1. Information on a potential CEOS Sea Surface Temperature Virtual Constellation (SST-VC) Craig Donlon (ESA) Kenneth S. Casey (NOAA) CEOS Plenary, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, October 12-15, 2010 Item 14.7 Sea Surface Temperature Constellation

2. Overview Background The scope and benefits of an SST-VC Summary and Conclusions

3. A CEOS SST-VC So far, several CEOS Agencies have invested a considerable amount of resources in activities related to SST, sometimes without full optimization An actual SST in-flight constellation does exist but could be optimised further: –Better use of AATSR/SLSTR reference sensors within the constellation –Continuity of passive microwave data –Better and homogeneous products and services to users –Improved collaboration within the constellation Since 2000, significant development has taken place through the activities of the Group for High Resolution SST (GHRSST) in these areas.

4. Polar infrared has high accuracy & spatial resolution Geostationary infrared has high temporal resolution Microwave Polar orbiting has all-weather capability The proposed CEOS SST-VC builds on EO complementarities… Data Merging In situ data provide reality in all weather conditions

5. CEOS SST-VC The proposed SST-VC shall: –Improve coordination, consolidation and development of the collective EO SST capability –Improve SST products, services and their dissemination with better user engagement –Avoid duplication of existing activities by using the well established GHRSST as the prime implementation mechanism.

6. Interface of the proposed SST-VC and existing GHRSST implementation structure International GHRSST Science Team User Requirements for high resolution Sea Surface Temperature data products and services from operational, scientific, and climate communities. International Stakeholder Advisory Council GHRSST-PO Project Office Coordinator (A Kiaser-Weiss (Univ. Reading) GHRSST Data Assembly and Systems Technical Advisory Group (GDAS-TAG) SSES and Validation Technical Advisory Group (STVAL-TAG) Diurnal Variation Working Group (DV-WG) Reanalysis Technical Advisory Group (RAN-TAG) High Latitude Technica l Advisory Group (HL-TAG) Estimatio n Methods Working Group (EARWiG) Inter- comparisons Technical Advisory Group (IC-TAG) Applications and User Services TAG (AUS- TAG) Lake Surf Water Temp Working Group (LSWT-WG) CEOS SST Virtual Constellation (SST-VC)

7. Benefits of the proposed approach Strengthen CEOS Agency SST activities through better synergy and communication; A global framework to encourage wider participation of all Agencies; Better SST product and service interoperability building on the strengths of CEOS Agencies; Facilitate better data access and product applications; Provide value for money by capitalising on the investments already committed to GHRSST; Allow a rapid spin up of SST-VC activities with minimal overhead

8. SST-VC Objectives 1.Improve user feedback to CEOS Agencies 2.Minimise duplication of existing activities 3.Development and optimization of the SST constellation 4.Develop and implement metrics for SST services, products and users 5.Coordinate consensus reference documents 6.Encourage timely access to products 7.Develop and improve satellite SST Essential Climate Variable 8.Improve EO SST calibration, inter-calibration and validation 9.Develop training activities for satellite SST practitioners 10.Liaise with the other virtual constellations

9. GEO/GCOS Actions Addressed GEO tasks most relevant to the activities of the proposed SST-VC include both transverse and SBA. Transverse tasks include: –AR-09-02: Interoperable Systems for GEOSS –AR-09-03: Advocating for Sustained Observing Systems –DA-06-01: GEOSS Data Sharing Principles –DA-09-01: Data Management –DA-09-02: Data Integration and Analysis –DA-09-03: Global Data Sets –US-09-01: User Engagement –CB-09-03: Building Institutional Capacity SST impacts many climate, weather, ecosystem and agriculture SBA tasks e.g. aquaculture, fisheries, ocean prediction and monitoring, climate and seasonal prediction… In addition the use of EO data in support of the GCOS SST ECV is a key focus

10. There are many programmes of direct relevance to the SST-VC

11. Summary and Conclusions 1.There are significant benefits for an SST-VC for CEOS, GEO and GCOS 2.Many GEO SBA and transverse tasks are directly relevant 3.An Initial Proposal to CEOS for an SST-VC has been developed –Endorsed at the 11 th GHRSST Science Team Meeting, June 2010, Lima Peru –Presented for information to the CEOS SIT Technical Workshop participants, Montreal, September 2010 4.GHRSST provides an excellent basis for an SST-VC allowing rapid spin up and minimum duplication of activities 5.Plan to submit the SST-VC initial- proposal to SIT in Spring 2011

12. Thank You ! Contacts for further information: Craig.Donlon@esa.intCraig.Donlon@esa.int and Kenneth.Casey@noaa.govKenneth.Casey@noaa.gov