation Budget using data from four
  NASA and US Air Force satellites carrying the
  Suomi and other radiation instruments

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Spacebo Sputnik
Vern helped to celebrate Sputnikin 1987
Cosmonaut Training Center Space Museum tours
GATE friends home
30th Anniversary of Sputnik, Moscow
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Vern helped to celebrate Sputnikin 1987
Thank You Vern and BobGracias, Danke, Merci,
???????!, Xie Xie, Arigato
30th Anniversary of Sputnik, Moscow
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Sculpture by Mike Shah
I am very happy to share this moment of joy and
satisfaction...the Suomi Sculpture is ready for
display. I thank you for this opportunity to
honor Dr Suomi...with this Bronze relief
sculpture...that will inspire many generations
ahead. I have always been inspired by Dr Suomi's
dedication to Science, and feel fortunate to have
worked with him as one of his engineers.          
                                                  
Sincerely, Mike Shah (Sculptor, PhD Engineer)
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The Suomi Science Museum at the University of
Wisconsin-Madison
A vision we hope to make a reality soon
http//museum.ssec.wisc.edu
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Anecdote to Share?Open Mic at 830Moderated by
Paul Menzel