1. CICS Science Meeting September 8-9, 2010
Overview of the Joint Center for Satellite Data Assimilation (JCSDA) Presented by Sid-Ahmed Boukabara, Deputy Director
CICS Science Meeting September 8-9, 2010

2. CICS Science Meeting September 8-9, 2010
Outline
JCSDA Structure
JCSDA Vision, mission, priorities, goals
Mode of Operation & Science Implementation;
Examples of JCSDA Achievements
Outreach Activities
JCSDA and CICS (Current and Future plans)
CICS Science Meeting September 8-9, 2010

3. CICS Science Meeting September 8-9, 2010
JCSDA Structure
CICS Science Meeting September 8-9, 2010

4. JCSDA Partners, Vision, Mission
NASA/Earth Science Division
US Navy/Oceanographer and
Navigator of the Navy and NRL
NOAA/NESDIS
NOAA/NWS
NOAA/OAR
US Air Force/Director of Weather
Vision:
An interagency partnership working to become a world leader in applying satellite data and research to operational goals in environmental analysis and prediction
CICS Science Meeting September 8-9, 2010

5. JCSDA Management Agency Executives Management Oversight Board
JCSDA Executive Team
Director (Riishojgaard)
Deputy Director (Boukabara)
Partner Associate Directors
(Lord, Rienecker, Phoebus, Zapotocny)
Management Oversight Board
NOAA / NWS / NCEP (Uccellini)
NASA/GSFC/ESD (Lee, acting)
NOAA / NESDIS / STAR (Powell)
NOAA / OAR (Atlas)
Air Force Director of Weather (Zettlemoyer)
Navy / N84 and NRL (Chang, Curry)
Agency Executives
NASA, NOAA, Department of the Navy, and Department of the Air Force
Advisory Panel
Co-chairs: Jim Purdom, Tom Vonder Haar, CSU
Science Steering Committee
(Chair: Craig Bishop, NRL)
CICS Science Meeting September 8-9, 2010

6. JCSDA mission, priorities, goals
CICS Science Meeting September 8-9, 2010

7. CICS Science Meeting September 8-9, 2010
JCSDA mission:
…to accelerate and improve the quantitative use of research and operational satellite data in weather, ocean, climate and environmental analysis and prediction models.
CICS Science Meeting September 8-9, 2010

8. JCSDA short-term goal: (adopted 03/2008)
“Contribute to making the forecast skill of the operational NWP systems of the JCSDA partners internationally competitive by assimilating the largest possible number of satellite observations in the most effective way”

9. Why the emphasis on NWP goal?
CICS Science Meeting September 8-9, 2010

10. Value of weather forecasting
Department of Commerce: “20% of overall US economy is weather sensitive”: ~$2.8 trillion/year
Impact to air and surface transportation, agriculture, construction, energy production and distribution, etc.
Assume that half of this is “forecast sensitive”: $1.4 trillion/year
Assume that the potential savings due to weather forecasting amount to 5% of the “forecast sensitive total”: ~$70B/year
Assume that the savings are distributed linearly over the achieved forecast range for the global NWP system:
0 h useful forecast range => $0 in savings
336 h useful forecast range => $70B in savings
This implies that the value to the United States economy of NWP is ~200M per hour of forecast range per year !
CICS Science Meeting September 8-9, 2010

11. JCSDA Science Priorities
Overarching goal: Help the operational services improve the quality of their prediction products via improved and accelerated use of satellite data and related research
Radiative Transfer Modeling (CRTM)
Preparation for assimilation of data from new instruments
Clouds and precipitation
Assimilation of land surface observations
Assimilation of ocean surface observations
Atmospheric composition; chemistry and aerosol
Driving the activities of the Joint Center since 2001, approved by the Science Steering Committee (2010 meeting)
CICS Science Meeting September 8-9, 2010

12. JCSDA’S ModeS of operation & Science Implementation
CICS Science Meeting September 8-9, 2010

13. JCSDA Modes of Operation
Directed research
Carried out by the partners
Mixture of new and leveraged funding
JCSDA plays a coordinating role
External research
Grants awarded following proposals submitted to Federal Funding Opportunity, administered by NOAA on behalf of all JCSDA partners
Option for contracts will be added for FY2011
Open to the broader research community
Funding awarded competitively, peer review process
Visiting Scientist Program (short-term and medium-term visits)
Cooperative Institutes Have/Can Participate in all Modes
JCSDA organizes an annual workshop to coordinate all these efforts and encourage collaborations

14. Directed Research A portion is directly funded by JCSDA
Another type of directed research is internal research by JCSDA partners (In-kind contribution to JCSDA activities)
JCSDA plays a coordination role
Working groups have been established to help coordinate and leverage efforts
Objective is to spread knowledge, leverage efforts
By field of expertise
Open to all experts (not just partners)
Six WGs formed so far (CRTM, IR sounders, Microwave sensors, Ocean data assimilation, Atmospheric constituents, Land data assimilation)

