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v Space Science and Engineering Center | Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies | University of Wisconsin-Madison 2016 TtA Winter / Spring through the atmosphere

An inside view: From seasoned scientists to research interns

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Through the Atmosphere is SSEC Director a semiannual magazine Winter / Spring Hank Revercomb featuring atmospheric, space science, and engineering t 2016 CIMSS Director research and education T A Steve Ackerman accomplishments of the University of Wisconsin- Editorial Team Madison’s Space Science and Jean Phillips Engineering Center (SSEC) Contents Leanne Avila and its Cooperative Institute Sarah Witman for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS). The CIMSS Satellite Blog: “Ever If you would like to be awesome” at 20 added to our mailing list for 4 Through the Atmosphere, please Eva Borbas: contact Maria Vasys at: Collaborating her [email protected]. way to success 07 To subscribe to SSEC News, Tristan L’Ecuyer: our email newsletter, please atmospheric, climate visit: go.wisc.edu/lz8jwe. 09 research group leader GOES-R Education Proving Ground 2016 12 Activities

Jonathan Gero: 13 Scientist, mentor, leader Mike Foster: Advancing research on cloud 16 climate data records

Highlights of recent 18 publications, awards UW satellite pioneer garners top atmospheric 20 sciences award

2015 AOSS Photo 22 Contest SSEC’s research interns forge studious 23 camaraderie

Cover image, from left to right: SSEC research interns Amanda Gumber, Alexa Ross, Michelle Feltz, and Aaron Letterly below the 2 AOSS building’s rooftop MODIS receiver. Credit: Bill Bellon. Director’s Note the benefit of others. And that makes cloud climate data records, instrument science exciting. development, and understanding Earth’s energy balance, respectively. At SSEC and CIMSS, science is a community endeavor, wherein the ► Meet the two Scotts, whose community is working to learn more education and outreach through the about Earth’s atmosphere, applying that CIMSS Satellite Blog reaches thousands knowledge to protect and improve our of people seeking to better understand lives. satellite observations.

This edition of Through the Atmosphere ► Meet four recent atmospheric and introduces a few of our people who oceanic science graduates who are just conduct scientific research: From launching their promising careers. seasoned scientists to research interns. These are a few of the SSEC and ► Meet Bill Smith who has defined our CIMSS scientists who are excited to young field of satellite meteorology, discover – through their scientific established CIMSS, and has received inquiry – how our planet works and cience is often described as a another award for a lifetime of scientific excited to share their discoveries with systematic study of the physical accomplishments. others. and natural world through Sobservation and experimentation. To ► Meet Eva Borbas, a mid-career many, the word science conjures up scientist who has helped us to Steve Ackerman images of white lab coats, beakers, test understand the structure of our Steve Ackerman tubes, telescopes, and microscopes. atmosphere through remote sensing. Director, CIMSS Others may think of it as merely a collection of facts. ► Meet Mike Foster, Jonathan Gero, and Tristan L’Ecuyer who are early in Behind the instruments and facts are their science careers and already making the people who conduct science for important contributions in the areas of

3 The CIMSS Satellite Blog:

“Ever awesome” at 20 Credit: Bill Bellon, SSEC.

perfect case study in and of developing case studies based on because I was gathering all of these itself, the CIMSS Satellite Blog satellite data for the Virtual Institute for cases and needed a library in which to circumnavigates the globe like Satellite Integration Training (VISIT). store them.” Instead of placing all of MAthe best Wisconsin Ideas. Established by NOAA, the program the images in a directory on a computer, was designed to use distance learning it was easier and more sensible to place For nearly 20 years, two Scotts – technologies to train National Weather them on a web page where others could Bachmeier and Lindstrom – have taught Service (NWS) forecasters. view them. the value of satellite imagery in the form of online case studies. They are The VISIT collaboration was a natural “But in those days,” says Bachmeier, atmospheric scientists at the University fit for Bachmeier because it extended “it was a tedious operation, because of Wisconsin-Madison Cooperative the educational reach of CIMSS. He I had to manually edit the HTML for Institute for Meteorological Satellite says that VISIT was developed as a way every single page.” Studies (CIMSS) who know the benefits to “improve the transfer of research to of satellite imagery as a means to operations.” NWS forecasters anywhere Fast-forward to the early 2000s, when increase our understanding of Earth’s in the world could learn about new Bachmeier was introduced to a new atmosphere. ways to analyze remote-sensing data and era of blogging: He quickly learned imagery and incorporate it into their how to use the software, immediately Bachmeier and Lindstrom tell the operational forecasts. understanding its potential. compelling stories locked within those images. But disseminating large weather “This was awesome and a huge eye- animations and images posed a opener because now I could enter the Beginning in the early – and, by today’s challenge. So, in the mid-1990s, images and text without bothering with standards, primitive – days of the Bachmeier created the GOES Gallery. the HTML,” said Bachmeier. World Wide Web, Bachmeier began He says, “I began the GOES Gallery “I essentially started over.”

