![](media/image1.jpeg){width="8.495833333333334in"
height="11.015277777777778in"}2^nd^ GOES Users' Conference

*October 1-3, 2002*

*Boulder, Colorado*

Conference Report

![](media/image2.png){width="0.76875in" height="0.76875in"}

**U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC)**

> **National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)**
>
> **National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service
> (NESDIS)**

2^nd^ GOES Users' Conference

October 1-3, 2002

Boulder, Colorado

Conference Report

![](media/image4.png){width="1.3694444444444445in"
height="0.7097222222222223in"}

U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS)

# Foreword {#foreword .WW-Heading}

The NOAA Geostationary Environmental Operational Satellite (GOES)
R-series is in the planning stage, with first launch scheduled for the
2012 timeframe. Continuation and improvement of this important system
capability is critical to meeting NOAA mission goals of serving
society's needs for weather, water, climate and other environmental
information. NOAA is conducting a number of outreach efforts to exchange
information with the user community to ensure optimal capability is
acquired with the future series. NOAA held the 2nd GOES Users'
Conference in Boulder, Colorado, in October 2002 to further this user
coordination.

The goals of the conference were to:

-   Inform users of future capabilities and potential applications of
    the GOES-R Series

-   Determine user needs for:

    \-- new products

    \-- distribution of GOES data and products

    \-- instruments of opportunity

    \-- access to sample data prior to launch of next series

    \-- education, training and outreach

-   Assess user and societal benefits of future systems

-   Develop methods to improve communication between NOAA's National
    Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) and
    the GOES user community

    \-- develop, present, and refine a process for determining and
    updating requirements

These goals were well realized because many useful recommendations were
made that NOAA will consider as we develop the future series. This
report documents many of these recommendations. This input is also
especially timely since we are in the process of developing requirements
for the future series and will be documenting and validating these
requirements during this year and next. These requirements form the
basis for various technical studies and cost/benefit analyses.

NOAA organized this conference in cooperation with the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the American Meteorological
Society (AMS), the National Weather Association (NWA), and the World
Meteorological Organization (WMO). The National Institute of Standards
and Technology (NIST) again assisted by providing the meeting facilities
in Boulder. We would like to thank all conference participants,
especially the invited speakers, all those who provided valuable
suggestions for improving the future GOES program, NIST personnel who
provided logistic support, and the program committee that ensured that a
highly successful conference resulted. The conference committee members
are listed in Appendix 7.

![](media/image5.png){width="2.4583333333333335in"
height="0.6354166666666666in"}

Gary K. Davis

Director

Office of Systems Development

# Table of Contents {#table-of-contents .WW-Heading}

[1 Conference Overview 5](#conference-overview)

[2 Overview Presentations 8](#overview-presentations)

[2.1 Opening Speakers 8](#opening-speakers)

[2.2 Keynote Address, NOAA Administrator Vice Admiral Conrad
Lautenbacher
10](#keynote-address-noaa-administrator-vice-admiral-conrad-lautenbacher)

[2.3 The Role of OFCM in Interagency Coordination
12](#the-role-of-ofcm-in-interagency-coordination)

[2.4 Conference Summary 12](#conference-summary)

[3 Session Reports and Panel Discussions
13](#session-reports-and-panel-discussions)

[3.1 Requirements and Applications 13](#requirements-and-applications)

[3.1.1 A Visionary Look at Using Weather Satellites in 2020s
13](#a-visionary-look-at-using-weather-satellites-in-2020s)

[3.1.2 Imager 13](#imager)

[3.1.3 IR Sounder 14](#ir-sounder)

[3.1.4 NWS Forecast Operations 2012 and Beyond
14](#nws-forecast-operations-2012-and-beyond)

[3.1.5 Future Role of Satellite Data in NCEP's Numerical Models
14](#future-role-of-satellite-data-in-nceps-numerical-models)

[3.1.6 Microwave Sensing from GEO orbit
15](#microwave-sensing-from-geo-orbit)

[3.1.7 Future Aviation Applications from GOES
15](#future-aviation-applications-from-goes)

[3.1.8 Space Environment Monitor and Solar Imaging
15](#space-environment-monitor-and-solar-imaging)

[3.1.9 Ionospheric Imaging from Geosynchronous Orbit
15](#ionospheric-imaging-from-geosynchronous-orbit)

[3.2 International Panel Summary 15](#international-panel-summary)

[3.3 Oceanography, Marine Transportation, and Fisheries Observations
18](#oceanography-marine-transportation-and-fisheries-observations)

[3.4 Value of Geostationary Observations for Climate
21](#value-of-geostationary-observations-for-climate)

[3.4.1 The Importance of Calibration for Climate Observations
21](#the-importance-of-calibration-for-climate-observations)

[3.4.2 Long-Term Data Consistency for Climate Observations
21](#long-term-data-consistency-for-climate-observations)

[3.4.3 Specific Recommendations 22](#specific-recommendations)

[4 Summary of Recommendations 23](#summary-of-recommendations)

[4.1 Technical Recommendations 23](#technical-recommendations)

[4.2 Communication Between NOAA's NESDIS and the GOES User Community
24](#communication-between-noaas-nesdis-and-the-goes-user-community)

[Appendix 1 Conference Agenda 26](#appendix-1-conference-agenda)

[Appendix 2 Attendee Representation
29](#appendix-2-attendee-representation)

[Appendix 3 Conference Attendee Feedback
30](#appendix-3-conference-attendee-feedback)

[Appendix 4 Geostationary Satellite Observations for Climate Studies
33](#appendix-4-geostationary-satellite-observations-for-climate-studies)

[Appendix 5 Oceans Presentation and Recommendations
39](#appendix-5-oceans-presentation-and-recommendations)

[Appendix 6 Glossary 43](#appendix-6-glossary)

[Appendix 7 Conference Committee 45](#appendix-7-conference-committee)

# Conference Overview

Extensive activities are involved in planning for a future GOES series.
One of the most important of these is outreach to the user community ---
to share information on NOAA plans for future system capabilities ---
and to get input from users on future evolving needs. NOAA is in the
planning stage for the GOES-R Series, now scheduled for the first launch
in 2012. While that may seem to be far in the future, it is not long in
terms of acquisition planning. NOAA is conducting technical planning for
key sensors and setting mission requirements. So continuing the dialog
is essential.

To further NOAA and user information exchange, the 2nd GOES Users'
Conference was held October 1-3, 2002 in Boulder, Colorado, with nearly
200 participants from the private sector, academia, government, and the
international community.[^1] The goals of the conference were to:

-   Inform GOES users of plans for the next generation (GOES-R Series)
    capabilities

-   Determine user needs for new products, data distribution, and data
    archiving

-   Assess potential user and societal benefits of GOES capabilities

-   Develop methods to improve communication between NOAA's National
    Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) and
    the GOES user community

The conference was organized into sessions on:

-   User Requirements, Applications, and Potential Benefits from Future
    GOES

-   International Update on Future Geostationary Satellite Systems

-   Oceanography, Marine Transportation, and Fisheries

-   Climate Monitoring

The last day of the conference consisted of breakout sessions on
selected topics. Attendees addressed their future needs for products,
services, data distribution, archiving, training ---- and the potential
benefits from the next generation GOES capabilities to their future
operations and to society at large.

This report summarizes the conference recommendations, with special
emphasis on climate and oceans issues. The report also provides the NOAA
approach for continuing communication between NOAA and GOES users to
ensure that the needs of the user community are fully considered in the
design of future systems, products, and services.

The conference focused on the third generation of the GOES series (the R
Series) with the first satellite planned for launch in 2012. Topics
covered were:

-   User requirements and the requirements process

-   Interagency coordination

-   A visionary look at future environmental satellites

-   Potential new instruments

-   User applications and benefits

-   User training

-   Role of GOES in the global observing system

-   Requirements for oceanographic, fisheries, and marine observations

-   Requirements for climate observations

The third day of the conference consisted of a number of breakout
sessions, including climate and oceans monitoring. The breakout session
was organized around the following user interests:

-   Weather forecasting

-   Climate monitoring

-   Oceanography

-   Natural hazards

-   Numerical modeling

-   Hydrology and land surface

A number of the recommendations listed in Section 4 were made in these
breakout sessions. The central issue of the conference was that of
potential benefits to users and society as a whole. Throughout the
various panels and breakout sessions, the following question was
addressed:

Considering the information presented during this conference regarding
the potential benefits and service improvements of GOES, can you foresee
additional savings in terms of life, injury avoidance or protection of
property? Please indicate the three most important benefits to your
program or to society.

Respondents clearly indicated that planned GOES capabilities would lead
to significant improvements in detection of atmospheric moisture and
improved quality of satellite derived winds --- leading to improved
numerical model performance. Together with subjective use of the
improved satellite data and products by forecasters, this should result
in more timely and accurate weather forecasts, including improvements
in:

-   Forecasts of hurricane landfall

-   Forecasts of flooding

-   Forecast detail

-   Tornado warnings

The improved forecasts should directly lead to preservation of life and
property, including:

-   Safety and economic benefits to commercial, military and general
    aviation

-   Better management of energy resources

-   Improved planning and management of ground and marine based
    transportation

-   Better fisheries management

-   Improved guidance for State Emergency Managers

-   Cost savings for agricultural applications from better planning of
    watering, and application of pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers

-   Improved management of water resources and flood control

-   Improved military operations due to improved forecasts for
    trafficability, weapons trajectories, ship and plane sorties for
    storm avoidance, and aircraft carrier operations

-   Improved quality of life due to better recreational planning

Appendix 1 provides the Conference Agenda listing the overall conference
topics, panels, and breakout sessions.

