EUMETSAT

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EUMETSATs Contribution to Climate Monitoring

• Peter Albert
• European Organisation for the Exploitation of
  Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT)
• WMO Expert team meeting on Climate monitoring
  including the use of Satellite and Marine Data
  Products
• Offenbach, 28 October 2010

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Outline

• Introduction
• Providing observational data EUMETSAT past,
  current and future programmes
• Generating climate monitoring products The
  EUMETSAT Application Ground Segment
• EUMETSATs contribution to international
  initiatives
• Summary and conclusion

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Introduction
Long-term continuity
Product generation
Global coverage
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Introduction

• For the analysis of changing temperatures as well
  as other phenomena of climate and environmental
  changes, scientists, public authorities and
  decision makers require reliable global data sets
  collected over decades.
• Operational meteorological satellites have the
  increasing capability to provide those long-term,
  global measurements from space.
• However, the (cross-) calibration between
  different satellite systems, and between
  different satellite generations, is a very
  demanding task, requiring international
  cooperation between operational agencies and the
  scientific community.

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Introduction EUMETSATs commitment and activities

• As stated in its Convention, EUMETSAT is
  committed to the contribution to the operational
  monitoring of the climate and the detection of
  global climate change.
• This objective is addressed by EUMETSAT at
  different levels (recent Council Resolution from
  July 2009)
• the provision of observational data with its
  satellites and embarked instruments
• Generation of Fundamental Climate Data Records
  (FCDRs) through re-calibration and re-processing
  is the main focus.
• Generation of Thematic Climate Data Records
  TCDRs, making best use of SAF Network expertise,
  is a second focus
• Taking into account climate-specific requirements
  in the planning of new programmes
• the programmatic and organisational activities,
  with a focus on the various frameworks of the
  international cooperation.

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Different levels of climate products

• In the climate context, different levels of
  satellite products should be distinguished due to
  different applications and requirements (on
  accuracy, coverage, stability) e.g.
• Instantaneous (NRT and offline) products for
  process studies
• Temporal and spatial averages for operational
  monitoring
• Satellite products for climate variability
  analysis
• Products for trend analysis (climate change
  detection)

increasing level of requirements
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Outline

• Introduction
• Providing observational data EUMETSAT past,
  current and future programmes
• Generating climate monitoring products The
  EUMETSAT Application Ground Segment
• EUMETSATs contribution to international
  initiatives
• Summary and conclusion

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Providing satellite data for climate monitoring
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Providing satellite data for climate monitoring
The Meteosat programme is the well-established
European contribution to the ring of
geostationary satellite observations. The first
Meteosat satellite was launched more than 30
years ago by ESA in 1977. In 1995 EUMETSAT took
over the operation of the Meteosat satellites.
EUMETSAT operates two Meteosat satellites of
the first generation (Meteosat-6 and -7) over the
Indian Ocean.
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Providing satellite data for climate monitoring
The first MSG satellite (Meteosat Second
Generation) was launched 2002. The instrument
onboard combines larger spectral coverage with
higher spatial and temporal resolution, enabling
a better observation of important climate
variables, especially those undergoing diurnal
cycles. Vital importance to climate
observations the improved on-board calibration
of the thermal IR channels of the MSG. EUMETSAT
operates two satellites of the second generation
(Meteosat-8 and -9) at 0 longitude.
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Providing satellite data for climate monitoring
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Providing satellite data for climate monitoring
Since the Metop-A launch (October 2006) EUMETSAT
in partnership with NOAA - has a polar orbiting
satellite system with a long-term operational
perspective, that can provide information on a
large number of climate key variables over at
least 14 years of operations on a global
scale. Time coverage can be extended into the
past with e.g. the NOAA family of polar orbiting
satellites, and will be extended into the future
with the follow-up system, Post-EPS.
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Providing satellite data for climate monitoring
The hyper spectral sounding Infrared Atmospheric
Sounding Interferometer (IASI) allows the
retrieval of temperature and moisture profiles at
high accuracy (1K, 15 , respectively) over 1km
layers. IASI also allows the observation of trace
gases relevant for the greenhouse effect and for
atmospheric chemistry. The Global Ozone
Monitoring Experiment -2 (GOME-2) continue the
capability to measure Ozone profiles and related
trace gases with high accuracy. The
Radio-occultation Atmospheric Sounder (GRAS)
provide absolute measurements on the temperature
and humidity profiles. From the other
instruments on Metop (AVHRR, ATOVS, ASCAT)
long-term climate records can be derived as well,
with regard to AVHRR and ATOVS this provides
continuity of climate records of NOAA satellites.
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Providing satellite data for climate monitoring
Furthermore, the Jason-2 mission, launched in
2008, provides continuity in the monitoring of
sea-level whose rise due to climate change is a
critical parameter. The information about rising
sea levels already carried out by Jason-1 and
TOPEX/Poseidon over the last 15 years will be
seamlessly maintained. Follow-on mission studies
are currently done by EUMETSAT in cooperation
with NOAA to establish the basis for an Ocean
Surface Topography Constellation that satisfies
the requirements for climate monitoring of sea
level and sea state.
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Outline

