OS11C-1137
The Australian Integrated Marine Observing System
The Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS) is a 92M project established with 50M from the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) and co-investments from 10 operators including Universities and government agencies (see below). It is a nationally distributed set of equipment established and maintained at sea, oceanographic data and information services that collectively will contribute to meeting the needs of marine research in both open oceans and over the continental shelf around Australia. In particular, if sustained in the long term, it will permit identification and management of climate change in the marine environment, an area of research that is as yet almost a blank page, studies relevant to conservation of marine biodiversity and research on the role of the oceans in the climate system. While as an NCRIS project IMOS is intended to support research, the data streams are also useful for many societal, environmental and economic applications, such as management of offshore industries, safety at sea, management of marine ecosystems and fisheries and tourism. The infrastructure also contributes to Australia's commitments to international programs of ocean observing and international conventions, such as the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention that established the Australian Exclusive Economic Zone, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Global Ocean Observing System and the intergovernmental coordinating activity Global Earth Observation System of Systems. IMOS is made up of nine national facilities that collect data, using different components of infrastructure and instruments, and two facilities that manage and provide access to data and enhanced data products, one for in situ data and a second for remotely sensed satellite data. The observing facilities include three for the open (bluewater) ocean (Argo Australia, Enhanced Ships of Opportunity and Southern Ocean Time Series), three facilities for coastal currents and water properties (Moorings, Ocean Gliders and HF Radar) and three for coastal ecosystems (Acoustic Tagging and Tracking, Autonomous Underwater Vehicle and a biophysical sensor network on the Great Barrier Reef). The value from this infrastructure investment lies in the coordinated deployment of a wide range of equipment aimed at deriving critical data sets that serve multiple applications. Additional information on IMOS is available at the website (http://www.imos.org.au). The IMOS Operators are Australian Institute of Marine Science, James Cook University, Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Geoscience Australia, Bureau of Meteorology, South Australia Research and Development Institute, University of Western Australia, Curtin University of Technology, CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research, University of Tasmania.
OS11C-1138
Intergrating Data From NASA Missions Into NOAAs Pacific Region Intergrated Climatology Information Products (PRICIP)
The Pacific Region Integrated Climatology Information Products (PRICIP) Project is developing a number of products that will successfully promote awareness and understanding of the patterns and effects of "storminess" in the Pacific Rim. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Integrated Data and Environmental Applications (IDEA) Center initiated the PRICIP Project to improve our understanding of such storm processes by creating a web portal containing both scientific and socioeconomic information about Pacific storms. Working in conjunction with partners at NOAA, students from the NASA Ames DEVELOP internship program are integrating NASA satellite imagery into the PRICIP web portal by animating eight storm systems that took place in the South Pacific Ocean between 1992 and 2005, four other anomalous high water events in the Hawaiian Islands, and annual storm tracks. The primary intended audience includes coastal disaster management decision-makers and other similarly concerned agencies. The broad access of these web-based products is also expected to reach scientists, the National Weather Service (NWS), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and media broadcasting consumers. The newly integrated and animated hindcast data will also help educate laypersons about past storms and help them for future storms.
OS11C-1139
Experimental Services To Provide Integration And Analysis Products
The Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) is implementing the development
of a long-term sustainable service of data distribution which is part of the "Development of technologies for
the practical application of earth observation data" as one of the objective of the Data Integration and
Analysis System (DIAS). The purpose of "DIAS" is to contribute to the establishment of the "A System of
Systems" which is declared in the GEOSS 10-years Implementation Plan. "DIAS" is a part of the Earth
Observation and Ocean Exploration System under the National Key Technologies and it will collect a wide
variety of observational data, and integrate and analyze them, and then provide data which are converted
into scientifically and socially useful information such as data for analyzing factors responsible for climate
changes in order to increase understanding of Earth processes, and promote prediction of the behavior of
the Earth system.
We introduce the integration and analysis products in our web site ( http://www.jamstec.go.jp/e/medid/dias/ ).
In order to provide data on a trial basis and research the needs of data users, the integration and analysis
products were distributed. Among the objectives of "Development and research agenda for the conversion of
earth observation data to scientifically and socially useful information" for FY2006 and 2007, We made
available the following integration and analysis data to the public.
- Global Ocean Reanalysis Product based on a 4D-VAR data assimilation system using observational data
obtained from vessels, buoys, satellites, etc.