# Overview Presentations

## 2.1 Opening Speakers {#opening-speakers .unnumbered}

##### Greg Withee, NOAA Assistant Administrator for Satellite and Information Services {#greg-withee-noaa-assistant-administrator-for-satellite-and-information-services .unnumbered}

![](media/image6.jpeg){width="3.4374015748031495in"
height="2.5653543307086615in"}The focus of Mr. Withee's presentation was
that NOAA's systems must be user-driven. Users represent a wide range of
interests and needs, and NOAA is keenly open to hearing new ways of
doing business. Working in partnership with stakeholders, users can make
systems innovative and exciting, while NOAA can make those systems
efficient and exacting. To fuel the user-driven approach, Mr. Withee
encouraged interactivity between users and NOAA managers during the
conference. With the input and assistance of all, users and NOAA can
work to make the GOES-R series the best system it can be. Major NOAA
planning considerations address:

-   Complex users and complex integration needs

-   User community benefits of satellite systems

-   Key ingredients requirements process, and the architecture itself

-   Polar (POES) series important complement to the geostationary (GOES)
    systems

-   Importance of partnership between NOAA and NASA to the acquisition

-   Integration of weather and space systems with the award of the
    NPOESS to TRW

-   Drive to make GOES as influential and important to research and data
    gathering as NPOESS

-   Importance of clearly demonstrating the value of GOES-R to the NOAA
    Administrator, the President and Congress to garner support at all
    levels

-   Improved capabilities of satellites, in particular GOES to further
    the operational monitoring opportunities for

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   CO~2~ and other greenhouse gases

-   Precipitation

-   Clouds

-   Winds

-   Aerosols

-   Surface

-   Space weather

Geostationary and Polar satellites will work together to give the
complete global environmental picture, including factors such as
weather, climate, and surface temperatures.

##### Gary Davis, NOAA/NESDIS, Director, Office of Systems Development  {#gary-davis-noaanesdis-director-office-of-systems-development .unnumbered}

Mr. Davis pointed out that NOAA used information from the last Users'
Conference to make changes to and improvements in requirements, in part
by forming a "GOES Users' Working Group." NOAA is listening to the user
community, and is conducting trade studies to get a better idea of what
can be accommodated in the future NOAA systems. This conference builds
on feedback from its predecessor, maintaining a sharp focus on the
benefits of GOES use, as well as a focus on requirements, which undergo
a constant process of updating and refinement. No ideas should be left
out --- users must continue to provide feedback so that NOAA can shape
GOES systems to meet user needs.

##### Steve Kirkner, NOAA/NESDIS, GOES Program Manager  {#steve-kirkner-noaanesdis-goes-program-manager .unnumbered}

Mr. Kirkner gave a GOES Program overview and described GOES' mission and
status. He described the acquisition process, the current system being
acquired, and how and when the future system will be phased in.

##### Jim Gurka, NOAA/NESDIS, GOES-R Requirements Team Leader and User Conference Leader  {#jim-gurka-noaanesdis-goes-r-requirements-team-leader-and-user-conference-leader .unnumbered}

Mr. Gurka reported on recommendations from the last Users' Conference
and the progress made to evaluate and incorporate recommendations into
the future system. He also reported on means to improve overall
communications, including:

-   Regular conferences

-   Working groups

-   Bulletin boards

-   Informative special sessions at end user conferences

-   Information via e-mail

-   Expert teams available to engineers and instrument developers

##### Michael Crison, NOAA/NESDIS, Chief, Planning, Requirements, and Systems Integration Division {#michael-crison-noaanesdis-chief-planning-requirements-and-systems-integration-division .unnumbered}

Mr. Crison spoke on transferring science requirements to system
implementation, and requirements gathering, validation, and concept
studies. GOES is part of a larger system, and is breaking away from any
"stovepipe" GOES -- serving broad weather, climate and oceanic observing
needs. Consequently, the future GOES is serving a broad user base along
with its traditional weather mission. We are gathering input on GOES
along with other environmental monitoring needs so that those needs can
be mapped into and become part of "the system of systems."

We will document user needs such as observation requirements, temporal
resolution, spectral coverage, spatial resolution, and radiometric
performance. We will translate these needs into architecture solutions
and instruments, considering end-to-end architectures. Cost and Benefit
Analysis strategy and methodology will also be considered. This helped
sell NPOESS, and can be used to aid in supporting GOES.

Mr. Crison also spoke on the subject of response time, capability, and
cost/benefit analyses. He placed emphasis on the need to maintain
visionary outlook to meet future needs that will evolve as system
evolves over the next 10 to 15 years. A visionary approach to future
GOES acquisition helps prevent locking out of future improvements and
incorporation of advancing technology

## 2.2 Keynote Address, NOAA Administrator Vice Admiral Conrad Lautenbacher  {#keynote-address-noaa-administrator-vice-admiral-conrad-lautenbacher .unnumbered}

![](media/image7.jpeg){width="3.45in" height="2.459055118110236in"}The
Administrator spoke about NOAA's role in future global environmental
observing efforts, stating that NOAA could play the critical role of
remote sensing in global environmental observation. As part of a "system
of systems," NOAA could position itself as its leader, as the nexus
where information and systems are gathered and organized. The
Administrator pointed out five "T's" that NOAA needs to achieve this
important role:

-   Transformation, which entails organizational transformation to
    better meet the mission

-   Total systems perspective

-   Technology infusion

-   Transitioning research to operation

-   Teaming with government, academia, corporations, users groups, and
    international community

These five points are used to describe how to build a better piece of a
global sensing system for earth science, oceans, and atmosphere.

###### NOAA Transformation {#noaa-transformation .unnumbered}

-   Efficient corporate organization

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   alignment with current and future missions, resolve imbalances
    between resources and requirements

-   define requirements process, essential for efficiency of budgeting

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Capture user requirements beyond NOAA and in teaming with others

-   Fill gaps in architecture by establishing NOAA-wide observing
    architecture for a "system of systems"

###### Total Systems Perspective {#total-systems-perspective .unnumbered}

-   Development

-   Acquisition

-   Launch

-   User requirements

-   Bringing in data

-   Operation

-   Part of the global observing system

###### Technology Infusion  {#technology-infusion .unnumbered}

-   Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) and Hyperspectral Environmental Suite
    (HES)

-   Advanced sounder data feeds in directly to commercial benefits, i.e.
    airline routing and flight patterns

-   Weather and climate data use for utilities/power allocation and
    planning

-   Storm warning systems and precision forecasts for increased needs in
    coastal community evacuation

-   Data flow management, data compression, other enabling technologies

###### Transitioning research to operations {#transitioning-research-to-operations .unnumbered}

-   GIFTS-IOMI Program

-   NPOESS NPP

-   Joint Center for Satellite Data Assimilation (includes NASA and the
    military)

-   Joint NASA/NOAA planning cycles

###### Teaming {#teaming .unnumbered}

-   Global observing system

-   NPOESS --- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, NOAA, TRW, Raytheon

-   GOES-R --- NOAA, NASA Goddard, User Community

-   NOAA and National Space Security Team

-   International issues and collaborations

-   Integrated Global Observing Community

-   International Oceanographic Observing Systems

By engaging these five concepts, NOAA can build a better GOES-R in the
most efficient way by establishing integrated systems. The Administrator
described how the military's method of establishing systems might answer
civilian needs.

-   Principles of looking at front end mission needs and defining those
    needs

-   Build mission statement and assess requirements that need to be met
    to meet mission needs

-   Begin with mission needs to develop plan to satisfy requirements

-   Use model of defining requirements and solid definition of resource
    needs

-   Put programs together and keep the logic of systems in mind

The Administrator then described how NOAA might address international
outreach and training:

-   Geographic information data on continents for use in resource
    management decisions

-   Use remote sensing data to support sustainable development in other
    countries

-   Capacity building will take time

-   Understanding of resources needed to capture and convert data

![](media/image8.jpeg){width="2.397244094488189in"
height="1.9791338582677165in"}In thanking NOAA for its contribution to
global community needs and technology infusion, the Administrator
committed NOAA to continue its path of outreach. The information it
provides is essential now and over the U.S., and currently supports
training programs and capacity building. NOAA must continue to build a
literate public community through outreach, education and training. NOAA
also needs the user community to continue to make that important to
legislative entities as part of its mission. For user information, the
NOAA mission goals to serve society's needs for weather, water, climate
and other environmental information are documented in the NOAA Strategic
Plan available at *http://www.osp.noaa.gov/docs/publicdraft.pdf*.

## The Role of OFCM in Interagency Coordination

Mr. Sam Williamson, Director of the Office of the Federal Coordinator
for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research (OFCM), reviewed the
history of the OFCM requirements coordination activities. His
perspective traced OFCM history from the establishment of the Federal
Committee for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research (FCMSSR),
that sets policy and priorities, and the Interdepartmental Committee and
Program Councils that implement the policy decisions, make policy
recommendations to FCMSSR, and assess adequacy of Federal programs and
guides implementation of new interagency programs.

## 2.4 Conference Summary {#conference-summary .unnumbered}

The conference consisted of a number of introductory NOAA speakers, a
series of panel sessions, breakout sessions, and recommendation reports.
The sessions were structured into the following:

-   User Requirements, Applications and Potential Benefits from GOES-R
    Series

-   International Update on Future Geostationary Satellite Systems

-   Oceanography, Marine Transportation, and Fisheries

-   Climate Monitoring

-   Poster Session

There were many very interesting presentations in the sessions and they
are all available at *ftp://ftp.osd.noaa.gov/goesuser/* for the Power
Point presentations, and the presentation abstracts are available at
*http://www.osd.noaa.gov/goes_R/goesrconf.htm*. The breakout sessions
were organized into the following:

-   Weather Forecasting

-   Climate Monitoring

-   Oceanography

-   Natural Hazards

-   Numerical Modeling

-   Hydrology and Land Surface

The major recommendations of these breakout sessions are found in
Section 4.

# Session Reports and Panel Discussions

![](media/image9.jpeg){width="3.0in" height="2.254724409448819in"}The
session and panel discussions covered a wide range of important issues.
The following selected topics are summarized here:

-   Requirements and Applications

-   International Update

-   Oceans Monitoring

-   Climate Issues

## 3.1 Requirements and Applications {#requirements-and-applications .unnumbered}

There are three keys to progress:

-   Increased computer power

-   Improved observations

-   Improved understanding of atmosphere and oceans.

Remote sensing from space is the key to improved observations. The
Conference provided insight into the Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) that
will provide exciting new products from geostationary orbit, and, the
Hyperspectral Environmental Suite (HES), which is the next logical step
to acquiring operational high temporal and high spectral data. At the
time of the conference, 18 bands were being considered; 16 bands now
make up the ABI. The potential benefits of microwave data from
geostationary orbits were discussed, including better precipitation
measurements and radiances for input to numerical models. Also, space
weather and ionspheric disturbances detection and measurements are
important for a number of uses (e.g., more people in space, and aircraft
over the polar regions).

