Ocean Surface Vector Wind Constellation

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Ocean Surface Vector Wind Constellation

• Report on the Implementation Plan
• A collaboration with the
• Ocean Surface Topography Constellation

CO-CHAIRS Stan Wilson, NOAA Hans Bonekamp,
EUMETSAT B.S. Gohil, ISRO
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23rd CEOS Plenary I Phuket, Thailand I 3-5
November 2009
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OSVW OST Constellation Collaboration
GOAL Promote the widespread use of
scatterometer-derived surface vector winds (SVW)
and altimeter-derived significant wave heights
(SWH) in operational marine analyses and
forecasts worldwide, as a contribution to the
protection of life and property at sea. WMO
Executive Council in June 2008 Requested
that efforts be madeto ensure that ocean
surface meteorological observations be routinely
collected and disseminated
Requestedparticipation of space agencies...

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User Community Engagement

• As stated at SIT-23
• Focus initially on operational marine forecasting
  for Southern Hemisphere via provision of OSVW
  SWH
• Assess whether GMDSS high-seas forecast centers
  have timely access to, and a capability to use,
  these products
• Depending on what is learned, proceed
  accordingly

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GMDSS Met Area High-Seas Operational Forecast Responsibility Data routinely used in operational forecasts? If so, how are they accessed? Data routinely used in operational forecasts? If so, how are they accessed? Data routinely used in operational forecasts? If so, how are they accessed? Data routinely used in operational forecasts? If so, how are they accessed?
GMDSS Met Area High-Seas Operational Forecast Responsibility Surface Vector Winds Surface Vector Winds Significant Wave Height Significant Wave Height
GMDSS Met Area High-Seas Operational Forecast Responsibility QuikSCAT (to go on GTS) ASCAT Jason-1 Jason-2 ENIVSAT (to go on GTS)
V Marine Meteorological Service, Brazilian Navy Yes FTP No No No
National Institute for Space, Brazil Yes FTP No No No
VI Servicio Meteorológico Nacional, Argentina Some FTP No Some FTP No
VII South African Weather Service No No No No
VIII-S Mauritius Meteorological Service No No No No
X Australian Bureau of Meteorology Yes FTP Yes FTP Yes GTS Yes FTP
XIV-N Fiji Met Service Yes FTP Yes FTP No No
XIV-S Met Service of New Zealand Yes FTP Yes FTP No No
XV Servicio Meteorológico de la Armada, Chile No No No No
23rd CEOS Plenary I Phuket, Thailand I 3-5
November 2009
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We have been observing SVW and SWH for well over
a decadeWhy such low operational use?

• Unaware of the capabilities 5 different
  satellites
• Unable to access the GTS
• Unable to decode BUFR files on GTS each is
  different
• Must sort through files on the GTS that have
  little correspondence to areas of interest
• Must write a proposal to get ftp access
• Must go to 5 different ftp sites, each with
  different format
• Dont know when products become available on each
  
• Difficult to integrate OSVW SWH products into
  analyses
• Forecasters dont know how to use the products

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For the space agencies Facilitate data access

• Single point of access for a given product
• KNMI provides ftp site for access to SVW from
  both QuikSCAT and ASCAT
• We are looking at options for a similar site for
  SWH
• In parallel, ensure SVW and SWH access via the
  GTS
• Policy for timely data access
• ESA/ENVISAT/NOAA discussions here in Darmstadt
• ISRO
• Oceansat-2 separate negotiations with EUMETSAT
  NOAA
• SARAL collaboration with CNES
• SOA/CNSA proposed collaboration with CNES
  separate interactions with ESA, EUMETSAT, NASA,
  NOAA

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For the users Training capacity building

• Use of Satellite Wind Wave Products for Marine
  Forecasting An initial training workshop being
  organized by NOAA EUMETSAT, in collaboration
  with IOC Project Office for IODE in Oostend,
  Belgium
• December 14-18, 2009
• For information on the course as it develops, go
  to http//hosting1.iode.org/moodle/mod/resource/v
  iew.php?id565
• IOC is paying travel costs for a dozen students
  from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Fiji, Mauritius
  South Africa
• Trainers from NOAA, KNMI, EUMETSAT, Met Service
  NZ ISRO

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Series of Training Workshops

• Initial workshop
• To organize the course, based on direct and
  immediate feedback from operational users
• To include for each country an operational
  forecaster and (where possible) a research user
  of SVW and SWH
• Subsequent workshops
• To be in close collaboration with WMO, IOC and
  the operational forecast services
• To be in the developing countries where student
  participation can be maximized
• To evolve in response to growing forecaster
  familiarity with operational use of SVW and SWH
  products
• Financial support will be an issue to be
  addressed

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Initial Performance Metrics How will we
measure success?
All Southern Hemisphere centers with
responsibility for operational forecasts for
GMDSS MetAreas will routinely utilize SVW from
all current scatterometers and SWH from all
current altimeters in marine analyses and
forecasts i.e., all boxes in the table on slide
4 will be colored green.