4 About that time, 10 years ago, Bachmeier agrees. The blog format As researchers at CIMSS, the two Lindstrom joined Bachmeier as a allows easy access to beautiful, and scientists tap into the SSEC Data blogger. sometimes ominous, animations and Center, from which they have access to imagery that the two scientists update a wealth of data from satellite agencies Between the two of them, they’ve several times each week. around the world. They are constantly dramatically increased the number studying the satellite imagery, noting of case studies available for training “That is how we differentiate ourselves,” what looks interesting or what could purposes, populating the CIMSS says Bachmeier, “I’m really proud of our prove to be instructive. Satellite Blog with nearly 1,700 posts in consistency and quality.” just the last decade. Bachmeier says, “I also pay attention to Twitter because a lot of what’s going on The case study approach is an effective They are constantly there is conversation about what’s going method of teaching in many disciplines. asking themselves, “I on in this or that part of the world.” In remote sensing, the method allows Twitter has become invaluable because Bachmeier and Lindstrom to use wonder what that looked it is impossible for the two of them to tools developed at CIMSS or satellite like via satellite?” And keep an eye on all potential case studies data available at CIMSS to analyze therein lies the story. everywhere on the planet. atmospheric phenomena or events. They may look at one-minute imagery “Or we pay attention to what of a developing thunderstorm or Not surprisingly, the blog has become is happening in the news,” adds monitor volcanic ash plumes or study the go-to source for information and Lindstrom. “Sometimes the really the life cycle of a typhoon and its imagery on important weather events interesting images are linked to a high- potential to affect weather in the United by other meteorologists. And, like impact news event. And if the images States. many endeavors, new uses for the get out there quickly, people really pay imagery and data have appeared over attention to them.” “There are other blogs out there, but time and alongside the emergence of for satellite imagery, I don’t think technologies such as social media. They are constantly asking themselves, anyone can approach the CIMSS “I wonder what that looked like via Satellite Blog for quantity and quality,” How do they determine what is satellite?” And therein lies the story. says Lindstrom. important? Lindstrom recalled the 2014 Air Algerie flight that crashed in Mali less than an hour after takeoff. He happened

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This animation, featured on Discover magazine’s ImaGeo blog (http://go.wisc.edu/617j23), shows the evolution of a cyclonic storm that became Hurricane Alex in January 2015. The CIMSS Satellite Blog was referred to as “ever awesome.” Credit: CIMSS.

5 to look at the Suomi NPP track and discovered that the satellite had passed over the area precisely at the time of the crash. He wondered, “Could we see this with the day/night band?”

The answer was yes. The satellite provided high-resolution infrared and Day/Night Band imagery along the flight path: The plane had flown through a strong convective storm, causing the crash.