### 3.1.1 A Visionary Look at Using Weather Satellites in 2020s  {#a-visionary-look-at-using-weather-satellites-in-2020s .unnumbered}

![](media/image10.jpeg){width="2.851574803149606in"
height="1.9543307086614172in"}There is a world constellation of
geostationary and polar satellites. The key to future improvements is
remote sensing from space.

There is a high-resolution global database via GPS, both from ground
based and space based sensors. These data, in concert with the GOES will
be used for high-resolution water vapor tracking. There will be more of
an emphasis on a combination of systems. There is a need for 1 km and
higher resolution models. In the future, there will be weather
information for "everything, all the time, everywhere."

### 3.1.2 Imager  {#imager .unnumbered}

The current sensors offer a wide range of GOES imager applications, yet
they possess a number of limitations that the ABI can remedy. The ABI
will:

-   Improve spatial resolution by a factor of four

-   Scan faster for improved spatial coverage

-   Increase the number of spectral bands

Data from the ABI will improve each product of the current GOES imager.
Additionally, the 16-band ABI will allow exciting new products from
geostationary orbit.

### 3.1.3 IR Sounder  {#ir-sounder .unnumbered}

There are several key areas in remote sensing: spatial resolution,
spectral resolution, temporal resolution and radiometric accuracy.
NASA's GIFTS is the first instrument that offers the appropriate balance
between these parameters. Impact testing with current GOES sounder data
collected in Autumn 2000 has shown significant impact on weather
forecast accuracy. The challenge is to more fully utilize the unique
temporal aspects of GOES.

The ABS/HES is the next logical step to acquire operational high
temporal and high spectral data. The AIRS, IASI, GIFTS datasets will
accomplish risk reduction for the ABS/HES.

### 3.1.4 NWS Forecast Operations 2012 and Beyond  {#nws-forecast-operations-2012-and-beyond .unnumbered}

The National Weather Service has embraced the use of experimental as
well as operational satellites. The GIFTS instrument will be a risk
reduction exercise for GOES-R. There are several challenges for users:

-   Fire hose of information

-   Managing data, integrating data, feeding necessary information to
    users in the right amount to the right people at the right time

-   Integrating data from multiple sources

### 3.1.5 Future Role of Satellite Data in NCEP's Numerical Models {#future-role-of-satellite-data-in-nceps-numerical-models .unnumbered}

![](media/image11.jpeg){width="2.8181102362204724in"
height="2.12992125984252in"}The main challenge for numerical weather
prediction is how to optimize resources of the total system by improving
model performance with improved satellite data assimilation. The new
Joint Center for Satellite Data Assimilation will accelerate the use of
research and operational satellite data in operational numerical
prediction models.

Key factors include:

-   Data and instruments

-   The science of data assimilation

-   Computer and communications capacity.

Motivation for the NASA/NOAA/DoD partnership is to address future
challenges through:

-   ![](media/image12.jpeg){width="2.5661417322834645in"
    height="1.9291338582677164in"}Improved exploitation of existing
    satellite data in operational models

-   Preparation for future data

-   Leveraging of multi-agency resources

### 3.1.6 Microwave Sensing from GEO orbit  {#microwave-sensing-from-geo-orbit .unnumbered}

As prominent activities in Europe have shown, microwave data from
geostationary orbit provides a plausible solution for precipitation
detection and all-weather temperature and moisture soundings. The
potential benefits of microwave data include better precipitation
measurements and radiances for inclusion in numerical models.

### 3.1.7 Future Aviation Applications from GOES {#future-aviation-applications-from-goes .unnumbered}

The impact of adverse weather on the aviation industry is in the range
of \$100 million per year. This consists of better observing of: icing,
volcanic ash, turbulence, lightning (via a lightning mapper), head/tail
winds, clouds and restrictions to visibility. Both high spectral and
spatial resolution data are critical to observations of middle-level
turbulence so the fine-scale features are not blurred.

### ![](media/image13.jpeg){width="2.6791338582677167in" height="1.9645669291338583in"}3.1.8 Space Environment Monitor and Solar Imaging  {#space-environment-monitor-and-solar-imaging .unnumbered}

Monitoring the sun and near-Earth space environment is very important.
The GOES is important for observing solar radiation storms, geomagnetic
storms and radio blackouts. The Solar X-ray Imager (on GOES-12) will
give advance warning for changes in space weather changes near the
Earth.

### 3.1.9 Ionospheric Imaging from Geosynchronous Orbit {#ionospheric-imaging-from-geosynchronous-orbit .unnumbered}

The Navy and Air Force have interest in space weather. The ionosphere is
highly variable, and is affected by tidal, wind and seasonal changes.
The Solar Imager would allow for the first time understanding between
the troposphere and ionosphere. Current ionospheric models have limited
accuracy because ionospheric bubbles and disturbances can interrupt GPS
or create communications interference and noise.

## 3.2 International Panel Summary  {#international-panel-summary .unnumbered}

WMO Deputy Secretary General Michel Jarraud reported that there are now
three constellations in the space-based component of the Global
Observing System (GOS): Polar-Orbiting, Geostationary and the recently
added Research & Development. NASA confirmed its commitment to WMO and
to the world community to make observations from relevant missions
available without restriction. Since data from NASA's EOS missions are
readily available, its satellites can be considered a *de facto*
constituent of the GOS' space-based component. In particular, NASA's
Aqua launched on May 4, 2002, into a sun-synchronous afternoon orbit
provides a direct broadcast service for its data. NASA's Terra, launched
December 18, 1999, continues to provide data from its direct broadcast
service. All data from NASA instruments and NASDA's AMSR-E onboard Aqua
are available to WMO Members.

ESA is developing information for WMO Members on the availability of
specific data and products from ESA's EO satellite missions, including
the ENVISAT mission launched in March 2002. ESA plans to propose an
Announcement of Opportunity (AO) to foster the use of ESA Earth
Observation data by the WMO community. ESA's ENVISAT was launched on
October 1, 2001, and its valuable data are available through the ESA web
site in Frascati, Italy. Japan's NASDA indicated that its future
satellite missions including ADEOS II and the GCOM series are candidate
contributors to the GOS. Finally, the Russian Aviation and Space Agency
(Rosaviakosmos) confirmed that experimental and R&D instruments on board
its operational METEOR 3M N1 satellite as well as on its future Okean
series and other missions could be considered part of the GOS.

![](media/image14.jpeg){width="2.9334645669291337in" height="2.2in"}Dr.
Bizzarro Bizzarri spoke about the possibilities for geo-microwave
capabilities. He noted that recently two developments gave the idea of
MW sounding from GEO new impetus:

-   On the technological front, it has become possible to extend
    radiometry to the sub-millimeter range, which allows antenna size
    reduction or, alternatively, improved resolution.

-   On the applications front, strong requirements have appeared to
    frequently observe precipitation, due to growing capability of NWP
    models to assimilate precipitation data at the appropriate scale.

The objective of a geo-microwave demonstration program would be to
explore the capabilities of very-high-frequency microwaves and
sub-millimeter waves to provide frequent sounding, as allowed from the
geostationary orbit, of:

-   nearly-all-weather atmospheric temperature and humidity profiles

-   cloud liquid and ice water (total column and gross profile)

-   precipitation rate from convective clouds (and non-convective clouds
    to a limited extent).

Future possible operational undertakings should be explored, since
frequent observations of temperature/humidity, cloud liquid/ice water
and precipitation rate are of primary importance for Nowcasting and
Regional/Global NWP, as well as for climate characteriztion
(hydrological regimes) and improved description of the water cycle in
General Circulation Models. Direct use in hydro-agro-meteorology also
would be important. A geo-microwave with limited antenna size (3 m)
could provide synoptic scale 30 km sounding resolution with hourly duty
cycle, 20 km cloud resolution every hour, and 10 km precipitation
resolution every 15 minutes.

Rolf Stuhlmann from EUMETSAT was congratulated on the successful launch
of Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) in September 2002. This 12 channel
vis (1 km) and IR (3 km) sensor will significantly boost geostationary
observing capabilities. He then reported on the Post MSG User
Consultation process. The EUMETSAT goals were to:

-   Establish agreed upon user/service needs and priorities that serve
    as a reference for deriving performance, functional, and other high
    level specifications for a post-MSG system (time frame 2015 - 2025)

-   Use high level specifications to issue (with ESA as partner) an open
    invitation to tender to industry for pre-phase A activities to
    assess mission/system architecture concepts

-   Evaluate/consolidate documented mission concepts and preliminary
    system architecture and derive/propose detailed plans for phase A
    and related R&D activities.

EUMETSAT desires that operational applications (NWC, NWP, climate
monitoring), and not technology drive formulation of user/service needs,
related observational requirements and priorities in the first phase of
the User Consultation Process. Feasibility, technology, and technical
realization should only be addressed in the second phase (propose
mission concepts and system architecture).

The EUMETSAT vision on prospective user/service need (2015-2025) has
been prioritized and documented in three position papers on "Nowcasting
(NWC), regional-, and global-NWP by Application Expert Groups (AEGs)"
and endorsed by EUMETSAT Council and have been discussed in detail at
the 1st Post-MSG User Consultation Workshop in November 2001. The
Council has endorsed these recommendations and tasked EUMETSAT to
implement without delay a consolidation of Observational Requirements
and Technical and Remote Sensing Expert assessment. Remote Sensing
Experts have encouraged EUMETSAT to look at two scales of GEO VIS/IR
imagery (I-1 and I-2) and to specify the relevant "channels to be
considered for an instrument concept proposal" for both. These are:

-   Imagery-1 mission with spatial resolution of 500 m and temporal
    resolution of 5 min

-   Imagery-2 mission with spatial resolution of 1 km and temporal
    resolution of 15 min.

Imagery-2 channel selection should consider two options: there is no
sounding mission and a de-scoped set in case of an additional sounding
mission.