• Introduction
• Providing observational data EUMETSAT past,
  current and future programmes
• Generating climate monitoring products The
  EUMETSAT Application Ground Segment
• EUMETSATs contribution to international
  initiatives
• Summary and conclusion

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Generating climate monitoring products

• The current EUMETSAT satellite systems have been
  designed with a primary objective on operational
  weather prediction and now-casting, and a
  secondary objective on climate monitoring ?
  further requirements for climate-related
  observations (e.g. calibration, characterization,
  stability) are more explicitly taken into account
  only for the next generation satellite systems,
  Meteosat Third Generation and Post-EPS.
• Nevertheless, through dedicated scientific work,
  more and more datasets useful for climate
  applications, become available.
• The basic framework for these activities is
  defined by the requirements and principles of the
  Global Climate Observing System (GCOS), defining
  a set of Essential Climate Variables (ECVs).

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GCOS ECVs Largely Dependent Upon Satellites

• Atmospheric
• Precipitation, Earth radiation budget (including
  solar irradiance), Wind speed and direction,
  Water vapour, Upper-air temperature, Cloud
  properties, Carbon dioxide, Ozone, Other
  long-lived greenhouse gases, Aerosol properties
• Oceanic
• Sea-surface temperature, Ocean salinity, Sea
  level, Sea state, Sea ice, Ocean colour
• Terrestrial
• Lakes, Snow cover, Glaciers and ice caps,
  Albedo, Land cover, Fraction of absorbed
  photosynthetically active radiation (fAPAR), Leaf
  area index (LAI), Biomass, Fire disturbance,
  Soil moisture

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The EUMETSAT Application Ground Segment

• The transformation of satellite data into higher
  level products is carried out in the EUMETSAT
  Application Ground Segment, a combination and
  co-operation of the EUMETSAT Headquarter in
  Darmstadt, and the EUMETSAT Network of Satellite
  Application Facilities in the EUMETSAT member
  states.

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Generating climate monitoring products

• The generation and preservation of homogeneous
  long-term data sets from satellites is in
  particular addressed through
• The EUMETSAT reprocessing activities
• Meteosat first and second generation satellites
  since 1982
• Metop data
• Dedicated activities of the Satellite Application
  Facility (SAF) on Climate Monitoring (radiation,
  clouds and atmospheric humidity)
• Climate products generated in other SAFs e.g. sea
  ice concentration (OSI SAF), and climate maps
  (GRAS SAF)
• Generation of ECV related products in NRT by SAFs
  and Central Facilities

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Generating climate monitoring products -
Reprocessing

• Continuous activities related to reprocessing of
  image and Meteorological product data 1st and 2nd
  Generation of Meteosat
• Support to Reanalysis projects (ECMWF ERA40 and
  ERA-interim) as well as JMA Reanalysis
• Past and current reprocessing activities include
• Level-1 data from Meteosat and Metop
• Meteosat surface albedo product
• Multi-sensor Precipitation Estimates MPE
• Atmospheric Motion Vectors
• Soil Moisture