The scientists are meticulous about the details and analysis they provide in each blog post. Sometimes Bachmeier will “blast out” a few images via Twitter in advance of the post. This serves two purposes, says Bachmeier. “It is a way to alert offices of responsibility about an emerging event and it gives me time to process a blog entry in my brain first.” The volcanic plume from the eruption of the Popocatépetl Volcano in Mexico was evident in Suomi NPP VIIRS true-color Red/Green/Blue (RGB) imagery on 23, 24, and 25 January 2016, as viewed using the In writing each post, they consider SSEC RealEarth web map server. Credit: SSEC/CIMSS. the kind of story they want to tell and what other images – upper air, radar, It’s been referred to as the “ever “It would be fantastic if we could do a water vapor – would improve the story. awesome” CIMSS Satellite Blog, with post every day because every day there Their goal is to be as comprehensive as posts routinely picked up by media is an interesting event somewhere on possible with writing that is appropriate outlets around the world – from the globe – but how do you monitor the for other scientists as well as a public bloggers, to print media, to national entire planet?” audience. evening newscasts – further spreading the word about the value of satellite data. Both Bachmeier and Lindstrom “We want to create understanding continue to be surprised at how grateful of how the imagery is important, so Other high-impact posts included and appreciative people are when they there is a lot of thought that goes into the January 2016 eruption of the talk about the blog. each post to make sure that what gets Popocatépetl Volcano in Mexico. The published is correct,” says Lindstrom. hot spot of the erupting summit as “I do it because it is interesting,” says well as movement of the volcanic Lindstrom, “but that other people find Because of this attention to detail, the plume were visible on Suomi NPP it interesting, too, is very gratifying.” blog has established a dedicated and VIIRS and Terra MODIS imagery. growing audience – with 40-50,000 In 2012, Hurricane Sandy initiated | Jean Phillips hits daily, readership has expanded many posts, all of them linking back well beyond meteorologists to include to CIMSS research websites to explain students, educators, the public, how the storm formed, weakened, re- government agencies, and many others. strengthened, and evolved.

Bachmeier fields questions from “Our images draw the eye and, in students on a regular basis. the process, our readers are learning something,” says Lindstrom. “They are often writing a paper and need an explanation of an image “I’m really glad that Scott is a co-author enhancement or tool that we’ve used to because he and I are able to look at a process the data.” wider variety of cases,” says Bachmeier.

6 Eva Borbas: Collaborating her way to success

Credit: Bill Bellon, SSEC.

ood collaborators can make all the algorithm, the more accurate accuracy of temperature and water the difference in the success of the retrievals. The land surface vapor retrievals and radiance simulation a research project. But, more measurements used in past algorithms over clear skies. Gimportantly, those working relationships had either been highly approximate or can have a positive impact on a uniform – not necessarily an accurate The UW Baseline Fit Emissivity researcher’s career path. Since arriving reflection of the actual changes at the Database consists of 5-kilometer at the University of Wisconsin-Madison surface. As a result, retrievals were not spatial resolution, global monthly mean Cooperative Institute for Meteorological as accurate either. infrared land surface emissivity and Satellite Studies (CIMSS) back in 2000, laboratory measurements to create that scientist Eva Borbas has become known Borbas and colleague Suzanne Wetzel high spectral emissivity information. for her land surface emissivity work, Seemann had been developing an Today it covers 15 years of data, from leading to collaborations in the U.S. and algorithm to produce integrated 2000-2015. Since 2006, the database has Europe. water vapor (total precipitable water, been available online to registered users TPW) from MODerate-resolution – more than 200 users to date. That success in land surface emissivity Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) began with a desire to improve measurements, specifically for the Due to the success of the database, temperature and water retrievals in clear MOD07 product. Using the only IR Roger Saunders of the United skies using infrared measurements and remotely sensed land surface emissivity Kingdom’s Met Office asked Borbas if understanding that improvements to measurements available at that time, she would help incorporate it into the emissivity would be key. Seemann and Borbas set out to create a UK radiative transfer model, RTTOV. land surface emissivity global database Since their collaboration began in 2008, Algorithms to retrieve temperature from MODIS measurements that would the number of users of the database and water vapor require measurements be useful for high spectral users and have increased, and the feedback on for a number of parameters, including numerical weather prediction (NWP) the database has been overwhelmingly information about the land surface. applications; the more accurate land The more accurate the inputs to surface emissivity would improve the continued 