Hitomi Miyamoto, from JMA, reported that the Multi-functional Transport
Satellite (MTSAT) was to have taken over the meteorological missions of
Geostationary Meteorological Satellite-5 (GMS-5) in the spring of 2000.
However, due to the failure of launch vehicle of MTSAT, a new plan was
formulated to launch MTSAT-1R as a replacement of MTSAT in early 2003
and MTSAT-2 as the next one in mid 2004 to function in stand-by
operations for three years and start of service in 2008. Currently
preparation has been progressing for operation of both satellites.
MTSAT-1R is now planned for launch in early 2004. MTSAT-1R and MTSAT-2
are multi-purpose satellites with both aeronautical and meteorological
missions.

Dr. Paul Menzel summarized the geostationary observation plans for
China, India, and Russia.

##### China {#china .unnumbered}

The second Chinese geostationary meteorological satellite, FY-2B, was
launched on June 25, 2000. The satellite is spin-stabilized and
stationed at 105^0^E. FY-2C is planned for launch in 2004, and will
carry the current GOES Imager spectral bands at 1 km (vis) and 5 km (IR)
resolution.

##### India {#india .unnumbered}

India launched INSAT-3B in March 2000 as the first of the INSAT-3
series. INSAT-3C followed on January 24, 2002. A geo dedicated to
meteorological applications, METSAT, was launched in September 2002;
this carries an imager with vis (2 km), IRW (8 km), and WV (8 km)
channels and a CCD array at 0.7, 0.8, and 1.6 microns. Launch of
INSAT-3E is in early 2003 and that of INSAT-3D at the end of 2003 or in
the first quarter of 2004; the latter payload will also include a 19
channel sounder.

##### Russia {#russia .unnumbered}

Russian geostationary observations plans include the GOMS/Electro N2
satellite to be designed for a 3-axis stabilized platform. The key
payload will consist of MSU-G, a scanning radiometer-imager with 12
channels in VIS and IR similar to MSG SEVIRI. The spatial resolution in
sub-satellite point will be about 1 km (VIS) and 4 km (IR). GOMS/Electro
N2 launch to geostationary orbit at 76°E is planned for 2005.

The session confirmed that the Global Observing System is truly an
international enterprise and that research contributions will
significantly expand the GOS capabilities. Users encouraged all
participants to engage in active inter-calibration efforts.

## 3.3 Oceanography, Marine Transportation, and Fisheries Observations {#oceanography-marine-transportation-and-fisheries-observations .unnumbered}

GOES ocean measurements from platforms now in orbit, the planned GOES-R
instruments and from future GOES systems offer many benefits, including:

-   Advances in understanding of the role of the oceans in coupled
    geophysical and ecological processes

-   Cost savings and increased safety for marine transportation

-   Enhanced fisheries production and conservation through science-based
    knowledge

-   Improved numerical prediction (ocean, atmosphere, and coupled)
    models.

The Oceanography, Marine Transportation, and Fisheries Session included
a panel discussion and a breakout session the following day with 15
active participants. The panel was organized to have two GOES user
representatives with different requirements, an ocean-atmosphere panel
member with remote sensing expertise, and a panel member reporting on
NASA Earth Science 10-25 year vision. Each cited clear benefits provided
by present, planned (GOES-R), and envisioned geostationary satellite
measurements. Panel member Walter McKeown, Senior Scientist at the Naval
Atlantic Meteorology and Oceanography Center, described the benefits to
the Navy and commercial maritime transport of having timely
geostationary satellite data to avoid losses and achieve maximize
efficiency. Examples include unpredicted waves that can impact a
military aircraft carrier's elevator with aircraft in transit between
the hangar deck to the flight deck, or smaller ships encountering high
seas during critical refueling. These examples alone represent losses of
at least \$100 million a year. In the commercial maritime shipping
industry, time is money. Winds, currents, and waves directly impact
shipping schedules. A geostationary satellite with advanced microwave
and multispectral measurement capabilities would greatly reduce the
present estimates of hundreds of million dollars a year in losses.
Knowing sea state in near real time will also have benefits in rescue
operations.

Another panel member, David Foley, a contractor at the Joint Institute
for Marine and Atmospheric Research at the University of Hawaii and NOAA
Fisheries Honolulu Laboratory, presented specific applications of data
derived from geostationary satellites important to fisheries research
and management. As Figure 1 illustrates, his work underscores the need
for near real time data distribution, and measurements at high spatial
resolutions.

![](media/image15.wmf){width="6.03125in" height="4.8909722222222225in"}

Figure 1: Oceanic phenomena observable from GOES[^2]

Examples included the use of geostationary data to provide part of the
information needed to mitigate the interaction between marine turtles
and long line fisheries. Mr. Foley cited the case of the March 30, 2001,
9th Federal District Court order to close Hawaii-based long line fishing
for swordfish in a broad area of the North Pacific Ocean. It is
estimated that this has resulted in a loss of up to \$100 million per
year for Hawaii's swordfish long-line fishery, and has impacted
associated infrastructure within the state of Hawaii.

Panel member Dr. Peter Hildebrand, Chief of Hydrospheric Processes at
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, presented a view into the future of
geostationary satellite data applications to 2025. His topics included
user specific and tailored data delivery, highly facilitated data access
and an increase in a commercial role and partnering with government
agencies both foreign and domestic.

The panel presentation delivered by Director of NOAA's Atlantic
Atmospheric and Oceanography Laboratory, Kristina Katsaros noted the
importance of sea surface temperature, wind, and wave observations
measurements. Satellite measurements should be integrated with an *in
situ* observing system for calibration of derived meteorological and
oceanographic quantities while the satellite is in orbit. Ms. Katsaros
mentioned air sea fluxes and the importance of the characteristics of
the atmospheric boundary layer for evaluating turbulent fluxes. Certain
boundary layer variables are currently not obtainable remotely such as
surface air temperature and the boundary layer height. These may
ultimately have to be obtained from good models that assimilate the
available direct measurements but which thereby constrain the models.
The air sea fluxes themselves can be used for comparison to numerical
model estimates and have application to ecosystems in coastal regions at
small time and spatial scales and to climate and ocean gyre studies at
longer time and space scales.

The panel presentations produced questions from the general audience
that shaped in large part the discussions during the breakout session on
the following day. For example, there was a discussion on adding
radiometric instruments to standard oceanographic buoys. Suitable
radiometric instruments for large buoys have been developed at the
European Commission Joint Research Centre, Space Applications Institute.
These instruments will provide radiometric measurements for validating
satellite radiometric measurements of sea surface temperature (SST) with
the potential to double the accuracy of GOES SST. The satellite SSTs are
radiometric skin temperatures but algorithms are validated with bulk
water temperatures. In addition, surface radiometric SST adds a crucial
piece of information to air sea flux calculations. The temperature
difference of bulk and skin correlates closely with total heat flux.
Comparing flux values from this approach with those from bulk formulas
refines both methods, a fertile field for research. This flux
measurement is also helpful to models, since fluxes measured without
bulk formulas are difficult.

To achieve enhancement of present and GOES-R benefits, the measurements
of the sea surface were considered to be of fundamental importance.
However, for ocean observations to be useful for scientific studies and
produce credible information for transportation, fisheries, and policy
decision makers the GOES measurements must be consistent and with
appropriate spatial resolution. For these reasons the following new
ocean related recommendations are to require:

-   Validated pre- and post-launch radiometric calibration on all bands

-   For coastal zones, spatial resolution on the order of 100 meters is
    needed for measurements to be useful.[^3]

The following needs for spectral bands to observe the coastal zone by
remote sensing were submitted by Oscar Huh and Nan Walker from Earth
Science Laboratory, Louisiana State University. They are for:

-   Suspended sediments (0.64 μm)

-   Chlorophyll a, harmful algal blooms (0.49 μm, 0.55μm)

-   Land/water boundary, flooding (0.86μm)

-   Sea surface temperature (3.9, 11, 12 μm).

Coastal zone spatial resolution needs are: \< 0.5km visible, 1 km
thermal and temporal resolution of 15-30 minutes.

A complete report of the presentations and recommendations of the
Oceanography, Marine Transportation, and Fisheries Observations Panel is
attached as Appendix 5.

## 3.4 Value of Geostationary Observations for Climate[^4] {#value-of-geostationary-observations-for-climate .unnumbered}

The value of geostationary observations is the system's unique
capability to observe sub-synoptic atmospheric and surface events,
particularly precipitating cloud systems and to characterize the diurnal
cycles of the surface and atmospheric boundary layer.

Characterization of the annual cycle and diurnal cycles is crucial to an
understanding of climate and a better knowledge of the diurnal cycle
improves the characterization of the annual cycle. This can be
understood by imagining a situation where observations are taken at
nearly the same time each day of the year, such as the case with a
sun-synchronous polar orbiter. If the diurnal variation changes
throughout the year, the annual cycle derived from the fixed-time
observations would be fallacious. Averaging measurements from a number
of polar orbiters could reduce the error, but not eliminate it.

### 3.4.1 The Importance of Calibration for Climate Observations {#the-importance-of-calibration-for-climate-observations .unnumbered}

Radiometric calibration of GOES sensors must have an accuracy and
precision that are comparable to equivalent radiometers on other
operational and research satellites (geostationary or low-earth orbit).
Pre-launch and post-launch calibration procedures must include
cross-calibration with these other radiometers. Calibration must include
all spectral bands. The solar reflected spectral observations are
expected to reveal valuable information about trends in cloud and
surface properties.

The accuracy and precision of observations from the GOES radiometers
should be sufficient to quantify the variations in the Earth's radiation
and physical properties needed to understand climate change. Information
on the calibration, including the accuracy, precision, and the
procedures used to obtain the calibration must be archived along with
the data. This is essential when reprocessing is performed.

A formal, active GOES calibration Working Group was recommended to guide
the requirements process and the system planning and development as well
as to document the characteristics of the radiometric calibration.

### 3.4.2 Long-Term Data Consistency for Climate Observations {#long-term-data-consistency-for-climate-observations .unnumbered}

It is essential that NESDIS ensure the long-term consistency of the GOES
environmental data for climate monitoring. This includes formally
identifying sensor characteristics and data formats and establishing
requirements that ensure their long-term consistency across multiple
platforms over many decades. Sensor evolution must take into account
these characteristics and formats. Cross-calibration across platforms
(GOES, NPOESS, other platforms) is a must. Finally, requirements for
long-term archiving of algorithms, metadata, and reprocessing history
must be established.