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Already existing reprocessed data sets

• Meteosat First Generation
• - Level 1.5 data in 3 channels (VIS, IR, WV) for
  0 degree, IODC, ADC and XADC services (since
  1982)
• - Atmospheric Motion Vectors from
• - May 1982 till December 2000 for 0 Degree
  Service (Met-2 to Met-7)
• - August 1991 till January 1993 for Atlantic
  Data Coverage Service (Met-3)
• - August 1993 till May 1995 for Extended
  Atlantic Data Coverage Service (Met-3)
• - Clear Sky radiances for the periods covered by
  the AMV's
• - Meteosat Surface Albedo from
• - June 1981 till June 2006 for 0 Degree Service
  (Met-2 to Met-7)
• - June 1998 - April 2007 (Met-5)
• Metop-A
• - GOME-2 Level 1 from Jan 2007 to June 2008
• - ASCAT Level 1 from Jan 2007 to August 2008
• - IASI Level 1 from July 2007 to now
• - Soil Moisture (ASCAT Level 2) from June 2007 to
  August 2008

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Reprocessing of Meteosat Atmospheric Motion
Vectors (AMVs)Important contribution to
Re-analyses at NWP Centers
gt Substantially improved coverage and impact of
re-processed winds from Meteosat satellites (C.
Desol, ECMWF, 2008) Period corresponds to time
when Meteosat-5 was operational at 0º and
Meteosat-3 supported NOAA because there was only
one GOES satellite.
Example of coverage 19950102
Original Met5
Reprocessed Met3 and Met5
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Satellite Application Facilities (SAFs)

• SAF on Climate Monitoring
• Generation of homogeneous data sets and
  continuous spatially and temporarily integrated
  satellite information
• Ocean and Sea Ice SAF
• Generation of set of products with high relevance
  for climate monitoring (Sea surface radiation
  parameters, sea ice coverage and characteristics,
  winds)
• Reprocessing of global sea ice from SSM/I
  (1987-2007)
• GRAS SAF
• Generation of long-term homogeneous water vapour
  (with CM- and O3M SAF)
• Climate data (maps) from initial NRT products

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Satellite Application Facilities (SAFs)

• Land Surface Analysis (LSA SAF)
• NRT Product generation of ECVs surface
  radiation, snow and vegetation parameters
• Ozone and Atmospheric Chemistry Monitoring (O3M
  SAF)
• NRT product generation of ECVs related to
  atmospheric chemistry from GOME-2
• Total Ozone Data Set Generation through
  reprocessing
• Homogeneous long-term water vapour data set (with
  CM and GRAS SAF)
• Hydrology SAF (H-SAF)
• Targeting ECV in the domain of precipitation,
  soil moisture and snow parameters
• NWP and Nowcasting and Very Short Range
  Forecasting (NWP SAF and NWC SAF)
• Software (retrieval, simulation, assimilation)
  development and maintenance providing tools also
  for climate purposes

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Generating climate monitoring products

• All EUMETSAT data products are available on-line
  through the EUMETSAT Product Navigator

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Outline

• Introduction
• Providing observational data EUMETSAT past,
  current and future programmes
• Generating climate monitoring products The
  EUMETSAT Application Ground Segment
• EUMETSATs contribution to international
  initiatives
• Summary and conclusion

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EUMETSATs partnership in International
InitiativesISCCP and GPCP

• Since 1986 EUMETSAT has supported the
  International Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP)
  as part of the world climate research project
  (WCRP) by providing data from first and second
  generation Meteosat. This project routinely
  extracts sampled images from geostationary
  satellites on a 3-hourly basis to enable the
  detection of global cloud coverage and associated
  changes of these quantities.
• EUMETSAT is also since 1987 extracting from its
  Meteosat image data so called precipitation
  indices on a routine basis as a contribution to
  the Global Precipitation Climatology Project
  (GPCP). This is also an activity which
  contributes to the World Climate Research Project
  as a contribution in the context of GEWEX (Global
  Energy and Water Cycle Experiment).