7 positive. Today, the database has been Continuing her work with water vapor supported Science Investigator-led integrated into a number of other retrievals, Borbas has been developing Processing System at the Space Science applications, including the Community a VIIRS clear-sky TPW retrieval and Engineering Center), we processed Satellite Processing Package, a algorithm – a continuation of the the whole 35 years of data,” said hyperspectral retrieval software package MOD07 work, but with infrared data Borbas. for direct broadcast applications from the Visible Infrared Imaging developed at CIMSS. Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument That 35-year dataset was also provided flying on the Suomi National Polar- to the Global Energy and Water Cycle In 2013, Simon Hook and Glynn Hulley orbiting Partnership (Suomi NPP) Experiment (GEWEX) Global Water of the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory satellite. Vapor Project (GVaP), a project asked Borbas to collaborate on a NASA designed to compare and evaluate water emissivity project called MEASUREs Borbas is also working with historical vapor datasets. (Making Earth Science Data Records water vapor measurements to create a for Use in Research Environments). climatological database. Collaborating “We believe this HIRS 35-year dataset JPL had already created an emissivity with CIMSS senior scientist Paul is the longest ever water vapor record,” database using measurements from Menzel, she processed the overall TPW, noted Borbas. the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal as well as water vapor in the upper, Emission and Reflection Radiometer middle, and lower troposphere. Using Borbas stated how lucky she had been (ASTER) on the Terra satellite. data from the the National Oceanic and with her collaborators, speaking highly Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) of them and their support for her work. “Aster is a good complement to High-resolution Infrared Radiation She has clearly enjoyed the research MODIS… This MEASUREs project Sounder (HIRS) instruments, which opportunities provided by each new combines the UW Baseline Fit cover the years 1979-2015, they were colleague – the proof is in their success. Emissivity with the ASTER-based able to create a Climate Data Record global emissivity database to create an (CDR) that is now housed at NOAA’s | Leanne Avila Environmental Data Record (EDR) National Centers for Environmental of land surface temperature and land Information (NCEI). surface emissivity,” said Borbas. “We provided the algorithm and 10 When the 5-year project concludes in years of data to the NOAA NCEI. 2019, the result will be a 17-year record But, in-house, with the help of of these combined measurements. the Atmosphere-SIPS (the NASA-

A figure depicting the UW Baseline Fit Global IR Land Surface Emissivity Database (emissivity at 8.3 micrometers for July 2012). Credit: Eva Borbas.

8 study the processes within. He worked on the mission extensively for 10 years, Tristan L’Ecuyer: later as a research scientist, and it was there that he developed some of the fundamental principles that guide the Atmospheric, climate Atmospheric Radiation and Climate research group today. research group leader L’Ecuyer started out as an assistant professor at UW-Madison in 2011, and established the group shortly afterward. His goal was to study the intricate, interconnected processes involved in the Earth’s changing climate, such as atmospheric energy balance and the global water cycle. Not only does the group aim to better understand these phenomena, but to improve the methods by which data are collected and integrated into climate models.

About half of L’Ecuyer’s funding still comes from CloudSat; he and other researchers use data detected by the radar onboard to study global rain and snowfall. The group also uses other satellites within NASA’s Earth Observing System to develop and distribute new datasets for studying how energy emitted from the Earth flows through the different layers of the atmosphere which has a strong influence on weather conditions. Credit: UW-Madison. Aside from those satellite products, the group’s research emphases fall “ pening observational portals and PhD students, and four researchers under three general categories: Earth’s into Earth’s climate system,” (including L’Ecuyer). Energy Balance, including refining beckons the homepage of the observational estimates of the global OAtmospheric Radiation and Climate Earning both his bachelor’s and master’s energy balance that defines our climate; research group, a team of students degrees in physics, L’Ecuyer has Climate Applications, including and scientists in the University of always had an eye on how his studies applications of satellite data to Wisconsin-Madison’s Department could be applied to make direct real- understand the influence of clouds on of Atmospheric and Oceanic Studies world change. He earned a PhD in Arctic sea ice extent, study the factors (AOS). Atmospheric Science at Colorado State responsible for the rapid melting of the University, and then started a post-doc Greenland ice sheet, the role of sunlight Led by AOS associate professor position working on NASA’s CloudSat and thermal radiation in defining heavy Tristan L’Ecuyer, the group’s research satellite mission. rainfall patterns in the tropics, and encompasses a range of foci: Earth’s evaluating how well climate models energy balance, cloud-aerosol Using CloudSat data, he explains, simulate the flow of energy through interactions, climate, satellite remote he and other scientists were able to sensing, and ground validation. The examine not just the tops of clouds, but current group comprises 12 master’s scan through them, allowing them to continued 

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L’Ecuyer (center back in red) and “For me it’s really great having SSEC, his research group. Credit: Pete CIMSS, and CCR in the same building Pokrandt, SSEC. as us, because it gives us access to large computing resources, data, and the people who have the expertise to use them,” he says. “It’s a really big benefit, and it’s one of the main reasons to come to Wisconsin for research in this field — these institutions are recognized by reputation nationally and internationally.”

