GEONETCast Americas (GNC-A): Delivering Regional and National

Data, Products and Observations

Presented by:

Paul Seymour, NOAA/NESDIS

Ms. Irene Parker Meeting, Silver Spring; November 2, 2016

From the GEONETCast Americas Coordination Group

and AmeriGEOSS

GEONETCast Americas

What is GEONETCast?

• GEONETCast is a distribution system for

environmental satellite data and products using

commercial TV satellites and low cost, off-the-

shelf reception technology;

• GEONETCast is a Foundational Task under the

GEO Common Infrastructure

– Previously: part of GEO Task – IN-04: GEOSS

Communication Networks

• GEONETCast Americas is a Foundational Task

within AmeriGEOSS

GEONETCast Americas

Mission and Objectives • GEONECast’s Mission: “Provide data distribution system

within GEOSS by which environmental data and products will

be transmitted to users through regional networks over

communications satellites.”

• Objective: “Provide global information as a basis for sound

decision making in critical areas”.

– “Focus on areas of the world where high speed land lines and/or

internet are not available or in regions where terrestrial communication

lines have been disrupted by disasters.”

• WMO Region III/IV Satellite Data Requirements and Support

GEOSS Societal Benefit Areas

GEONETCast Americas

General Description

• Regional component of the

Global GEONETCast

• Provided by the U.S./NOAA

• Footprint covers

• Most of North America

Caribbean Region

Central South America

• Operational since Spring 2008

• 6.7 total (6.35 content) megabits

per second data rate

• Intelsat-21 (IS-21) geostationary

satellite

• Multiplexed C-band DVB-S

transponder at 58 deg W

• > 99.5% availability – in actual

operations close to 100%

GEONETCast Americas

Commercial Satellite Broadcast

GEONETCast Americas System

Data Management System Server & Datacast

Software

IP Encapsulator MPEG-2 Encoder

DVB-S/DVB-S2 Modulator

Teleport Uplink

US NESDIS OSPO

US EPA

US NWS ISCS

Int’l WMO Region III

Int’l WMO Region IV

US NESDIS NCDC

EUMETSAT / CMA GEONETCast

Systems

Data Providers GEONETCast Americas System Users

User Receive Terminal

User Receive Terminal

r

NOAA

Remote

Adminis-

tration

GEONETCast-Americas

System Architecture

GEONETCast Americas

Channels and Products

• Product broadcast channels • Separate broadcast virtual sub-

channels by data provider

• Users can choose sub-channels

• Disaster Charter, Training, ISCS/Alert

Channels Included

• Any file format can be disseminated

• GNC-A team developing a

visualization / conversion toolbox • Coordination with INPE SIGMACast

GEONETCast Americas (GNC-A)

INPE / Brazil SIGMACast Project

• Develop an operational software based on JAVA and

GIS Allows the user to visualize, analyze and

combine layers

• Geographical information system, desktop based,

developed specifically for the GEONETCast users.

• Training on receive stations and data content

• Includes installation of 25 stations in Brazil in the

regional centres (agreement already signed with the

centers).

– All stations shipped, 50% installed

GEONETCast Americas

Example Providers

• Brazil: Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais / National Institute for Space Research (INPE) – Derived regional products including fire monitoring, lightning, rainfall

nowcasting, UV index, drought monitoring and sea surface related products.

• Argentina: Comisión Nacional de Actividades Espaciales and Servicio Meteorológico Nacional / Argentina National Space Activities Commission and National Meteorological Service (CONAE/SMN) – Average heights and direction of waves and significant waves in

graphic and text for marine areas

• Costa Rica: Instituto Meteorológico Nacional / National Meteorological Institute (IMN) – Winds and streamlines forecasts and model fields

GEONETCast Americas

Example Providers

• El Salvador: Ministerio de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales / Department of Environment and Natural Resources (MARN) – GOES-13 imagery graphic products

– WRF and NCEP (.5 degree) model fields for Central America including Mexico, the Caribbean and South America

•US: NOAA/NWS “International Services and Communication Systems” (ISCS) Activity

– Replaces the WMO Region IV RMTN Broadcast

– Satellite Re-broadcast of the GTS Internet File Service (GIFS)

– Warnings, Discussions, NCEP Model Output, Caribbean Radar Observations, Tropical Weather Information