15. Current status of JCSDA External Research Program
There is a commitment to remain engaged with the external research community, on a yearly basis.
JCSDA Executive working toward securing access to
Additional computer resources
Scientific support for external investigators who want to experiment with JCSDA partner systems and codes
NOAA FFO (grants) in FY 2010; closed, selections made and announced
NASA ROSES announcement (contracts) for FY 2011; still open
Longer term plans still being worked out; will be based on agency rotation involving NASA, NOAA and potentially a DoD partner

16. JCSDA Visiting Scientist Program:
JCSDA started in FY10 directly sponsoring short and mid-term visiting scientists to come visit JCSDA partners.
Three visiting scientists sponsored in FY10. Program expected to grow in FY11. NASA expressed interest in joining forces to expand the program
Open to everyone (worldwide expertise sought). Only conditions: having a host in a JCSDA partner and work on a JCSDA-related subject (not necessarily a JCSDA project). Examples include:
Specific components of CRTM to add/improve
Readiness effort for one of the JCSDA high-priority missions
Assimilation of new sensors or improvement of the assimilation of an existing sensor
Etc.
On-going announcement details for this program could be found in the JCSDA web site. 16

17. Examples of JCSDA ACTIVITIES
CICS Science Meeting September 8-9, 2010

18. JCSDA accomplishments
Common assimilation infrastructure (between EMC, GMAO, AFWA)
Community radiative transfer model (used by all partners)
Common NOAA/NASA land data assimilation system
Numerous new satellite data assimilated operationally, e.g. MODIS (winds and AOD), AIRS and IASI hyperspectral IR radiances, GPSRO sensors (COSMIC, GRAS, GRACE), SSMI/S, Windsat, Jason-2,…
Advanced sensors tested for operational readiness, e.g. ASCAT, MLS, SEVIRI (radiances),…
Ongoing methodology improvement for sensors already assimilated, e.g. AIRS, GPSRO, SSMI/S,…
Improved physically based SST analysis
Adjoint sensitivity diagnostics
Emerging OSSE capability in support of COSMIC-2, JPSS, GOES-R, Decadal Survey and other missions
JCSDA Agency Executives Briefing, 09/30/2010; DRAFT

19. NOAA Cooperative Institute Directors Meeting 06/16/2010
New features in CRTM v.2
Computational efficiency
Improves Forward model speed (by a factor 3 under clear-sky conditions)
Improves Jacobian model speed (by a factor 2 under clear-sky conditions)
Transmittance module
Implements Multiple Transmittance Algorithm Framework
OPTRAN (current model)
ODPS model
SSU model
SSMIS and AMSUA Zeeman models
Extends RTSolution module and cloud/aerosol optics LUT to include components for Visible and UV sensors; adds a module for molecular scattering
Surface emissivity/reflectivity module
Adds BRDF for solar reflection over ocean
Adds a new IR ocean emissivity model
Adds MW snow and ice empirical models for additional sensors
New instruments: FY3-MWTS,MWHS, MWRS, IRS; DMSP SSMIS
NOAA Cooperative Institute Directors Meeting 06/16/2010

20. Surface Emissivity Models
Ocean Sea Ice Snow Canopy (bare soil) Desert
Microwave land emissivity model (Weng et al., 2001) and desert microwave emissivity library (Yan and Weng, 2010)
NPOESS Infrared emissivity data base
Empirical snow and sea ice microwave emissivity data base (Yan and Weng, 2003; 2008)
Two-layer snow emissivity model (Yan, Weng, Liang, 2010)
Fast multi-layer snow emissivity model (Liang, Weng, Yan., 2010)
Black color: baseline modules
Red color: upgrade
FASTEM3 microwave emissivity model (English and Hewison, 1998)
IR emissivity model (Wu and Smith, 1991; van Delst et al., 2001)
FASTEM4 microwave emissivity model (Liu, Weng, English, 2010)

21. Impact of CRTM Version in GFS (500 hPa geopotential height ACC)
01/09-02/22/2008
01/09-02/22/2008
07/09-08/20/2008
07/09-08/20/2008
Improvements and advances in radiative transfer science through better gas absorption spectroscopy data base and surface emissivity have resulted in significant impacts on skill, especially in the SH

22. Recent impact with COSMIC
AC scores (the higher the better) as a function of the forecast day for the 500 mb gph in Southern Hemisphere
40-day experiments:
expx (NO COSMIC)
cnt (old RO assimilation code - with COSMIC)
exp (updated RO assimilation code - with COSMIC)
COSMIC provides 8 hours of gain in
model forecast skill starting at day 4

23. What to expect in FY11 External research through NASA Roses 2010
Internal Research (JSDI) -open for NOAA and CIs scientists-
Expansion of the Visiting Scientist Program
Data Assimilation Computing Capability for STAR and JCSDA Scientists to run Operational Models
More JCSDA Software packages made available to users
Spring JCSDA Science workshop
Summer Colloquium on Satellite Data Assimilation for graduate students
Joint JCSDA/HFIP Workshop on satellite data assimilation for hurricane prediction
Data assimilation position at UMD, co-sponsored by JCSDA
JCSDA Role in JPSS: bridge between NESDIS and NWP users. To ensure readiness and a transition to assimilating JPSS data 23