### 3.4.3 Specific Recommendations {#specific-recommendations .unnumbered}

***GOES-R calibration is REQUIRED for climate use.*** Calibration is
required to make reliable measurements of climate parameters from
GOES-R. The GOES observing location is well suited to determine the
diurnal component of chaotic processes like clouds and precipitation,
which play a large part in the Earth's energy and water budget.
Long-term trends and changes in the diurnal cycle can be measured
reliably only by a consistently calibrated time-series of daily
processes over decades.

***GOES-R calibration must be correlated with other satellite
radiometers.*** For climate use, GOES-R instruments require radiometric
calibration accuracy and precision that are comparable to the other
satellite radiometers on operational and research satellites. The
pre-launch and post-launch calibration procedures should facilitate
cross-calibration among all the other satellites.

***GOES-R calibration must include all spectral bands.*** Both the
thermal emission and solar reflected spectral data must be calibrated.
In particular, the solar reflected channels contain important
information about cloud and surface properties whose variations and
trends must be reliable.

***GOES-R calibration must be accurate (±1 K and ±3%) and precise (±0.1
K and ±1%).*** The calibration accuracy and precision from the GOES-R
radiometers should be sufficient to measure variations and change in the
Earth's radiation and physical properties with an acuity that is
sufficient to answer the important questions about climate change.

***GOES-R calibration must be controlled and determined across the
spectrum and over the field-of-regard, before and after launch.***
Instrumental effects that affect calibration as a function of wavelength
and viewing angle should be minimized. For example, the sensitivity to
polarized light from the Earth should be minimized among the solar
reflective bands. Pre-launch calibration should be traceable to
standards. Post-launch calibrations should be validated periodically.

***There should be a formal GOES calibration working group.*** An active
calibration group is required to guide the requirements process, the
system planning and development, and to monitor and document the
calibration characteristics of the radiometers. Group expertise is
required to estimate the quality of the long-term accuracy of GOES
observations. The working group must include users, especially members
from the climate-observing programs.

***Calibration information must be included in the data archive
process.*** Climate determinations are achieved by reprocessing archived
radiometry. Therefore, calibration data and metadata must be part of the
archive.

# Summary of Recommendations

## 4.1 Technical Recommendations {#technical-recommendations .unnumbered}

![](media/image16.jpeg){width="3.444488188976378in"
height="2.5779527559055118in"}User recommendations were developed that
identified the kinds of improvements and capabilities that are expected
over the current system. User recommendations dealt primarily with
refinement of current sensing and the introduction of new instrument
capabilities. The following are specific recommended requirements:

-   Need for 4 km footprint on sounder

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Allows for partial view through thin cirrus

-   Provides information in some hurricane eyes

-   Provides more information between clouds in convective situations

-   Identify clear air turbulence signature

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Strong recommendations to explore feasibility of passive microwave
    instrument in Geostationary orbit were made

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Precipitation estimation (real time and climate applications)

-   All weather temperature and moisture profiles

-   Need a six month program to define pathway to deployment of a
    Geostationary microwave instrument

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Identify voids in current and planned Global Observing System (GOS)
    > to be met by Geostationary microwave instrument

-   Determine incremental benefits

-   Define detailed development plan with implementation options

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Strong recommendation for operational lightning mapper

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   With flexible scanning for near full disk coverage

-   Provide locations of convective storms

-   Provide indication of storm intensity

-   Optically more efficient than radio frequency detection

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Data from experimental satellites should be used operationally to
    prepare for GOES-R

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Develop ways to deal with the "fire hose of data"

-   GIFTS is critical for HES preparation

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Will be over CONUS initially, then over the Indian Ocean after 1
    > year

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Visible channels must be calibrated

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Need rigorous on-ground and adequate on-board calibration

-   Need cross calibration with other instruments

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Hyperspectral visible and Infrared (IR) observations preferred over
    discrete broad channels

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Benefits include:

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Algorithm transferability

-   Channel adaptability

-   Application growth

-   Inter satellite calibration

-   Provides stable climate record

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Ultimate strength of hyperspectral:

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Simultaneous and adaptive retrievals of atmospheric and surface
    > features

![](media/image17.jpeg){width="3.1125984251968504in"
height="2.488976377952756in"}Why GOES is important for climate research:

-   Must understand diurnal and annual cycle

-   Recent atmospheric warming is associated with change in the diurnal
    amplitude of near surface temperatures

-   GOES-R will provide better understanding of surface/atmospheric
    processes leading to better climate parameterization

-   Geostationary satellites are the only tools capable of resolving the
    precipitation process at proper space-time scales

-   Better climate assessments and forecasts result in large economic
    benefits

-   Additional topics were concerned with the added value from
    hyperspectral instruments. This would provide the capability of
    matching channels from instruments decades apart for studying
    long-term climate records. It was emphasized that it would provide
    an improved measurement of the radiation budget. The value of
    microwave in a geostationary orbit was discussed, since it allows
    one to observe surface effects and precipitation through 2/3 of the
    earth covered by clouds.

-   A series of low-volume products was suggested be made available,
    such as what currently exists for the International Satellite Cloud
    Climatology Project (ISCCP).

It was also suggested that the GOES Instrument of Opportunity (IOO)
innovation be retained, but in a somewhat different structure.
Instrument costs should be borne by the sponsor, but NOAA's NESDIS
should provide funds for platform integration and the whole process
should be more flexible.

## 4.2 Communication Between NOAA's NESDIS and the GOES User Community {#communication-between-noaas-nesdis-and-the-goes-user-community .unnumbered}

It was expressed that communication between NOAA's NESDIS and the user
community has been improved and that continuing outreach will continue
to be valuable. One proposed method was to continue the GOES users'
conferences. Some other methods suggested are to expand the use of
advisory groups such as the Council for Long-term Climate Monitoring at
the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) and the recommended GOES
Calibration Working Group. User community training would also enhance
communication. Fellowships and post doc opportunities to study the
impact that geostationary platforms have on monitoring and understanding
weather, oceans and climate was recommended. Also, there should be the
development of a web page with links to weather and climate measurements
from geostationary satellites. The NASA GOES web page
(rsd.gsfc.nasa.gov/goes) was considered an excellent example for the
development of such a web page.

# Appendix 1 Conference Agenda {#appendix-1-conference-agenda .unnumbered}

####### GOES Users' Conference II {#goes-users-conference-ii .unnumbered}

**Oct. 1 - 3, 2002**

**at the**

***NIST Auditorium and the Millennium Hotel***

***Boulder, Colorado***

***Goals for Conference*:**

1\) Inform users of future capabilities and potential applications of
the GOES-R Series

2\) Determine user needs for:

> \- new products
>
> \- distribution of GOES data and products
>
> \- instruments of opportunity
>
> \- access to sample data prior to launch of next series
>
> \- education, training and outreach

3\) Assess user and societal benefits of future systems

4\) Develop methods to improve communication between NOAA's NESDIS and
the GOES user community

> \- develop, present, and refine a process for determining and updating
> requirements

***Day 1 (Tuesday): NIST Auditorium***

8:00 am Registration

9:00 am Introduction (logistics, conference format etc) (Jim Gurka/
NESDIS)

9:05 pm Welcome/ Opening Remarks (Greg Withee/ NESDIS)

9:30 am Conference goals (Gary Davis/ NESDIS )

9:40 am The GOES Program (overview) (Steve Kirkner/ NESDIS)

10:00 am BREAK

10:30 am Keynote Address (Vice Adm. Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr./ NOAA)

***Session 1A: User Requirements, Applications and Potential Benefits
from GOES-R Series***

##### Chairperson: Gary Davis {#chairperson-gary-davis .unnumbered}

11:00 am Recommendations from GOES Users' Conference I (Jim Gurka/
NESDIS)

11:20 am Requirements gathering, validation, and concept studies
(Michael Crison/ NESDIS)

11:40 am Transferring Science Requirements to System Implementation
(Marie Colton/ NESDIS)

12:00 pm LUNCH (on your own)

1:30 pm The role of OFCM in interagency coordination (Sam Williamson/
OFCM)

#####  {#section .unnumbered}

##### Session 1B: User Requirements, Applications and Potential Benefits from GOES-R Series {#session-1b-user-requirements-applications-and-potential-benefits-from-goes-r-series .unnumbered}

##### Chairperson: Tim Schmit {#chairperson-tim-schmit .unnumbered}

1:50 pm A Visionary Look at Using Weather Satellites in 2020 (Rick
Anthes/ UCAR)

2:10 pm Imager (Timothy Schmit/ NESDIS)

2:30 pm IR Sounder (Paul Menzel/ NESDIS)

2:50 pm Infusion of Satellite Data: Today and Tomorrow (John (Jack) J.
Kelly, Jr./ NWS)

3:15 pm Future Role of Satellite Data in Numerical Models (Louis
Uccellini/ NWS)

3:35 pm BREAK

3:55 pm Microwave Sensing from Geo Orbit (Al Gasiewski/ OAR)

4:15 pm Future Aviation Applications from GOES (Fred Mosher/ NWS)

4:35 pm Space Environment Monitor and Solar Imaging (Howard Singer/SEC)

4:55 pm Ionospheric Imaging from Geosynchronous Orbit (Robert McCoy/ONR)

5:10 pm Questions/ Issues for further discussion

5:30 pm End of day 1 sessions

6:00 pm ICEBREAKER (Millennium Harvest House)

***Day 2 (Wednesday): NIST Auditorium***

##### Session 1C: User Requirements, Applications and Potential Benefits from GOES-R Series {#session-1c-user-requirements-applications-and-potential-benefits-from-goes-r-series .unnumbered}

##### Chairperson: Jim Purdom {#chairperson-jim-purdom .unnumbered}

8:15 am Satellite data sets that will lead to user readiness for GOES-R
(Jim Purdom/ CIRA)

8:40 am GIFTS update (Bill Smith/ NASA)

9:00 am AIRS update (Mitch Goldberg/NESDIS)

9:15 am Hyperspectral Applications (Hsiao-hua Burke/ MIT/LL)