– Data is organized on the hard drive in the same folders as GIFS

GEONETCast Americas

Example Providers

• European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites(EUMETSAT)

– SEVIRI Level 1.5 Image Data - MSG - 0 degree, Atmospheric Motion Vectors, Cloud Analyses, Cloud Top Heights, Metop A and B ATOVS Sounders products, ASCAT Coastal Winds

• International Charter Space and Major Disasters

– Products for Disaster Mitigation (on Demand; still in trials and testing)

GEONETCast Americas

Example Providers

• US: NOAA/NESDIS/NCDC North American Drought Monitor (NADM) – Monthly North Americas Drought Monitor product

– Monthly reports in English, Spanish and French

• US: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – Hourly animated air quality maps of ozone

– Real time animated particulate matter

• US: NOAA/NESDIS/Office of Satellite and Products Operations (OSPO)

– GOES-East Full Disk, Northern and Southern Hemisphere Images in GEOTIFF Format

– Ozone, Chlorophyll, Tropical Rainfall Potential, Global Vegetation, Snow and Ice Products, Rainrate, Ocean Surface Wind Speed

GEONETCast Americas

Content Discovery

• GEONETCast Product Navigator w/ associated metadata

– Same “look and feel” across regional systems

– Updated periodically; distributed daily via GNC-A broadcast

– Internet Independent

– WWW: http://navigator.eumetsat.int/discovery/Start/Explore/Quick.do

– Internet Independent

• Illustrated Product Catalog

– GNC-A www page:

– http://geonetcastamericas.noaa.gov/other-publications.html

GEONETCast Americas

Receive Station

Satellite antenna: 2.4 m. with LNB and cables

DVB-S (s2) PCI internal receive card, USB or ethernet external receiver box

Personal computer with Kencast Professional client software

Note: 1.8 meter antennas can be used in some locations after investigation

GEONETCast Americas

Receive Station

• Standard off-the-shelf components keep costs lower

• Portable station with gas generator, 1.8m antenna,

laptop computer and no installation costs: ~$ 2,500

• Quality Station with 2.4m antenna*, better than

adequate computer, self installation: ~$ 5,700

• Quality Station with 2.4m antenna, custom mast,

shipping from US, professional installation: ~$11,000

*2.4 m antennas work almost anywhere; 1.8 meter units require

evaluation

Receivers range between $100 PCI cards to DVB-S boxes at ~ $400 to

DVB-S2 ethernet boxes at ~ $600

GEONETCast Americas

Receive Station – Example Cost

• Standard off-the-shelf components keep costs lower

• Example cost from one actual installation: – Personal computer - ~ $2,632 $ 800

– Client datacasting software - ~ $ 575 $ 575

– 2.4m antenna, LNB (mast/shipping) - ~ $1,391 $ 5,336

– DVB-S External Ethernet - ~ $ 319 $ 454

– Installation (costs vary widely by location) - ~ $ * $ 2,200

– Taxes (vary by location; used 16%) ~ $ 783 $ 1,494

– Total: ~ $5,6799 $10,859

– * Self installation: cost absorbed by organization

– Note: No recurring subscription costs for KenCast FAZZT

GNC-A Receive Stations 50 Operational, 16 being installed/repaired, 4 Planned

On-line

• Argentina (1)

• Barbados (1)

• Belize (1)

• Brazil (19)

• Chile (1)

• Colombia (5)

• Costa Rica (4)

• Cuba (1)

• El Salvador (5)

• Mexico (8)

• Panama (1)

• Puerto Rico (1)

• USA (2) Planned: Argentina (1); Dominican Republic (1);

Peru (1); Aruba (1)

Installed/Repaired: Brazil (12); Canada (1),

Haiti (1); Mexico (2)

GEONECast Americas

Capacity Bldg – National Networks

• Small but growing list of “National Networks”

• Data From The Region For the Region

• Costa Rica: 4 stations at HydroMet &Airports

– Operational backup for terrestrial telcomms

• El Salvador: 5 stations at HydroMet and Airports

– New products & innovative method of viewing products

• Colombia: Stations at IDEAM & Regional Centers

– Installed 5 GNC-A stations with approx. 6 more to go

• Mexico: Space Agency, HydroMet , Universities

– 3 stations installed; 10 stations planned

GEONETCast Americas

Disaster Charter

• GEONETCast approved for use as an auxiliary data

distribution system by the International Charter on

Space and Major Disasters

• Project begun to formalize relationship between

GEONETCast and the Disaster Charter based on a

request from the region

• A formal test will be scheduled later this year

GEONETCast Americas

NWS / ISCS Satellite Broadcast

• U.S. National Weather Service "International Services and

Communication Systems" (ISCS) added to GNC-A April 20

• Timely collection and delivery of both time-critical and routine

watches, warnings, observations and forecasts.