24. CICS Science Meeting September 8-9, 2010
JCSDA & CICS
CICS Science Meeting September 8-9, 2010

25. Examples of JCSDA-funded CICS projects through FFO
Title
Institution PI
Performance Period
Improving Analysis of Tropical Upper Ocean Conditions for Forecasting
CICS/Univ. of Maryland
J. Carton
Assimilation of a Broadband Radiative Variable for Climate Model Diagnostic of Cloud by OLR - A Prefix study
CICS/Univ of Maryland
H.T. Lee
2005
Improving Clouds and Precipitation for NWP Assimilation Using satellite Measurements
CICS/Univ. Maryland
N. Wang
Land surface thermal infrared emissivity database development and modeling
Univ of Maryland
S. Liang
CICS Science Meeting 09/09/2010

26. CICS-JCSDA Collaboration Plans
JCSDA is partially sponsoring UMD to get a data assimilation professor.
The JCSDA 9th workshop will likely take place in College Park, in spring of It will be open to CICS staff/students interested in satellite data assimilation.
Expand use of CICS to hire satellite data assimilation scientists (latest example: cloudy radiance assimilation expert to be hired by CICS for JCSDA)
In the long-term, the hope is that this collaboration will ensure reliable flow of experts for JCSDA partners

27. Secrets for a Successful FFO project Analysis from past FFOs
After an internal poll/scoring of all FFO JCSDA projects, six projects were deemed successful
Four from internal JCSDA partners
Two from an external entities that had
Well-established collaborations with a JCSDA partner
Access to JCSDA infrastructure (CRTM)
Common traits
Strong collaboration with JCSDA partners
Access to JCSDA code, infrastructure, computing resources, to facilitate the transfer of a deliverable to JCSDA (with direct link to operational implementation)

28. JCSDA Computing
JCSDA management working with NASA (and STAR/GOES-R to make available supercomputing resource that can be made available to external investigators to test algorithms in the context of operational partner systems
Expected timeframe: before end of 2010.

29. Secrets for a Successful JSDI project (NOAA’s JCSDA Internal project)
Project must aim at having a direct deliverable to an operational code/tool. Added advantage if tool could be used by more than 1 partner (ex: CRTM)
Strong collaboration with a NOAA PI to ensure link to operations (both STAR and NCEP)
The clear identification of a path leading from the research setting to the operational setting where a specific gap in the operational implementation was identified.
It could either be a science shortcoming or the absence of a promising sensor in the operational assimilation system (especially if it has been shown by other centers that its impact is significant).
Proposals will benefit from combining improving data assimilation science with operationally assimilating actual sensors data.

30. Outreach activities JCSDA Monthly Seminars
Summer Data Assimilation Colloquium
Quarterly newsletter
Annual JCSDA Science Workshop
Organization of national and international joint Workshops
Etc

31. JCSDA Seminars
Typically one to two seminars per month in WWB, open to everyone.
Good mix of national and international speakers on wide variety of satellite and data assimilation related topics
Generally well attended, both in person and virtually (Webex and phone-in)

32. JCSDA Summer Colloquium
Two-week summer school in Stevenson, WA, 07/07-07/17, 2009
Outstanding program of lectures given by world-renowned experts
38 participants (almost all Ph.D. students or post-docs) from 8 countries, including the US
Sponsored by all JCSDA partners
Based on feedback from lecturers and participants it was a highly successful event
JCSDA plans to stay engaged in training in the future; form yet to be decided
Next colloquium planned for summer 2011

33. JCSDA Science Workshop
Aims at encouraging collaboration/coordination among partners and with external research community
Aims also at gathering feedback from scientists on future directions JCSDA should consider.
8th Workshop Conducted May 4-5, 2010 in University of Maryland, BC
Reports from:
JCSDA management
Five of six JCSDA Working Groups
Funded JSDI and FFO investigators
In-kind contributors (i.e. Partner Agencies)

34. National and International Joint Workshops
Joint ECMWF-JCSDA Workshop on Assimilation of Clouds and Precipitation Observations in Reading, took place June 15-17
First joint event between ECMWF and JCSDA
Joint program committee, ECMWF funded most European participants, JCSDA funded most US participants
Key science priority area for both organizations identified
Planned:
Joint JCSDA-HFIP workshop to deal with data assimilation in the context of Hurricane forecast

35. Summary: Where to get More Information?
JCSDA Web site will include more info about:
More description of the JCSDA activities/research areas of interest
Current Research Opportunities
Past and current newsletters
Seminar announcements
JCSDA-relevant career opportunities
Details about the visiting scientist program
List of past and currently funded projects
List of JCSDA-funded projects publications
Etc.