Integrated Upperair Observing System

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Integrated Upper-air Observing System

• A Cross-Cutting Program
• supporting
• NOAAs Mission Goals
• Updated April 12, 2005

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NOAAs Integrated Upper-Air Observing System
(IUOS)

• Background
• Missions Supported
• Current Capacity
• Gaps
• Analysis of Solution Space
• Investment Strategy
• End State

Hydrologic Cycle
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BackgroundVision for NOAA Integrated Observations

• Observations when and where needed
• Achieve break-through performance in information
  content effectively and efficiently resolving
  global, regional, and local scale phenomena vital
  to improving prediction of High Impact Weather
  Events, Changes in Weather Patterns, and Climate
  Change.

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BackgroundNOAAs Integrated Observing System
(IOS)

• Need for improved and cost-effective observations
  of Earth system is motivating plans for IOS
• Key Drivers NOSC, GEO, IWGEO, GCOS, WMO CBS
  ET/WWW, EUMETNET/EUCOS
• IOS Concept
• Integrate multi-purpose observing systems and
  networks within extensible enterprise
  architectures to meet cross-functional
  observational requirements cost-effectively
• Effective management is key success criteria
• Avoid unnecessary duplication -- Integrate
  stakeholder requirements
• Employ cost-saving cross-functional observing
  strategies
• Match integrated requirements with current
  capabilities
• Fill gaps with new multi-purpose observing systems

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BackgroundNOAAs Integrated Observing System
(IOS)

• Observations responding to requirements
• Linked to Mission Goal outcomes and objectives
• Observations within a national framework
• Exploiting NOAAs IT and communications backbone,
  platforms and research-to-operational capacities,
  and education training capabilities

• System of systems
• IUOS Climate, Aviation, and NWP Focus
• GOES, POES
• WSR-88D, TDWR, NPN,
• GPS radio occultation
• Radiosonde, MDCRS
• Commercial Radar
• ISOS Climate, Public, and Surface
  Transportation Focus
• ASOS, COOP, CRN, RAWS
• Federal, state, local, private, and commercial
  Mesonets
• IOOS Climate and Marine Transportation Focus
• Buoys, CMAN, SHIP, TAO, DART
• PORTS, NWLON, NERRS
• Research Buoys

IOS Foundation
IUOS
IOOS
ISOS
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NOAAs Integrated Surface Observing System
GEOSS
IOS
IOOS
IUOS
ISOS
HCN
COOP-M
LegacyCOOP
CRN
Other Networks
ASOS
NERON
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NOAAs Integrated Upper-Air Observing System
GEOSS
IOS
IOOS
ISOS
IUOS
ASAP
NexRad
Radiosonde
Satellite Services
Fleet Services
Profilers
MDCRSWVSS
GPS
ASOSCeilometer
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Integrated Upper-Air Observing System (IUOS)
Missions Supported

• Complimenting NOAAs ocean and surface integrated
  observing systems, IUOS will optimize NOAAs
  observing capabilities in the atmosphere above
  the Earths surface.
• Three Key Components

• Regional/Local
• Mission Supports high impact, rapidly
  developing changing events including tornados,
  hurricanes, and homeland security applications
• Systems GOES, WSR-88D, NOAA Profiler Network
  (NPN), MDCRS, Radiosonde, GPS-IPW, ASOS
  Ceilometer, Radiometers
• Global
• Mission Monitors large scale and longer term
  events such as droughts and heat waves, and
  climate monitoring
• Systems POES, GOES, COSMIC, MDCRS/AMDAR,
  Radiosonde
• Adaptive
• Mission Targeted observations for high
  risk/high impact events, research and
  development, and calibration/validation
• Systems NOAA Gulfstream IV, NOAA P-3, AFRES
  WC-130, UAVs

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IUOSCurrent Capacity Sensor Performance

• Observing system resolution, coverage, system
  availability, stability, senor limitations
• Radar Winds and Precipitation data coverage
  limited below 10,000 ft, above individual radars,
  and in vicinity of mountains
• GOES Satellite Sounding data are limited to
  cloud free areas and sounding vertical resolution
  limited to 3-5 levels cloud winds need
  atmospheric tracers to be generated and have
  vertical assignment accuracy issues
• Wind Profilers Network is asymmetrically
  deployed, mostly in the central U.S. cooperative
  profilers are limited to 3km elevation, mostly
  along the coasts
• Radiosondes Nominally limited to twice per day
  launches for 102 locations, GPS sondes will
  increase expendable costs above base system
  needs additional continuity testing to be fully
  compliant with climate standards
• Aircraft Observations (MDCRS) Limited ability
  to optimize and expand current observing system
  asymmetric data coverage in time and space
• Adaptive Platforms (G-IV, P-3) Need for mission
  sorties in support of tropical and winter
  reconnaissance exceeds aircraft and crew
  availability
• ASOS Ceilometer Cloud base measurements
  accurate to 12K ft, requirement is for up to 40K
  ft at 1 minute interval measurements

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IUOSCurrent Capacity Parameter Detection