9:35 am Observations needed for natural hazards monitoring in 2010-2020
(Overview - fires, floods, volcanoes,etc.) (Levin Lauritsen/ NESDIS)

9:50 am Update on Instruments of Opportunity (IOO) (Dennis Chesters/
NASA)

10:00 am BREAK

10:20 am NASA Vision 2020 (Peter Hildebrand/ NASA)

10:35 am Commercial Applications of GOES (Jim Block/ Commercial Weather
Services Association (CWSA))

10:50 am 5-min Poster introductions:

> The future of rainfall estimates from GOES (Bob Kuligowski/ NESDIS)
>
> Training, Education and Outreach (Tony Mostek/ NWS)
>
> Data Compression (Allen Huang/ CIMSS)
>
> Direct User Services (Marlin Perkins/ NESDIS)
>
> Use of GOES to Force Land Surface Models (Andy Heidinger/ NESDIS)
>
> Tropical Cyclone Application of GOES-R (Mark DeMaria, et al / NESDIS)
>
> Coastal Zone (Oscar Huh, Louisiana State Univ.)
>
> Solar Imaging (Dan Wilkinson/NESDIS/NGDC)

11:30 am LUNCH (posters will be displayed)

##### Session 2 International Update on Future Geostationary Satellite Systems {#session-2-international-update-on-future-geostationary-satellite-systems .unnumbered}

##### Moderator: Paul Menzel {#moderator-paul-menzel .unnumbered}

1:10 pm Value of International Cooperation in the GOS and the Geo
Contributions (Michel Jarraud/ WMO)

1:25 pm Geo Microwave Consideration in Europe (Bizzarro Bizzarri/ CNR
Istituto Scienze dell'Atmosfera e del Clima (ISAC))

1:45 pm Panel Discussion (Zhang, Stuhlmann, Miyamoto)

2:35 pm BREAK plus review posters (with presenters)

##### Session 3 Oceanography, Marine Transportation, and Fisheries.. {#session-3-oceanography-marine-transportation-and-fisheries.. .unnumbered}

##### Moderator: Paul Twitchell {#moderator-paul-twitchell .unnumbered}

3:00 pm Panel Discussion (Kristina Katsaros, Walter McKeown, David
Foley, and Peter Hildebrand)

4:00 pm BREAK

##### Session 4 Climate Monitoring {#session-4-climate-monitoring .unnumbered}

##### Moderator: Paul Try {#moderator-paul-try .unnumbered}

4:15 pm Panel Discussion (Tom Karl; Bill Rossow; Stan Kidder)

5:15 pm End of day 2 Sessions

6:15 pm DINNER (Speaker: Bryan Norcross, CBS)

***Day 3 (Thursday): Millennium Hotel***

#####  {#section-1 .unnumbered}

##### Breakout Sessions {#breakout-sessions .unnumbered}

##### Facilitator: Jessica Hartung {#facilitator-jessica-hartung .unnumbered}

8:00 am Continental Breakfast

8:45 am Introduction to feedback process (Jessica Hartung)

9:00 am Breakout sessions begin (Facilitators and Technical Leads)

> Weather Forecasting (Tim Schmit and Gary Hufford)
>
> Climate Monitoring (Paul Try and Tom Karl)
>
> Oceanography (Kristina Katsoras, Chris Kent and Paul Twitchell)
>
> Natural Hazards (Gary Ellrod and Levin Lauritsen)
>
> Numerical Modeling (Steve Koch and Mark DeMaria)
>
> Hydrology and Land Surface (Andy Heidinger and Daniel Barrera)

10:00 am BREAK

10:30 am Breakout sessions resume

11:45 am LUNCH (Provided)

1:00 pm Breakout sessions resume

2:30 pm BREAK

3:00 pm Highlights from each breakout group Group representatives

5:00 pm Closing remarks (Gary Davis)

# Appendix 2 Attendee Representation  {#appendix-2-attendee-representation .unnumbered}

Attendee representation spanned various fields across several different
user groups. The chart below illustrates the attendee distribution.

![](media/image18.wmf)

# Appendix 3 Conference Attendee Feedback {#appendix-3-conference-attendee-feedback .unnumbered}

After the conference, attendees were asked to provide their opinions on
general features of the conferences. These are the results of that
survey, along with specific comments.

**2002 Goes Users' Conference II**

**October 1 - 3, 2002**

With your cooperation we can continue to improve Conferences sponsored
by NIST. Please take a few minutes to answer these questions, adding
comments wherever appropriate. We are especially interested in getting
comments about any items that you gave a \"Poor\" or \"Fair\" rating to.

**How would you rate the Conference on average in the following areas:**

a\. Technical content (breadth, depth, relevance, practical utility,
state-of-the-art and recent developments).

Excellent Very Good Good Fair Poor

***11 15 4 3 -***

b\. Quality of presentations (expertise of presenters, quality of
slides, manner of delivery, interaction with

audience).

Excellent Very Good Good Fair Poor

***8 21 4 - -***

-   *Need more audience participation...presenters did NOT allow enough
    time for questions.*

c\. Conference (location, facilities, food).

Excellent Very Good Good Fair Poor

***18 12 3 - -***

-   ***Better coffee would help.***

-   ***Prefer single conf. Location @ hotel.***

-   ***Need better onsite cafeteria.***

d\. Overall management of Conference (assistance before Conference,
staff assistance on-site, organization,

hand-out materials).

Excellent Very Good Good Fair Poor

***20 12 1 - -***

e\. Conference registration process (preliminary and on-site).

Excellent Very Good Good Fair Poor

***17 12 3 1 -***

-   ***Deadline too early...on-line form confusing.***

-   ***Couldn't register via fax; fax wouldn't respond. Therefore, I
    registered via hard copy -- info didn't make it to Boulder. I was
    called one week prior requesting my data again. Web registration
    would only accept full payment registration.***

f\. How would you rate the preliminary Conference brochure (style,
information, usability)?

Excellent Very Good Good Fair Poor

***3 19 5 1 -***

-   ***5 Individuals did not respond.***

-   ***Didn't see.***

g\. How would you rate the final Conference brochure (style,
information, usability)?

Excellent Very Good Good Fair Poor

***3 19 3 1 -***

-   ***7 Individuals did not respond.***

-   ***Didn't see.***

h\. How would you rate the bus transportation service?

Excellent Very Good Good Fair Poor

***1 - 1 4 2***

-   ***25 Individuals did not respond.***

-   ***Didn't use.***

**Comments:**

-   ***Would have liked to see a larger percentage of actual users.***

-   ***Water good to have available -- thanks, esp. when drinks not
    allowed in auditorium.***

-   ***Our group would have preferred to have secretary register us all
    on single credit card. So maybe two forms -- one with security info
    and one with payment info.***

-   ***Need second projector on side with title and name of
    presenter.***

-   ***Need a large Welcome to GOES Users Conference sign at entrance
    (besides a sign warning you to stay away from doors).***

-   ***Learned a lot -- good for experts & folks new to GOES OBS.***

-   ***Need better shuttle service from hotel to NIST -- or set up at
    hotel closer to NIST (or at least more frequent -- more than
    once!)***

-   ***There needs to be more time in the first 2 days, for questions
    and discussion. Also, in the facilitation section that I attended,
    the facilitator needs to get users to talk, not just the NOAA
    people, who dominated.***

**The most beneficial aspect of this Conference was:**

-   ***Exposure to US community.***

-   ***Cross fertilization of disciplines.***

-   ***Knowing more people/contacts.***

-   ***Varied views of future system intentions.***

-   ***People to people interaction.***

-   ***Update on status & progress of GOES program***

-   ***Users input to NOAA's NESDIS & Users to supplier, contractor
    etc... interaction.***

-   ***All of the great presentations.***

-   ***Diverse Group, Broad exposure to diverse perspectives***

-   ***Interactions with the users.***

-   ***Become acquainted with the process followed for establishment of
    requirements for establishment of the program.***

-   ***Learning of diversified use of GOES and input on the GOES R.***

-   ***Having others in similar field (oceanography/coastal mgt) in
    discussion group with targeted questions to answer.***

-   ***The breakout sessions where I could hear opinions on what is
    needed and possible by experts.***

-   ***User interaction and breakout sessions.***

-   ***Learning the capabilities/uses of sensors/instruments.***

-   ***Communication between diverse groups of users.***

-   ***Presentations that showed how raw data are converted to user
    products.***

-   ***To meet people involved in the process.***

-   ***Getting NOAA's solicitations of inputs from users.***

-   ***Good to hear from [some]{.underline} users: NWS, Space Env.
    Center, DOD/ONR, CWSA.***

-   ***Data dissemination.***

-   ***International inputs on needs and potential restrictions (i.e.
    band width limitations).***

-   ***Feedback to NOAA/education for User.***

-   ***Emphasis on calibration.***

-   ***Presentations.***

-   ***The first morning: I had a good opportunity to hear what all the
    decision-makers were thinking.***

-   ***Briefings on status from various pgms & needs.***

-   ***Learning about future plans for GOES-R; ability to add input into
    planning stages; meeting people from across wide spectrum of GOES
    Users.***

-   ***Status of GOES-R & fit w/ other systems.***

-   ***Update on GOES status & research satellites.***

-   ***Breadth & depth of presentations, both GOES program and users.***

#  Appendix 4 Geostationary Satellite Observations for Climate Studies {#appendix-4-geostationary-satellite-observations-for-climate-studies .unnumbered}

**Value of Geostationary Satellite Observations for Climate Studies**

William B. Rossow, NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies

**September 2002**

**1. Background Perspectives**

The unique characteristic of measurements from a satellite in
geostationary orbit is the capability to sample the same location at
time intervals much smaller than the 12 hour sampling interval of
satellites in (most) other orbits. Satellites in other highly‑inclined
orbits provide more geographic coverage but at the expense of
significantly reduced time resolution. Hence the main purpose of
geostationary satellites should be to observe key sub‑synoptic
atmospheric and surface events, particularly precipitating cloud systems
(both convective and non‑convective) and diurnal variations of the
surface and atmospheric boundary layer. The climate is forced by
absorption of solar radiation, mostly at the surface, with a strong
diurnal and seasonal cycle. Hence the main source of energy for the
atmosphere is transfer of the solar heating from the surface through the
atmospheric boundary layer by various rapid processes, all of which are
strongly modulated at diurnal and annual frequencies. These processes
include convective heat and moisture transports, radiative fluxes
modulated by clouds and latent heat exchanges (surface evaporation and
precipitation). Since atmospheric processes rapidly integrate local
forcing differences and couple local responses into a global response,
it is essential to diagnose climate variations globally but at
space‑time‑scales characteristic of the weather and the forcing
variations. Note that the same argument leads to a requirement for
global information for long‑range weather forecasting. Moreover, since a
climate change may appear as a change in the distribution of
cloud‑radiation precipitation magnitudes, rather than a change in their
mean, time‑resolved observations are needed to diagnose climate changes.
Geostationary satellite observations are the only ones that can resolve
the diurnal and other cloud‑scale variations of the radiative fluxes,
atmospheric boundary layer and precipitation. Routine observations of
these phenomena would be a key contribution to weather forecasting,
particularly for precipitation and severe weather, to research into
these atmospheric processes, and to monitoring the climate variations
associated with these processes.

