““Pigs in Space”Pigs in Space”John R. Moisan, NASA/GSFC, Code 614.2John R. Moisan, NASA/GSFC, Code 614.2

Using a combination of High Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and total phytoplankton absorption spectra data (aph), a method was developed to retrieve a suite of algal pigments (including uncertainties) for the coastal and open ocean areas.

This methodology is being extended to estimate various phytoplankton functional types. This will allow the next generation of ocean color satellites (ACE/GEO-CAPE) to retrieve more pigments and monitor phytoplankton diversity and ecosystem complexity.

Figure 1: Comparison of pigment spectral absorption curves

Hydrospheric and Biospheric Sciences Laboratory

Name: John R. Moisan, NASA/GSFC E-mail: John.R.Moisan@nasa.govPhone: 757-824-1312

Data Sources: The HPLC and phytoplankton absorption spectra aph were obtained from Tiffany Moisan (NASA/GSFC, Code 614.2, a co-Investigator on this project) and from the NASA SeaBASS optical data archive.

Technical Description of Image:Figure 1: Results from using HPLC and aph spectra to retrieve pigment-specific absorption spectra for a variety of phytoplankton pigments. Using these pigment-specific absorption spectra it is then possible to invert aph spectra to obtain estimates of the various pigments that were involved in its creation.That large plot shows the results of from comparing an actual aph spectra (red) with past (black) spectral reconstruction techniques and the newer aph reconstructions obtained using 3 different inversion techniques (blue, green and magenta). Note that these newer technique can be applied down to 300nm, whereas the earlier reconstruction techniques are limited to between 400nm and 700nm. The graph to the top right shows the results of using the new pigment-specific absorption spectra to invert aph in order to estimate/retrieve the full suite of (18) algal pigments. The observations (red) are compared against two (green and magenta) different inverse techniques. The r-squared levels obtained from both the aph spectra (top center) and HPLC pigment suite (top left) estimates demonstrate extremely good (mean for all samples > 0.82) agreement. Work in now in progress to use past Airborne Oceanographic Lidar hyperspectral remote sensing reflectance observations within a full inverse model for estimating pigments from a sub-orbital platform. In addition, testing is underway to extend the algal pigment suite estimates (and uncertainties) to estimate various phytoplankton functional types or concentrations from aph observations. This work was supported under GSFC investments to support GEO-CAPE mission development.

Scientific significance: Contemporary ocean color observations are presently being used to estimate phytoplankton chlorophyll a. This new technique will allow for an expansion of the types and number of pigments that can be estimated. In addition, it may eventually lead to a technique whereby these upcoming hyperspectral ocean color satellites could be used to monitor the diversity and functional type makeup of the ocean phytoplankton assemblage.

Relevance for future science and relationship to Decadal Survey: The results from this research can be applied to either of the two ocean color missions presently in development (ACE and GEO-CAPE). Both of these missions plan to obtain remotely sensed ocean surface reflectance spectra at high (5nm) resolutions. These results demonstrate a potential for using such satellite observations for retrieving estimates of both phytoplankton pigments and functional types/diversity. Instead of simply retrieving chlorophyll a concentrations, it would be possible to retrieve estimates for multiple algal pigments. These pigment estimates could then be used with a second application to estimate phytoplankton functional types.

Hydrospheric and Biospheric Sciences Laboratory

Hourly GOES cloud occurrence data for 2007 were analyzed to determine the increase in probability of an image capture over the coastal ocean.For noon capture only scenarios (Figure 1; similar to traditional LEO imaging) low probabilities were observed.

If hourly scans become possible (such as expected for GEO-CAPE) the probability of observing at least 1 clear pixel over a 12 hour period is almost 100% for most coastal ocean regions (Figure 2).

Hydrospheric and Biospheric Sciences Laboratory

““GOES Cloud Analysis for GEO-CAPE”GOES Cloud Analysis for GEO-CAPE”John R. Moisan, NASA/GSFC, Code 614.2John R. Moisan, NASA/GSFC, Code 614.2

Figure 1: Probability of obtaining a clear image at local noon for a passive color satellite.

Figure 2: probability of obtaining at least one clear pixel between 6AM and 6PM (12 hour period) for a passive color satellite.

Name: John R. Moisan, NASA/GSFC E-mail: John.R.Moisan@nasa.govPhone: 757-824-1312

Data Sources: GOES east and west hourly cloud sounder “effective cloud amount” product from the University of Wisconsin, Madison’s Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies. The data cover the full time period of 2007.

