jeff key noaa/nesdis madison, wisconsin the cryospheric observing system for the ipy and beyond...
TRANSCRIPT
Jeff Key
NOAA/NESDISMadison, Wisconsin
The Cryospheric Observing System for the IPY and Beyond
WDC/NSIDC 30th Anniversary October 25, 2006
Global Cryosphere by Type
Glacier Ice Sheets Ice Shelves
Sea Ice Permafrost Snow Cover
Cryosphere satellite missions:
National Research Council “Arctic Observing Network” Report Recommendations
(Box S.1 excerpts)
• A system design assessment should be conducted … to ensure a pan-arctic, multidisciplinary, integrated network. This effort should be undertaken by a diverse team.
• The first phase of AON development will require sustaining existing observational capabilities.
• The AON should support development, testing, and deployment of new sensors and other network-related technology.
• A data management system initially built on existing data centers and resources must be designed and implemented immediately. This system should be accessible through a single portal that connects data across disciplines.
• For the AON to realize its potential, long-term, coordinated, international resources and efforts should be dedicated to sustaining observing platforms, providing incentives for contributions to the network, network coordination and integration.
Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS),44 space agencies and Earth observation data users
Integrated Global Observing Strategy-Partnership (IGOS-P), 13 international and UN organizations
Group on Earth Observations (GEO) and the Global Earth Observing System of Systems (GEOSS)
Earth Observation Coordination Mechanisms
IGOS• The Integrated Global Observing Strategy (IGOS) Partnership
was established in June 1998. • The principal objectives of IGOS are to address how well
user requirements are being met by existing observations, including those of the global observing systems, and how they could be met in the future through better integration and optimization of remote sensing (especially space-based) and in-situ systems.
• To aid the development of the Strategy,the Partners have adopted an incremental "Themes" approach based on perceived priorities.
The partners are: the Global Observing Systems (GCOS, GOOS, GTOS), the agencies that sponsor the global observing systems (WMO, ICSU, FAO, UNESCO, UNEP), the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS), the International Group of Funding Agencies for Global Change Research, the World Climate Research Programme, the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme. IOCGTOS
UNEP
UNESCOGOOS
FAO
ICSU
WMO
IGBP WCRP
GCOS
IGFACEOS
WHO
WATEROCEANS CARBON Atm. Chem.COASTALGEOHAZARDS
LAND COVERCRYOSPHERE
UNDER DEVELOPMENT
APPROVED
GEODESY
CONSIDERED
HEALTH
IGOS Themes
Cryosphere Theme Goals
To create a framework for improved coordination of cryospheric observations conducted by research, long-term scientific monitoring, and operational programmes;
To achieve better availability and accessibility of data and information needed for both operational services and research;
To strengthen national and international institutional structures responsible for cryospheric observations;
To increase resources for ensuring the transition of research-based cryosphere observing projects to sustained observations.
Vision: The Ideal Global Observing System
Will have the following characteristics:
1. Accuracy: In order to measure subtle changes over time, measurements must be accurate, and the uncertainty in the measurements must be known.2. Long-term monitoring: To be able to observe changes in the cryosphere, we must have long time series of observations, on the order of a few decades or more.3. Consistency over time: With any long-term measurement, sensors will be replaced and upgraded. This can introduce inconsistencies in the time series. Inter-sensor calibration is essential.
Will use observations from all relevant sources in coherent,
consistent, high-resolution global analyses. Multi-sensor fusion
and integration with models will be critical for many high-level
products.
RequirementsThe first step in designing the global observing system is to define
observational requirements. Requirements depend on the application!