- Glacier inventory using a digital elevation model (DEM) and satellite data
- Data set of land surface processes over Eurasia
- Prototype data set for radar-raingauge combined precipitation in Asia
- Gridded precipitation data of the Asian region
- Ecosystem-weather link map produced by using atmospheric data and satellite-derived vegetation index
data
We are taking following roles among them.
- To make a collection of basic hydro-meteorological data of MAHASRI (Monsoon Asia Hydro-Atmosphere
Scientific Research and Prediction Initiative) which is a program in WCRP.
- To integrate numerical model output data and observational data which we have.
In the future, we wish to be a Data Centre of the data and the information based on above roles.
http://www.jamstec.go.jp/e/medid/dias/
OS11C-1140
SSALTO/DUACS: Faster data delivery for operational oceanography and GMES
This paper describes the DUACS multi-mission system, and its most relevant improvements and changes. Initiated 10 years ago with an EC project, DUACS is now a part of the CNES multi-mission ground segment SSALTO, and the backbone of the Sea Level Thematic Assembly Centre (SL-TAC) of the GMES Marine Core Service. Near Real Time (NRT): Daily Operational Products DUACS-NRT provides GODAE, climate forecasting centres, the MyOcean EU FP7 project, and real time oceanographic research (e.g.: in-situ campaigns) with directly useable, high quality near real time altimeter data. Regional products (European Shelves, Mediterranean Sea, and Black Sea) are delivered to operational projects. Commercial applications are also developed for the fishery and offshore drilling industries. All DUACS near real time products are generated and distributed on a daily basis to reduce the NRT delay, and to smooth the operational procedures of NRT users. DUACS features a systematic quality control of the input data, the system itself, and its products with detailed reports put online twice per week. The system also carries out on-the-fly editing and reprocessing of erroneous datasets, as well as a long term monitoring of NRT data it has used, to quickly detect anomalies, drifts and discontinuities in incoming altimeter data. Delayed Time (DT): A consistent data set from built upon all altimeters The second generation of DUACS-DT products is composed of global data sets of along track and gridded Sea Level Anomaly, Absolute Dynamic Topography, and geostrophic currents, but also of regional-specific products (higher resolution, optimized parameters). DUACS reprocessed all past altimeter data: Jason-1, T/P, ENVISAT, GFO, ERS1/2 and GEOSAT. These delayed time products are regularly updated when new Level2 data are released and fully validated. The system operationally integrates the state-of-the-art corrections, models and references recommended by the altimeter community, as well as the best Cal/Val and cross-calibration and merging algorithms. Ongoing Improvements to secure multi-mission products Adding Jason-2 to the system is arguably the most important improvement on DUACS in 2008. Additionally, the effort to improve the quality of DUACS combined data and the robustness of the NRT system are ongoing with the release of Key Performance Indicators on the system, and Ocean Indicators for a near real time ocean monitoring. Last year, preliminary studies were carried out to merge into the high-accuracy NRT system, innovative information of lower quality altimeter data flows such as OSDR / FDGDR / OGDR (real time data delivered in a few hours as opposed to 2 or 3 days for classical NRT data), as well as CryoSat data. These offline studies and experimental NRT productions will be integrated to the system in order to guarantee sustainability and quality in the operational DUACS framework.
OS11C-1141
Preparing the new generation of altimetry products for open ocean
Since the launch of the first altimeters the accuracy of the altimetry data has continuously increased thanks to the improvement of both the technology of the instruments and the on-ground processing. These improvements allowed the apparition of various applications. About a thousand teams (in 2007) now use the altimetry products around the world for geodesy, oceanic circulation, model, wind/waves applications ... One of the main contributors to the success of altimetry, the French Space Agency (CNES), decided this year to fund a new project in order to prepare the new generation of altimetry products for open ocean. The project, starting in September 2008 will consist in two phases. The first phase is the analysis of the users needs and the subsequent redefinition of the product content in terms of resolution way of data distribution to the final user. Secondly all the potential improvements of the altimetry processing chains will be analysed. This includes the developpement of new retracking algorithms, the update of geophysical corrections based on recent models and algorithms, and the computation of new reference surfaces (Mean Sea Surface, Mean Dynamic topography). A specific study will also be dedicated on the quantification of the errors of altimetry measurements. Improving the altimetry products requires several fields of expertise. A consortium gathering experts in most of these fields will be in charge of this project on behalf of CNES. This project is a good opportunity to have a consistent approach for the general improvement of the current altimetry processing. It is also a good opportunity to reinforce the collaboration between the altimetry product development teams and the final users, which is essential to have optimal products, suitable for all kind of applications.