To contribute to climate, however, the geostationary satellites must be
part of and operated as a \"globally complete\" constellation that
provides complete **and uniform** coverage (except for the polar
regions, latitudes \> 60°). For the constellation to be of use, the
instruments on the geostationary satellites have to have a core of
standard spectral characteristics that are similar enough that the
measured radiances can be cross‑calibrated. Note that in the first 20
years of operation, the geostationary satellite constellation has added
exactly one new common wavelength to the two that it started with! With
relatively little effort (cooperation), the number of common wavelengths
could have been expanded to five. **To integrate the constellation\'s
measurements, the radiances must be calibrated and cross‑calibrated both
between satellites in a particular series and among all geostationary
satellites in operation.** The radiance data must be archived in similar
formats and analyzed as a single dataset: production of geophysical
products from all of the geostationary observations so be merged into
"global" products. **Achieving these objectives would make a significant
contribution even if no further instrument improvements were made.**

There is a strong urge to reduce the pixel (field‑of‑view) size for
operational satellite imagery below 1 km, based on claims of improved
results, even though this design puts a huge strain on data handling
resources and generally precludes **any research** use of the data. The
large data volumes also encourage/require development of analysis
procedures that take empirical short cuts that usually degrade data
quality much more than supposedly gained from the pixel size reduction.
These claims are, in fact, physically inconsistent or incorrect. At
solar wavelengths, pixels smaller than about a few hundred meters are
not radiatively independent (this problem is worse at thermal infrared
wavelengths), so that observed radiance variations cannot be assigned
uniquely (linearly) on a one‑to‑one basis to location. Current analyses
of such high resolution data **never** take proper account of this
characteristic. Accurate retrievals of physical quantities from radiance
measurements require 3‑D radiative transfer codes at spatial scales less
than about 3 km, so unless such codes are to be used, retrieval accuracy
is degraded, not improved, by reducing pixel sizes below about 3 km.
Finally, although the instrument angular response may be well
characterized, over‑sampling pixels is usually a waste of resources
because the necessary de‑convolution of the radiance measurements is
never performed. The argument for such measurements from a weather
forecasting perspective is flawed since the forecast value of
atmospheric measurements at scales at or smaller than a few kilometers
is nil because the motions at these scales are not predictable (put
another way, since this is the scale of convective instability, the
memory of the system is rapidly lost). So, while high spatial resolution
measurements may be needed to integrate properly over non‑linear
relationships, which can usually be achieved by sub‑sampling
high‑resolution measurements, the information cannot be used directly
(linearly) in atmospheric models at such small scales.

2\. Current Uses of Geostationary Satellite Observations from the Whole
Constellation

Currently, only four data products are systematically produced and
merged from the observations of the **whole** constellation of
geostationary weather satellites.

***Cloud‑tracked and Vapor‑tracked winds.*** The first product is the
operational cloud‑tracked and vapor‑tracked winds that are combined by
assimilation into a global analysis of the atmospheric circulation; this
product is used to initialize global weather forecasts made by a number
of NWP centers and for research about atmospheric processes. If these
products are occasionally reanalyzed with a consistent procedure to
produce a homogeneous record, they can also be used for climate
research.

***Clouds.*** The second product is the International Satellite Cloud
Climatology Project (ISCCP) cloud products that are used for climate
research. **ISCCP currently provides the only systematic calibration and
cross‑calibration of radiances from the geostationary weather satellite
constellation.** After 20 years, this has not become an operational data
product.

***Precipitation.*** The Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP)
also uses the geostationary observations to remove diurnal aliasing in
its analysis of global precipitation. After more than a decade, this use
of the geostationary data to augment precipitation measurements has not
become operational.

***Surface Radiative Fluxes.*** The Surface Radiation Budget (SRB)
project calculates surface radiative flux products (also
top‑of‑atmosphere radiative fluxes) using the ISCCP cloud products;
atmospheric properties (temperature, humidity) are obtained from a
meteorological analysis (or re‑analysis). A research version of this
activity uses the operational temperature‑humidity soundings to describe
the atmosphere instead. This data product has now reached a maturity
where it could be made operational.

3\. Possible Additional Uses of the Current Constellation of
Geostationary Satellites

Since the solar heating of the surface has a strong diurnal cycle, the
forcing for the atmosphere also varies diurnally. Only observations from
geostationary satellites resolve these diurnal variations. Although
severe weather events (including convective systems) are considered
local as far as the weather bureaus\' use of geostationary imagery data,
their diurnal variation has systematic climate implications. Note, for
example, that the recent warming of the atmosphere has appeared, in
part, as a change of the diurnal amplitude of near‑surface temperatures.
Hence monitoring the variations of the surface, atmospheric boundary
layer, clouds and precipitation at diurnal resolution is a key (and
unique) contribution to climate change monitoring that can only be made
by geostationary satellites.

***Surface skin temperature.*** In addition to the current products
produced from the whole geostationary weather satellite constellation,
it would be straightforward to add surface (skin) temperatures
(clear‑sky) from infrared radiance measurements; such a product is
already produced by ISCCP and could have become operational long ago.
This product should be analyzed in conjunction with microwave
measurements to provide all‑weather results (the diurnal sampling from
microwave instruments will be much better in the future than it has been
to date). Development of this measurement capability would also improve
microwave sounder analyses by providing better characterization of the
land surface in the microwave. When the skin temperature data are
combined with surface air temperature measurements from surface weather
stations and surface radiative fluxes, their diurnal variations can
provide an estimate of surface latent plus sensible heat fluxes that are
indicative of surface moisture over land areas. These results would also
provide indirect indications of atmospheric boundary layer changes that
relate to the transfer of energy and water from the surface to the
troposphere.

***Upper‑tropospheric humidity.*** Since 1996, all of the geostationary
satellites make measurements sensitive to upper tropospheric water
vapor, so it would also be straightforward to add an uppertropospheric
humidity (and cirrus) product. No such comprehensive global product has
yet been produced. The upper tropospheric humidity may well exhibit a
diurnal variation associated with deep convection. This product should
combine the geostationary infrared measurements with polar orbiter
infrared sounder measurements and incorporate the microwave humidity
results into a single upper tropospheric water vapor (cirrus) product.
Since cloud detection governs the accuracy of any infrared measurement,
the analysis of these data should be consistent with the cloud products.

4\. Proposed Enhanced Observations from Geostationary Orbit (decreasing
priority order but increasing feasibility): Precipitation, ABL T‑Q,
Better Clouds

The variations of the free troposphere are predominately synoptic scale
and are more than adequately sampled in all‑weather conditions by
combined infrared‑microwave T‑Q sounders on 2‑3 polar orbiters as
planned for the NPOESS era. Adding "standard" infrared‑only T‑Q sounder
systems to geostationary satellites will contribute very little to
increasing the sampling of the free troposphere because of clouds. If
finer scale temperature‑humidity information is needed (see ABL
instrument suggestion below), it should be achieved by adding selected
wavelength channels to an imager to be analyzed using the
polar‑orbiter‑based temperature‑humidity profiles.

***Precipitation.*** Satellites in geostationary orbit are the only
observing systems that are capable, in principle, of resolving the
precipitation process at the space‑time scales at which it occurs and of
also covering the range of space‑time scales needed to observe the
interaction of the convective and synoptic scale atmospheric motions.
Therefore, the highest priority contribution to both weather forecasting
and climate monitoring would be made by placing a "precipitation" sensor
on the geostationary weather satellites. This sensor does not even need
to provide a quantitatively accurate measure of precipitation.
intensity; it would be a significant contribution even if the sensor
could only detect the presence of precipitation and provide some
qualitative indication of intensity. This might be done with only two
channels (dual polarization) at 37 and 85 GHz. In this idea, the sensor
would have to operate in the microwave and have a spatial resolution
better than 10 km; however such a sensor, while literally possible, may
be too costly. However, even a microwave capability at lower resolution
(100 km, say) for detection of the presence of liquid water and
precipitation‑sized ice could provide a crucial augmentation of cloud
observations from geostationary orbit that would provide a value, though
indirect indication of the presence of precipitation. The key objective
is to provide information about precipitation occurrence at much higher
time resolution (if the GPM mission provides the correct estimate of
precipitation totals over longer time periods (4 hours), then these
observations could be used to dis‑aggregate the GPM results.

***ABL T‑Q.*** The main source of energy for the atmosphere comes from
the transfer of the solar heating of the surface into the "free"
atmosphere through the atmospheric boundary layer in the form of both
sensible and latent heat. This energy transfer is strongly modulated at
diurnal time scales by radiation processes, on relatively small spatial
scales by surface processes and is intermittent because of
hydrodynamical instabilities. The free troposphere does not respond very
rapidly to variations of this forcing, rather it integrates
(non‑linearly) over the energy transfers. Hence, the most rapid response
of the atmosphere to changes in surface forcing appears in the
atmospheric boundary layer; any ability to predict the onset of
convective precipitation would come from monitoring the state of the
boundary layer at high time resolution. Thus, instead of adding a
standard infrared T‑Q sounding system to geostationary satellites, it
would be much more useful and a unique contribution to design an
instrument specifically to measure the rapid variations of the boundary
layer T‑Q (single values in the first 1000 m above the surface), which
are directly forced by solar heating of the surface and are directly
related to deep (precipitating) convection onset. Although very
difficult to measure ‑­requiring an infrared‑microwave combination for
all‑weather capability, an instrument tailored to provide an estimate of
the boundary layer temperature and humidity would be much more useful as
a complement to the normal T‑Q sounder suites that will be flown on
three polar orbiters in the NPOESS era (providing 4 hr sampling).