Technical Description of Image:Figure 1: The probability of obtaining a clear image at local noon for a passive color satellite. Areas of the coastal ocean such as the Sea of Cortez, where clear skies prevail, have a much higher probability of being observed than for cloudy regions off the U.S. east coast. The influence of the Gulf Stream on the east coast and the west coast upwelling region in generation of or association with clouds can be seen.

Figure 2: The probability of obtaining at least one clear pixel between 6AM and 6PM (12 hour period) for a passive color satellite.

This work was supported under GSFC investments to support GEO-CAPE mission development.

Scientific significance: Clouds severely impact the retrieval of passive ocean color reflectance observations from space for satellites in LEO. By having a satellite in a geo-stationary orbit it will be possible to obtain a complete ‘look’ of the coastal ocean at least once per day as opposed to once-a-week or in some situations once-a-month. This will allow scientists to begin assessing the day to day variability of ocean color in the coastal regions where the time and space scales are shorter.

Relevance for future science and relationship to Decadal Survey: The results from this research can be applied to the GEO-CAPE ocean color mission presently in development. GEO-CAPE will be geo-stationary and is expected to take observations on the coastal ocean at hourly intervals. The results from the cloud analysis shows that by having an ocean color sensor in geostationary orbit the probability of obtaining a clear ocean image is very high.

Hydrospheric and Biospheric Sciences Laboratory

Statistical Evaluation of Combined Daily Gauge Observations and Statistical Evaluation of Combined Daily Gauge Observations and Rainfall Satellite Estimates over Continental South AmericaRainfall Satellite Estimates over Continental South America

Daniel Vila , Luis Gustavo G. de Goncalves, David L. Toll and Jose Roberto RozanteDaniel Vila , Luis Gustavo G. de Goncalves, David L. Toll and Jose Roberto Rozante Code 614.3, NASA GSFCCode 614.3, NASA GSFC

The spatial and temporal distribution of precipitation over this region is needed for a variety of scientific uses such as climate diagnostic studies, and societal applications such as water management for agriculture and power, drought relief, flood control and flood forecasting.

The CoSch (Combined Scheme) product is a new high-resolution, gauge-satellite-based analysis of daily precipitation over continental South America based on the real-time version of TMPA (TRMM Multisatellite Precipitation Analysis) and a combination of additive and multiplicative bias correction schemes to get the lowest bias when compared with the observed values (rain gauges).

Figure 1: Near real-time web page of CoSch for Del Plata Basin Regional Hydroclimate Project (http://cics.umd.edu/~dvila/web/CoSch)

Hydrospheric and Biospheric Sciences Laboratory

Cross validation results carried out during 2004 over South American continent shows an improvement of CoSch technique when compared with only-satellite and single bias correction techniques of 0.25 mm/day and 1.5 mm/day in terms of bias and RMSE respectively on average for the entire continent (see Vila et al, 2009 for details)

Name: Luis Gustavo G. de Goncalves, NASA/GSFC E-mail: luis.goncalves@nasa.govPhone: 301-286 8753

References:Vila, D.A., L.G.G. de Goncalves, D.L. Toll, and J.R. Rozante, 2009: Statistical Evaluation of Combined Daily Gauge Observations and Rainfall Satellite

Estimates over Continental South America. J. Hydrometeor., 10, 533–543. de Goncalves, L.G.G., W.J. Shuttleworth, D. Vila, E. Larroza, M.J. Bottino, D.L. Herdies, J.A. Aravequia, J.G.Z. De Mattos, D.L. Toll, M. Rodell, and P.

Houser, 2009: The South American Land Data Assimilation System (SALDAS) 5-Yr Retrospective Atmospheric Forcing Datasets. J. Hydrometeor., 10, 999–1010.

Data Sources:

3-hourly Real-time TRMM Multisatellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA): ftp://trmmopen.gsfc.nasa.gov/pub/merged/

Rain gauge database: The data sources for the daily surface precipitation observations used, in addition to those of the World MeteorologicalOrganization (WMO), are obtained through an INPE compilation of the following agencies: (a) Agência Nacional de Energia Eléctrica (ANEEL;National Agency for Electrical Energy), (b) Agência Nacional de Águas (ANA; National Water Agency), (c) Fundação Cearense de MeteorologiaRecursos Hídricos (FUNCEME; Meteorology and Hydrologic Resources Foundation of Ceará), (d) Superintendência do Desenvolvimento doNordeste (SUDENE; Superintendence for Development of the Northeast), (e) Departamento de Águas e Energia Elétrica do Estado de São Paulo(DAEE; Department of Water and Electrical Energy for the State of São Paulo), in collaboration with the Centro de Previsão de Tempo e EstudosClimáticos (CPTEC; Brazilian Weather Forecast and Climate Studies Center), and (f) Technological Institute of Paraná (SIMEPAR)