• Observing system limitations, by parameter
• Water Vapor (WV) Accurate measurement of water
  vapor is critical predicting almost all high
  impact weather events and for understanding and
  predicting climate variability however, WV
  measurements are limited in both time and space
  and have inconsistent accuracy. Impact Degraded
  precipitation and temperature forecasts and
  climate change predictions.
• Cloud Properties Measurements of ice and water
  droplet phase, concentration, and size and icing
  type and amount are limited, especially within
  and below clouds. Impact Cloud properties and
  icing conditions are not well identified nor
  predicted by numerical guidance.
• Wind Measurements of vertical and horizontal
  wind accelerations which cause localized
  turbulence and areas of rising or subsiding air
  are limited. Impact Limited ability to verify
  turbulence, vertical velocity forecasts, and
  aerosol/particulant dispersion (vertical and
  horizontal) transport resulting in limited
  predictive capability. Affects fuel consumption
  and time of flight planning for high altitude
  aircraft transits.
• Temperature Areas of stability and instability
  caused by warming or rapidly cooling temperatures
  with elevation, especially below 10,000 feet
  Above Ground Level (AGL) and near the tropopause
  (about 40,000 feet AGL) are limited. Impact
  Limited ability to predict areas of thunderstorm
  development and fog and air quality.
• Air Quality Properties Measurements elevated
  tropospheric ozone, and precursor gases, and
  particulate matter. Impact Limited ability to
  verify air quality forecasts.
• Lightning and Electrostatic Charge Distribution
  of electro-static charge and changes in intensity
  charge throughout and surrounding clouds.
  Impact Limited ability to monitor and predict
  weak thunderstorms and identify rapidly
  intensifying thunderstorms.

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IUOSGap-Overview

• Resolution Resolution of key phenomena in time
  and space (horizontal and vertical) and accuracy,
  especially water vapor, needs improvement
• Data Management and Stewardship End-to-end
  observing system availability, access, archive,
  quality assurance, and timeliness monitoring
  needs additional resources
• Optimization
• Non-NOAA observing systems not leveraged
• Adaptive observing system strategies immature
• Sensors and platforms as a seamless system of
  systems need integration
• Research to Operations Exploit R2O capacities
  including JCSDA, Thorpex, Hydro, Tropical and
  SPoRT, Climate Testbeds

Disasters
Ecosystems
Ocean
Land
Atmosphere
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IUOSAnalysis of Solution Space

• What is the Observing System Solution Space?
• Satellite Current and future NOAA (GOES, GOER
  R, POES, NPOESS), NASA, International
  Satellites
• Radar NOAA, FAA, DoD, Research, and Private
  Sector Radars
• Adaptive Human-piloted aircraft instrumented
  with dropsondes and other sensors, includes G-IV,
  P-3, Turbo Commander, and other NOAA aircraft.
• In Situ/Other Radiosonde, Air Craft
  Observations (MDCRS including WVSS2, AMDAR,
  TAMDAR, AMS) Radar Wind Profilers (NPN and CAP),
  Radiometers (e.g. AERI), others

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IUOS Investment Strategy

• Key Drivers NOAA Strategic Plan, FY07 AGM,
  Mission Goal PBAs and Program Plans, Line Office
  Priorities, NOSA Guidance, GEO/IWGEO 5 Year Plan,
  WMO Expert Team Observing System Guidance
• Considers, leverages, and seeks to integrate and
  make whole existing and planned IUOS
  capacities, including
• Satellite GOES/GOES R and POES/NPOESS Programs
• Climate Reference and Data Continuity Sounding
  Programs
• Weather and Water Radiosonde, WSR-88D, MDCRS,
  NPN, GPS-IPW Programs
• Commerce and Technology GPS and MDCRS/WVSS2
  Programs
• Needs Analysis
• Improve precipitation measurement capability by
  improving monitoring capacity below 10,000 feet
  (3 km) (Gap 1)
• Build a national backbone water vapor observing
  system, complementing aircraft observing strategy
  (Gap 2)
• Enhance IUOS flexibility and efficiency through
  enhanced communications (Gap 3) and data
  management (Gap 4), and targeting (Gap 5)

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IUOSEnd State

• An Efficient and Flexible Observing System which
  includes
• A capacity to assess risk from high impact
  weather events and measure uncertainty in
  numerical weather prediction guidance
• A a capacity to adjust the observing system
  operations tempo to fit the expected threat
• Improved short-term forecasts and guidance (0-6
  hours forecast by 5-10)
• Enhanced cost effectiveness of system (reduced
  expendables and cost avoidance)
• 3 hour observing system performance capability
  accomplished by
• Expanding MDCRS to regional airports
• Fully integrate CT-WVSS2 sensor observations in
  to operations and NWP
• Fill gaps in IUOS at non-MDCRS locations using
  profilers and radiometers
• Build a national backbone observing capability
  to compliment MDCRS and other leveraged non-NOAA
  observations
• Robust Data Stewardship, Continuity and Stability
  through
• Enhanced radiosonde network to fulfill climate
  quality requirements including continuity testing
  and a reference radiosonde
• Advanced calibration and validation procedures
  using radiosonde and GPS IPW data to support
  satellite inter-comparisons and climate
  assessments
• 4. Improved calibration and validation of
  satellite data processing algorithms
• 5. Rebalanced terrestrial observing system to
  optimize impact and minimize costs

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IUOSEnd State - Performance

• Goal of IUOS Improve short term warnings and
  forecasts by observing pre-cursor conditions
  which are related to high-impact weather events,
  detect changes in regional and hemispheric
  atmospheric conditions impacting transportation,
  and provide climate quality information for
  climate change monitoring.