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EUMETSATs partnership in International
InitiativesWMO GSICS

• The Global Space-Based Intercalibration System
  (GSICS) Objective is to create an operational
  system that monitors and evaluates the
  calibration of the global meteorological
  satellite observing system in a coherent and
  systematic manner.
• EUMETSAT is one of the founding members of GSICS
  and very actively pursues the realisation of such
  an operational system.
• The operational EUMETSAT intercalibration
  activities have concentrated on
• Calibration of EUMETSAT geostationary satellites
  (Meteosat and MSG / MVIRI and SEVIRI instruments,
  resp.), based on intercalibration with the HIRS
  instruments on NOAA satellites.
• A major recent step has been the intercalibration
  with the IASI instrument on Metop IASI is
  considered as a reference for the thermal
  infrared inter-calibration because of the
  excellent on-board calibration.

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Example from GSICS Intercalibrating MSG with
IASI
GSICS News, T. Hewison, EUMETSAT
IR13.4
IR10.8
IR8.7
IR12.0
IR9.7
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Sustained Coordinated Processing of Environmental
Satellite Data for Climate Monitoring SCOPE-CM

• EUMETSAT supports and contributes to the
  implementation of the Global Network of Sustained
  Coordinated Processing of Environmental Satellite
  Data for Climate Monitoring (SCOPE-CM), recently
  initiated under the WMO framework.
• The main objective of the SCOPE-CM Network is to
  provide high quality long-term data sets of what
  GCOS has defined as Essential Climate Variables
  using observations from space.
• Main contributions of EUMETSAT to the SCOPE-CM
  are the coordinated activities (climate product
  generation through reprocessing of archived data)
  of its Central Facility and the SAF Network.
• EUMETSAT has also been nominated secretariat of
  the SCOPE-CM Network.

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Sustained Coordinated Processing of Environmental
Satellite Data for Climate Monitoring SCOPE-CM

• The SCOPE-CM Network will be
• Based on activities of existing initiatives (GOS,
  GCOS and GSICS)
• Build upon existing operational infrastructures
• Serve users and other organisations (e.g. WMO
  Regional Climate Centres RCC, National Weather
  Services)

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EUMETSATs partnership in International
Initiatives

• The described activities are well integrated in
  international frameworks at working level as well
  as at the policy-making level (CEOS, GEO, WMO
  Space Programme, CGMS, GCOS), where EUMETSAT as
  operational satellite agency is a key partner.
• Committee on Earth Observation Satellites CEOS
• EUMETSAT involvement at working and
  organisational level in several CEOS groups (e.g.
  Climate Social Benefit Area team)
• CEOS Strategic Implementation Team
• CEOS Plenary
• Group on Earth Observations GEO
• EUMETSAT participating organisation
• In charge of fulfilling GEOs climate tasks as
  CEOS active member

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Outline

• Introduction
• Providing observational data EUMETSAT past,
  current and future programmes
• Generating climate monitoring products The
  EUMETSAT Application Ground Segment
• EUMETSATs contribution to international
  initiatives
• Summary and conclusion

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Summary and conclusion

• EUMETSAT undertakes many activities toward the
  operational monitoring of climate and the
  detection of global climatic changes in
  accordance with its convention and its recent
  Council Resolution.
• Current emphasis is on
• The generation and re-processing of long term
  series of products relevant for climate
  monitoring.
• Support the Implementation of the Global
  Space-based Inter Calibration System (GSICS)
  adhering to the GSICS operations plan 2008.
• Coordination with international partners for the
  implementation of the WMO global network of
  Sustained Coordinated Processing of Environmental
  Satellite Data for Climate Monitoring (SCOPE-CM).
  
• EUMETSAT plays a leading role in Europe on
  coordination of initiatives aiming to provide
  space data for Climate monitoring