Technical Description of Image:Figure 1: The near real-time web page of CoSch for Del Plata Basin Regional Hydroclimate Project (http://cics.umd.edu/~dvila/web/CoSch) has been

launched on July 2009 and since then has been a valuable source of real time rainfall information. The left panel show the result of daily accumulation using CoSch technique over Del Plata basin while on the right side, the mean areal rainfall for different sub-basins are shown.

Scientific significance: While a suite of sensors flying on a variety of satellites have been used to estimate precipitation on a global basis, generally speaking, the performance of satellite precipitation estimates over land areas is highly dependent on the rainfall regime and the temporal and spatial scale of the retrievals . On the other hand, gauge observations continue to play a critical role in observations systems over global land areas. In addition, gauge observations are the only source that is obtained through direct measurements. Among the multiple scientific objectives of GPM (Global Precipitation Measurement) program, the research of physical process studies utilizing satellite and GV (ground validation) data and the application of existing data sets to improve atmospheric and land surface models is addressed as a main priority in the current NASA Research Announcement (NRA)

Relevance for future science and relationship to Decadal Survey: One of the motivations for this research is the potential use of high resolution atmospheric datasets for land surface hydrology studies and numerical modeling over South America by combining surface observations with remotely sensed information. Such data fusion was made possible by the onset of Land Data Assimilation Systems (LDAS) initiatives (Mitchell et al. 2004; Rodell et al. 2004). A South American LDAS (SALDAS – de Goncalves et al. 2006a,b ) is particularly challenging when proposing to combine high resolution remote sensing and surface observations using LSM’s over a continent with sparse observation networks. Precipitation (along with radiation) represents one of the most important drivers for LSM’s and motivates this paper as part of the efforts of combining satellite precipitation with raingauges for SALDAS forcing composition and evaluation (de Goncalves et al. 2009).

Hydrospheric and Biospheric Sciences Laboratory

APT Image Received at Lanham, Maryland Home StationAPT Image Received at Lanham, Maryland Home StationWilliam J. Webster, JrWilliam J. Webster, Jr. (Code 614.5, NASA GSFC) . (Code 614.5, NASA GSFC)

Hydrospheric and Biospheric Sciences Laboratory

Since NOAA 19 is now operational, routine operation of the APT (Automatic Picture Transmission) VHF transmitter (137.1 MHZ) allows reception of AVHRR images by inexpensive ground stations on a routine basis. The availability of well thought out freeware acquisition and image-processing software makes it possible to do very sophisticated image processing and analysis of the resulting images.

The APT system on the NOAA series of polar orbiters decimates the raw AVHRR data by a third and transmits the images from a visible and infrared channel on the VHF frequency. Figure 1: APT image from September 9, 2009 (start time

18:31 UTC) processed using a freeware program that does geographic overlaying and multispectral classification.

Name: William J. Webster, NASA/GSFC E-mail: William.J.Webster@nasa.govPhone: 301-614-6525

Data Sources: APT (Automatic Picture Transmission) VHF transmitter (137.1 MHZ)

Technical Description of Image:

Figure 1: The APT image from September 9, 2009 (start time 18:31 UTC) was processed using a freeware

program that does geographic overlaying and multispectral classification. As late as 5 years ago, reception of

APT images was a relatively expensive proposition with a total cost in excess of $2000 just for the necessary

hardware. Today, all that is needed is a PC with sound card, a receiver costing around $250 (less in kit form),

and an appropriate antenna (which does not need to track the satellite) costing around $150 (or scratch built

for much less). All the necessary software is available as free-ware

Scientific significance: The availability of well thought out freeware acquisition and image-processing software makes it possible to do very sophisticated image processing and analysis of the resulting images .

As late as 5 years ago, reception of APT images was a relatively expensive proposition with a total cost in excess of $2000 just for the necessary hardware. Today, all that is needed is a PC with sound card, a receiver costing around $250 (less in kit form), and an appropriate antenna (which does not need to track the satellite) costing around $150 (or scratch built for much less). All the necessary software is available as free-ware.

This set-up has an interplay of geography, meteorology, and land usage over the seasons. This kind of set-up is an ideal educational tool for hands-on teaching of Earth Science

Hydrospheric and Biospheric Sciences Laboratory