• Primary delivery by FTP - GTS Internet File Service (GIFS)

• Added to GNC-A as a satellite backup for their users

• Possible conversion of some ISCS stations

GEONETCast Americas (GNC-A)

Short Term Initiatives

• Priority - Develop a user-friendly interface

to facilitate the visualization of products – Continue Collaboration with INPE SIGMACast Project

– Continue collaboration with the WMO Virtual

Laboratory for Training and Education in Satellite

Meteorology (VLab), and other partners and providers

• Increase outreach to better determine user needs

• Outreach to participate as providers and in

governance – Coordination Group

GEONETCast Americas (GNC-A)

Short Term Initiatives

• Increase ability to use GNC-A in disaster response

including relevant Disaster Charter products

• Schedule formal test with the Disaster Charter and

an Authorized User from Central America

• Work to add WMO Region III/IV Requirements

leaving room to support GEO societal benefit areas

– GOES-R imagery data and products planned

GOES-R/JPSS Product Coordination

• GOES-R Advanced Baseline Imager Products

– CMI Imagery, 5 bands, Full Resolution (1 Km

visible channel 2 vice .5 kM, Full Disk

– 23 level II baseline products

– Geostationary Lightning Mapper – Maybe?

•Working with partners to decide on GLM offering

• Products derived from SNPP/JPSS imagery

– Evaluating at this time

• Products from other sources

GEONETCast Americas (GNC-A)

Long-Term Goals

• Facilitate interoperability of data resources to

facilitate re-use at global or regional scales

• Engage stakeholders to address global & regional

challenges

• Develop cooperation with Academic Institutions to

foster product development and training expertise.

• Foster regional cooperation to build capacity

GEONETCast Americas (GNC-A)

Long-Term Goals

• Strengthen relationship between GEO & member

countries through building & reinforcement of regional

GEO networks.

• Provide products via GNC-A to support all SBAs

• AmeriGEOSS concentrations: Agriculture, Disaster Risk

Reduction, Water and Biodiversity and Ecosystem

Monitoring

• Cross-cutting communities of weather and water

GEONETCast Americas (GNC-A)

Governance - Coordination Group

• GNC-A Coordination Group open to all Partners,

Providers, Users

• Meetings via Webex with VOIP quarterly

• Committees membership from Brazil, Argentina,

Barbados, Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago, U.S.

– Broadcast Mgmt, Content, Users, Receive Stations

– Committees meet on their own schedule

GNC-A – Resources

•Home Page: http://geonetcastamericas.noaa.gov/

•Contact Email: gnc.americas@noaa.gov

• Product Request Form:

–http://geonetcastamericas.noaa.gov/GNC-

A%20Product%20Request%20and%20Submission%20Form

• Publications including the product list

–http://geonetcastamericas.noaa.gov/other-publications.html

GNC-A – Coordination

• Google Groups:

• gnc.americas@noaa.gov

• https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/gnc-a-forum

• GNC-A Coordination Group and Committees

–Broadcast: Diego Souza , Paul Seymour

–Receive Stations: Diego Souza, Rosario Alfaro, Paul Seymour

–User Committee; Content Sub-committee:

•Eric Madsen (NESDIS IIA GNC-A and GNC contact)

–User Committee: Users Sub-committee:

•Bernie Connell, Humberto Barbosa, Luiz Machado

•This is the committee that can make things happen

•We need this group of users to be active

GNC-A - Contacts and Links

• Eric Madsen - Eric.Madsen@noaa.gov

– NESDIS International and Interagency Affairs

• Martin Medina - Martin.Medina@noaa.gov

– NESDIS International and Interagency Affairs

• Paul Seymour - Paul.Seymour@noaa.gov

– NESDIS Office of Satellite and Product Operations

• Diego Souza - diego.souza@cptec.inpe.br

– INPE / CPTEC / DSA

• www.geonetcastamericas.noaa.gov

• GEONETCast Americas Forum (by invitation)