Ensuring the Climate Record from the NPOESS and GOES-R Spacecraft Elements of a Strategy to Recover Measurement Capabilities Lost in Program Restructuring (2008) / Chapter Skim
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2 Prioritization of Lost Capabilities and Options for Short-Term Recovery
2 Prioritization of Lost Capabilities and Options for Short-Term Recovery
Pages 17-28
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From page 17... ...
However, given that a wholesale reversal of the programs' changes is not feasible, it became the committee's difficult task to provide a prioritized set of recommendations for restoration of measurement capabilities. In their request to the NRC, the study sponsors, NASA and NOAA, asked that a committee of the NRC "prioritize capabilities, especially those related to climate research, that were lost or placed at risk following recent changes to NPOESS and the GOES-R series of polar and geostationary environmental monitoring satellites" [emphasis added]
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From page 18... ...
The exercise was guided by the following overarching principles: • The objective of the committee's deliberations would be to prioritize restoration of climate capabilities. For example, a sensor with the capability to improve resolution of fast climate processes is of interest to both the weather forecast and climate research communities; however, it is the value to the latter that informs the committee's ranking.
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From page 19... ...
The latter measurements, although perhaps less mature, might result in greater consequences associated with a prospective measurement gap (for example, those related to climate forcing or response parameters with larger uncertainties for which longer trend data can greatly constrain future climate predictions)
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From page 20... ...
sensor, • Radar altimetry and the ALT sensor, and • Total solar irradiance and the Total Solar Irradiance Monitor (TIM) ; spectrally resolved irradiance and the Solar Spectral Irradiance Monitor (SIM)
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From page 21... ...
investigate the feasibility of improved techniques for the measurement of black carbon and dust absorption to provide more accurate estimates of their contribution to the climate forcing function. The committee considered the originally planned measurements to determine relative prioritization of this lost climate measurement capability. Earth's Radiation Budget Along with incoming solar radiation, outgoing radiation helps establish Earth's radiant energy balance; the difference between the two corresponds to "climate forcing," which is exhibited in part by rising global average tropospheric temperatures.
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From page 22... ...
The committee considered the originally planned OMPS-Limb measurements to determine relative prioritization of this lost climate capability. Radar Altimetry Because of the expense and the logistical and operational difficulties of obtaining globally distributed in situ oceanic observations, altimetry has been identified as the central element of major programs aimed at understanding the ocean's role in climate. The ALT instrument, demanifested from NPOESS following certification, was originally planned for flight on NPOESS C2 and C5.
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From page 23... ...
The committee considered the originally planned coastal waters measurements to determine relative prioritization of this lost climate capability. Geostationary Hyperspectral Sounding Operational high-spectral-resolution infrared radiance measurements from the geostationary perspective were to be introduced on GOES-R with the HES (Hyperspectral Environmental Suite)
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From page 24... ...
. The opportunity for free flyers to orbit in formation, for example, with the NPOESS or the MetOp series, would provide greatly added flexibility to recover climate measurement capabilities for sensors that require co-aligned observations from other NPOESS sensors (e.g., ERBS requires ancillary NPOESS satellite bus capabilities were not descoped as part of Nunn-McCurdy certification and the recertified program retained funding 11 within the NPOESS baseline for the reintegration of the demanifested sensors should a way be found to provide them from outside the program.
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From page 25... ...
1 Afternoon Constellation Operations Coordination Plan, prepared by Angelita C Kelly/GSFC Constellation Team Manager, Ron Boain/JPL CloudSat Project Engineer, Karen Richon/GSFC ESMO Constellation Flight Dynamics Lead, and Mary Elizabeth Wusk/LaRC CALIPSO Ground System Manager, Earth Science Mission Operations Project, NASA/ GSFC, September 2004.
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From page 26... ...
Leveraging International Efforts The committee recognizes the value of bilateral and multilateral cooperation among space agencies; notable examples include TRMM, Jason, and the planned GPM and JPS constellations. 13 The committee also notes the value of various international planned activities and their potential contributions to better understanding of climate and its impacts, such as the European Sentinel-1, 2, and 3 missions that support the European Union and its Member States' operational services for Global Monitoring for Environmental Security (GMES)
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From page 27... ...
Although the same nine questions were used to analyze the relative climate science impact of both GOES-R and NPOESS descopes in GEO and LEO orbits, respectively, sensors from the different programs were not prioritized head-to-head. However, it can be stated roughly that, considering climate science contributions alone, the recommendations regarding geostationary hyperspectral sounding compare to the Tier 2 LEO capability prioritization, and coastal waters imagery falls into Tier 4.
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From page 28... ...
lost or degraded climate capabilities. TABLE 2.1 Relative Prioritization for the Mitigation of Lost or Degraded Climate Capabilities Lost or Degraded Climate Capability Lost or Degraded Climate Capability in NPOESS Low Earth Orbit in GOES-R Geostationary Earth Orbit Tier 1 Microwave Radiometry Radar Altimetry Earth Radiation Budget Tier 2 Hyperspectral Diurnal Coverage Geostationary Hyperspectral Sounding Total Solar Irradiance Tier 3 Aerosol Properties Ocean Color Ozone Profiles Tier 4 Geostationary Coastal Waters Imagery
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