Parameter
CTO
Measurement Range
Measurement Accuracy
Resolution
Comment / Principal
Driver
Spatial Temporal
L H U V U V U V U
Snow Cover
C 20 100 % 15-20 % 1 km day e.g. MODIS
T 0 100 % 10 % 0.5 km 1 dayHydromet
O 0 100 % 5 % 0.1 km 12 hr
Snow Water Equivalent (Shallow)
C 0 0.2 m 2-10 cm 25 km 1 day e.g. AMSR-E
T 0 0.3 m 3 cm 0.5 km 6 dayHydromet
O 0 0.3 m 2 cm 0.1 km 12 hr
Snow Water Equivalent (Deep)
C None --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- Need HF SAR
T 0.3 3 m 10 % 0.5 km 6 dayHydromet
O 0.3 3 m 7 % 0.1 km 12 hr
Snow Depth (Shallow)
C 0 ~0.7 m 6-35 cm 25 km 1 day e.g. AMSR-E
T 0 1 m 10 cm 0.5 km 6 day Hydromet
O 0 1 m 6 cm 0.1 km 1 hr Transportation
Snow Depth (Mod-Deep)
C None --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- Need HF SAR
T 1 10 m 10 % 0.5 km 6 day Hydromet
O 1 10 m 6 % 0.1 km 1 hr Transportation
Snow Albedo (Broadband)
C 30 100 % 7 % 1 km 1 day e.g. MODIS
T 0 100 % 1 % 8 km 1 hrHydromet
O 0 100 % 0.5 % 5 km 30 min
Snow Surface Temperature
C TBD
T 200 275 K 1 K 1 km 1 hrHydromet
O 200 275 K 0.1 K 0.1 km 30 min
Sensor types
Laser altimeter
Radar altimeter
High-res Radar (SAR)
Low-res radar (Scat)
High-res vis/IR
Mid-res vis/IR
Passive Microwave
Gravity
Satellites and Sensors
IceSat
ERS-2, Envisat, CryoSat-2, GMES-Sentinel-3
ERS-2 SAR, Envisat ASAR, Radarsat1-2, ALOS-PALSAR, TERRASAR-X, COSMO-SKYMED, RISAT, GMES-Sentinel-1
ERS2- Wind Scat, QuikScat, METOP-ASCAT, OCEANSAT-2, HY-2A Scat
SPOT 1-5, ASTER, GMES Sentinel-2
AVHRR, LandSAT-TM/ETM+, DMSP-OLS, MODIS, VIIRS, HY-1,
SSMI, AMSR-E, Windsat, SMOS, HY-2A
GRACE, GOCE
Ice Sheets Elevation/ Thickness
Elevation/ Thickness
Motion, Extent
Extent, Snow/Ice Facies
Extent Melt/Freeze onset
Mass change
Glaciers and Ice Caps
Elevation/ Thickness
Elevation/ Thickness
Motion Extent Extent Mass change
Sea Ice Freeboard/ Thickness
Freeboard/ Thickness
Motion, Extent, Floe Size Distribution
Extent, Melt/Freeze Onset
Floe Size Distribution, Melt Ponds
Extent Extent, Snow thickness
Geoid
Snow Accumulation Accumulation Accumulation Accumulation Extent Extent, Thickness
Mass Loading
Solid Precip and SWE
Mass Loading
Temperature * * * Albedo * * Surface features
* * * * *
Lake and river ice
* * * * * *
Permafrost and frozen ground
* * *
Next we compare examine the current and planned sensors/systems/networks
(satellite sensors in this example) to determine what we need.
Then we make recommendations. Here’s a sample:
• Implement a C-band synthetic aperture radar optimized for SAR interferometry and
capable of measuring the velocity field of the Greenland and Antarctic Ice Sheets.
• The density of ice sheet thickness measurements should be increased, particularly in
East Antarctica where little data are currently available.
• There needs to be an international network for monitoring seasonally frozen ground in
non-permafrost regions. Soil temperature and frost depth measurements should be
standard parameters to all WMO and national cold regions meteorological stations.
• Freeze-up and break-up data should be submitted to the World Data Center for
Glaciology at the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), to accompany existing
historical records archived there.
• Data fusion and data assimilation with sea ice and coupled models will allow the various
remotely-sensed and in situ data – at various spatial and temporal scales – to be
integrated into coherent fields that will provide the best overall estimate of ice
conditions.
So does the ideal observing system look like this?
Or this?
Or this?
Actually, it looks like this:
Building BlocksIntegrated System
• Space observing system • Global, consistent measurements.
• Inter-satellite calibration is critical.
• In-situ observing system• Local but accurate measurements.
• Integrated modeling system• Captures physical principles.
• Laboratory (test ideas / processes).
• Create higher-level products.
• Predict future state of Earth system.
• Data Assimilation system• Merge observation and model.
• Synthesize observations (analysis).
• Take data and model errors into
account.
DecisionSupport
Or this (GEOSS):
Vision: The Ideal Data Management System(GEO and more)
Will provide access to all Earth observation data in
standard interoperable formats.
Will be based on existing portals, systems, and networks;
it will be distributed.
Will be designed to increase the quality and accessibility
of information.
Will provide tools for subsetting, formatting, and
combining diverse data sets, including model fields, as
well as visualizing data from multiple sources.
http://www.eol.ucar.edu/ http://www.eol.ucar.edu/ projects/ceop/dm/projects/ceop/dm/
INTEGRATEDINTEGRATED
IN-SITUIN-SITU
SATELLITESATELLITE
MODELMODELEOL work supported by NOAA/CPO
Summary
The IGOS Cryosphere theme is an international effort to assess current capabilities and requirements in the cryospheric observing system, and to recommend ways to close the gaps.
The ideal cryospheric observing system will meet the accuracy requirements of a broad range of applications, be long-term monitoring, and be consistent. It will use observations from all relevant sources in global analyses. Multi-sensor fusion and integration with models will be critical.
The ideal data management system will provide access to data in standard formats, be based on existing portals and systems, be designed to increase the quality of information, and provide tools for manipulating and combining diverse data sets, including model fields, as well as visualizing data from multiple sources.
For more information visit http://stratus.ssec.wisc.edu/igos-cryo