OS11C-1142
Global Quality Assessment of Jason-2 measurements and consistency with Jason- 1
The OSTM/Jason-2 (Ocean and Surface Topography mission) satellite was successfully launched on 20th of June, 2008. The OSTM/Jason-2 mission is built on the heritage of Topex/Poseidon and Jason-1 in the frame of a cooperation between the CNES and NASA space agencies, and the EUMETSAT and NOAA operational agencies. The two driving scientific ambitions are : 1) to ensure continuity of high quality measurements for ocean science and 2) to provide operational products for assimilation and forecasting applications. Analysis of the first months of data show very good behaviors of the Jason-2 measurements with respect to other oceanographic missions, Jason-1 and Envisat. A complete review of the Jason-2 altimeter system performances is proposed in this paper. Most relevant parameters from instrumental measurements and geophysical corrections will be investigated. Our study will be focused on Jason-1/Jason-2 cross-calibration since both missions are on the same orbit spaced out by 52 seconds during the Calibration/Validation phase. This allows us to precisely assess the Sea Surface Height (SSH) consistency in order to detect geographically correlated biases, jumps or drifts. All these comparisons aim to demonstrate the very good consistency between Jason-1 and Jason-2 measurements which is crucial for future oceanographic studies and applications. This work is also crucial to provide the reference required for Jason-2 long-term monitoring.
OS11C-1143
Paving the way Toward a QuikSCAT Stress Model Function
Remotely-sensed stress measurements have been long desired by many in the ocean science community. It
was originally perceived that scatterometers respond well to changes in wind speed and direction in response
to the changes in surface roughness over the sea surface, which led to over 30 years of extensive tuning,
calibration, and development of scatterometer model functions that were designed specifically for deriving
ocean surface wind vectors. As the collective understanding of air-sea interaction improved, it was argued
that scatterometers instead have a direct response to stress, which has gradually evolved into a general
consensus within the ocean and atmospheric science community.
Attempts to estimate ocean surface wind stress (also known as the momentum flux density) from
scatterometer-based wind data have proved problematic; this is primarily due to the uncertainty in near calm
winds (U < 2 m s-1) and extreme winds (U > 25 m s-1). Of additional concern is how to
treat atmospheric density, a necessary quantity in the stress calculation, which is known to vary substantially
due to fluxes of heat and moisture. Therefore, a well-calibrated stress model function is the preferred and
more physically appropriate solution over purely wind-based stress estimates. The historical set-backs,
coupled with the lack of consistent and reliable stress observations, have presented difficulties in the
development of a successful stress model function.
Upon implementation, a stress model function may be used to provide locations where surface-relative and
earth-relative winds differ within scatterometer-based wind products, and these differences could theoretically
be quantified. Over nine years (July 19, 1999 until present) of sigma-0 measurements are currently available
from the SeaWinds on QuikSCAT microwave scatterometer, which provides wide swath coverage (1800 km)
and high grid resolution (25 km) for approximately 90% of the global ice-free oceans for any given day (with
few exceptions). QuikSCAT has surpassed its life expectancy by more than six years, thus providing an
unforeseen opportunity for buoy co-location that should pave the road toward successful development of a
stress model function.
http://podaac.jpl.nasa.gov/DATA_CATALOG/quikscatinfo.html
OS11C-1144
Visualizing Dynamic Weather and Ocean Data in Google Earth
Katrina. Climate change. Rising sea levels. Low lake levels. These headliners, and countless others like them, underscore the need to better understand our changing oceans and lakes. Over the past decade, efforts such as the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) have added to this understanding, through the creation of interoperable ocean observing systems. These systems, including buoy networks, gliders, UAV's, etc, have resulted in a dramatic increase in the amount of Earth observation data available to the public. Unfortunately, these data tend to be restrictive to mass consumption, owing to large file sizes, incompatible formats, and/or a dearth of user friendly visualization software. Google Earth offers a flexible way to visualize Earth observation data. Marrying high resolution orthoimagery, user friendly query and navigation tools, and the power of OGC's KML standard, Google Earth can make observation data universally understandable and accessible. This presentation will feature examples of meteorological and oceanographic data visualized using KML and Google Earth, along with tools and tips for integrating other such environmental datasets.