***Better Clouds.*** Currently ISCCP only retrieves two cloud properties
from geostationary satellites because there have been only two common
wavelengths for the imaging radiometers until the past few years. If a
split‑window channel ( 12 µm wavelength in addition to the usual 11 µm
channel) and a water vapor channel (6.7 µm wavelength) were common (they
almost are), then these wavelengths would mainly be used to identify
cirrus better. However, a few additional wavelengths, if available,
would extend the description of clouds in ways that are related to the
microphysical processes, particularly precipitation. The main additional
quantity is cloud particle size, which can be determined most completely
from measurements at four additional wavelengths ( 1.6 µm, 2.2 µm, 3.7
µm and 8.5 µm). These measurements would also be well supported by
adding oxygen A‑band channels to supplement the thermal infrared
determination of cloud top location. **Note that accurate retrievals of
these cloud properties are practical only at satellite pixel sizes of a
few kilometers at smallest. If a passive microwave instrument is added
to indicate the presence of precipitation, then its determination of
cloud liquid water path as a complement to a determination of total
column cloud water path from the solar wavelength channels would provide
key information about cloud vertical structure that would help resolve
the evolution of precipitating cloud systems.**

# Appendix 5 Oceans Presentation and Recommendations {#appendix-5-oceans-presentation-and-recommendations .unnumbered}

The presentations and recommendations of the Oceanography, Marine
Transportation, and Fisheries Observations Panel follow. In her
conference presentation and during the breakout, Kristina Katsaros
discussed the application of multi/hyper spectral sensors such as
described in the presentation of Hsaio-hua Burke, MIT Lincoln
Laboratory. The multi/hyper spectral sensor capabilities were noted as
having significant potential in achieving coastal, scientific, and
societal observation needs.

Harmful algal blooms detected by a GOES instrument will provide
necessary information to decision makers. Ms. Katsaros provided the
example of toxic tides that kill birds, and can cause human death and
paralytic conditions when people eat infected shellfish. Toxic red tide
events can close down the local shellfish industry in very large
regions, such as in the 1970s when coastal shellfisheries were closed
down in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, and the Maritime Provinces
of Canada. In this cold-water region, the toxic bloom is known to thrive
when the ocean surface temperature and salinity are lower than normal,
often due to heavy rains and ice flows discharging from rivers. Native
Americans knew the danger from red tide and advised the Pilgrims in
Plymouth not to eat shellfish if the bay was red. On the other hand,
fishermen can benefit from satellite data in locating good phytoplankton
blooms.

Communication between a provider of knowledge and the user of that
knowledge is a traditional problem. Most provider-user communication is
improved by personal interactions and not by additional bureaucratic
rules. The Oceanography session participants' recommendations to enhance
two-way communications between NESDIS and the GOES user community are:

-   Facilitate personal interaction

-   Encourage user registration

-   Initiate a Help Desk

-   Create or exploit existing interagency employee exchange programs

-   Increase outreach to other agencies and users

User community training was discussed at length by the Oceanography
Session participants and for the purpose of brevity is best summarized
by the following:

-   Who?

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Decision-makers, technical specialists, and end-users

-   General Public

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   When***?***

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Can initiate process 5 years pre-launch

-   Educate advocates and policy-makers early

-   Train users close to launch

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Methods -- education and training

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Use Geosynchronous Imaging Fourier Transform Spectrometer as a
    testbed "GOES Preparatory Program" risk reduction

-   Expand upon existing models

-   Cooperative Program for Operational Meteorology, Education, and
    Training, Visual Institute for Satellite Integration Training, and
    Next Generation Radar

-   NOS Coastal Services Center training

-   Expand University role via curriculum and research

-   Opportunity for synergy with National Polar-orbiting Operational
    Satellite System

The advent of the next geostationary imager schedule for GOES-R having
at least 12 spectral bands and improved spatial and temporal sampling
will usher in an observing period that will produce a high data volume.
Very few in the oceanography user community will possess the capacity to
handle the full data stream by direct broadcast. For the oceanography
user, a flexible data/product solution to the high volume data stream is
important. It is envisioned that production centers will receive full
level 1b data. The user will obtain a desired subset of information from
product centers and, when appropriate, value-added distributors will
also meet the needs of the end user.

Benefits to the oceanography community from geostationary satellites
envisioned beyond GOES-R include improved marine resource management
through timely and frequent observation of ocean features even under
cloudy conditions, including sea surface temperature, ocean current
patterns (e.g., eddies, meanders) and low level atmospheric boundary
conditions (water vapor and wind vectors). These improved data will
contribute to better ocean and coupled ocean-atmospheric models.
Effectively the improved ocean feature measurements and models will lead
to marine transportation efficiencies and fisheries productivity.

For future geostationary operational satellites there is a need for
ocean color systems to link the geophysical environment and the
ecosystem. Also, ocean color system measurements will significantly
contribute to resolving mesoscale features at frequent (hourly)
intervals and high resolution (1 km).

With the increased data volume, there is a requirement to expand data
collection and relay systems to accommodate anticipated increases in
space, airborne, ships, buoys, and coastal platforms. It was the
consensus of the oceanography breakout session participants that GOES
programs consider their role in the Integrated Global Observing Strategy
(IGOS), an international partnership for cooperation in Earth
observations. IGOS partners include the Committee on Earth Observation
Studies, the Global Ocean Observing System, Integrated Global Water
Cycle Observations, and global water cycle projects such as the
Coordinated Enhanced Observing Period (2002-2007) and NASA's Earth
Observing System, as envisioned in the figure that follows.

![](media/image19.jpeg){width="5.629861111111111in"
height="4.222222222222222in"}

GOES as part of a multifaceted global observing system to serve
users[^5]

The preparation of this summary was in large part based on the
professional notes recorded by CDR Christopher Kent USN, Naval
Meteorology and Oceanography Command and John Forsythe, Colorado State
University. In addition CDR Kent provided information on the Navy\'s
requirements for geostationary satellite data, and John Forsythe on the
user needs in the development of global data sets for weather and
climate prediction. The authors are particularly grateful to David Foley
for presentations at the Oceanography Session Summary to the GOES II
participants and compliment all the breakout group contributors.

#  Appendix 6 Glossary {#appendix-6-glossary .unnumbered}

ABI Advanced Baseline Imager

ABS Advanced Baseline Sounder

ADEOS Advanced Earth Observing Satellite

AIRS Atmospheric Infrared Sounder

Aqua NASA Earth Science satellite mission named for the large amount of
information that the mission will be collecting about the Earth's water
cycle

AMS American Meteorological Society

AO Announcement of Opportunity

CIMSS Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies

CONUS CONtinental United States

CWSA Commercial Weather Services Association

DoD Department of Defense

ENVISAT ENVIronmental SATellite

EOS Earth Observing System

ESA European Space Agency

EUMETSAT European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological
Satellites

GCOM NASDA mission

GIFTS Geostationary Imaging Fourier Transform Spectrometer

GIFTS-IOMI Indian Ocean METOC Imager

GOES Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite

GOS Global Observing System

GPS Global Positioning System

HES Hyperspectral Environmental Suite

IASI Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer

IOO Instrument of Opportunity

IR InfraRed

ISCCP International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project

METEOR Russian meteorological satellite

MODIS MODerate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer

MSG Meteosat Second Generation

MTSAT Multi-functional Transport Satellite

NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NASDA Japanese Space Agency

NCDC National Climatic Data Center

NESDIS National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service

NGDC National Geophysical Data Center

NIST National Institute of Standards and Technology

NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NPOESS National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite
System

NPP NPOESS Preparatory Project

NWA National Weather Association

NWP Numerical Weather Prediction

NWS National Weather Service

OAR Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research

OFCM Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and
Supporting Research

ONR Office of Naval Research

SEC Space Environment Center

SEVIRI Spinning Environmental Visible and InfraRed Instrument

SST sea surface temperature

Terra the EOS flagship satellite (EOS AM)

UCAR University Corporation for Atmospheric Research

WMO World Meteorological Organization

# Appendix 7 Conference Committee {#appendix-7-conference-committee .unnumbered}

Jim Gurka (Chair) NOAA/NESDIS/OSD

Dennis Chesters NASA/GSFC

Gerry Dittberner NOAA/NESDIS/OSD

Gary Ellrod NOAA/NESDIS/ORA

Donald Gray NOAA/NESDIS/OSD

Michael Hales NOAA/NESDIS/IA

Jeff Hawkins USNavy/NRL

Colby Hostetler NOAA/NESDIS/ITM

Robert Masters NOAA/NESDIS/IA

Tony Mostek NOAA/NWS/OS

Donald Nortrup NOAA/NESDIS/OSD

John Pereira NOAA/NESDIS/OSD

Thomas Renkevens NOAA/NESDIS/OSDPD

Dick Reynolds Short & Associates, Inc.

Tim Schmit NOAA/NESDIS/ORA

Steve Short Short & Associates, Inc.

[^1]: The first GOES Users' Conference was held in 2001 and its
    conference report is available at
    http://www.osd.noaa.gov/goes_R/goesrconf.htm.

[^2]: Provided by David G. Foley and R. Michael Laurs at the 2^nd^ GOES
    Users' Conference***.***

[^3]: The Oceanography breakout group suggested the following definition
    of "Coastal Zone" to be "Extends from top of watershed to the
    'Exclusive Economic Zone' and is dependent on geophysical
    boundaries."

[^4]: See Appendix 4 for the paper, Value of Geostationary Satellite
    Observations for Climate Studies, William B. Rossow, NASA Goddard
    Institute for Space Studies, September 2002.

[^5]: From Peter Hildebrand's presentation at the 2^nd^ GOES II Users'
    Conference