L’Ecuyer has worked with a number of SSEC scientists, such as Mark Kulie, Matthew Lazzara, Bob Holz, and Andy Heidinger on various research projects. He also says it’s been helpful to join forces with CIMSS director and AOS professor Steve Ackerman on student mentorship, as they both lead large research groups.

“We try to combine our efforts,” he says. “Our students share ideas, since they are often working on related topics: using satellite observations to understand weather and climate. They the atmosphere; and Aerosol Effects of global energy and water cycle values share their experiences and expertise – primarily, quantifying the effects of established in the paper, titled “The and do career-building.” pollution on rainfall around the world. Observed State of the Energy Budget in the Early Twenty-First Century,” are L’Ecuyer’s verve for applied The work they do is highly an important step toward identifying sciences, thinking about how the collaborative. For example, group- issues in today’s climate models so that research will impact the public at members are working with colleagues their predictions may be improved in large, is a value he tries to impart on in NASA’s Energy and Water Cycle the future. students coming into the program Study (NEWS) program to continuously – many of whom, like himself, did improve satellite-based estimates of the “We use satellite measurements to try to not start out with an atmospheric flows of energy and water through the verify how well a climate model works,” sciences background. climate system and the vertical structure L’Ecuyer says. “Once we know what’s of atmospheric heating to improve going on, we can compare the data to Another point of emphasis, he weather and climate predictions. climate models and identify how we can says, is diversifying their skill sets: improve them.” learning how to use observational Additionally, a paper published last data, satellite observations, and year by the American Meteorological Being housed in the Atmospheric, models. Society, on which L’Ecuyer was lead Oceanic and Space Sciences building author, was co-authored by scientists on the UW-Madison campus – home “I think this has the potential from a stunningly wide variety of top to the Space Science and Engineering to open up more doors and institutions: NASA Goddard Space Center (SSEC), the Cooperative possibilities. My philosophy, my Flight Center, NASA Langley Research Institute for Meteorological Satellite approach, is versatility. More and Center, Princeton University, NASA Studies (CIMSS), the Center for more jobs are looking for skills in Jet Propulsion Laboratory, MIT, the Climatic Research (CCR), and the this, this, and that — not just one University of Washington, and a AOS department – is a major asset for specific area,” he says. number of others. Benchmark estimates collaboration as well.

10 One aspect of this – fieldwork – is snowstorm that dumped more than satellite is to take that measurement particularly near and dear to him. 18 inches of snow in about eight and extrapolate it over the whole “To appreciate the uncertainty of hours. These datasets will be used Earth,” he says. “You’re doing the data, you need to go out and make to developing and evaluate satellite same thing, but all over the planet.” real measurements,” he says. snowfall retrievals from CloudSat and GPM observations. Developing a familiarity with In the winter of 2007, L’Ecuyer and applying satellite data now will other members of the group were Next up for the group is a large, better enable students to think about involved in the Canadian CloudSat/ five-year project based in Namibia, next-generation technologies for the CALIPSO Validation Project Africa, called Observations of future, L’Ecuyer says, empowering (C3VP), a field campaign led by the Aerosols above CLouds and their them to take on leadership roles. Meteorological Service of Canada. intEractionS (ORACLES). A group They were in charge of operating a of more than 90 scientists, including “Scientists are always thinking mobile, ground-based instrument, students from the Atmospheric about future satellite missions, so NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Radiation and Climate Resarch I try to have my students prepare: W-band Airborne Cloud Radar Group, will collect data using ‘What are we not measuring now?’ (ACR); conducting quality-control multiple aircraft to understand how Students can be developing the next for its W-band observations; and smoke from fires in Africa affect concepts,” he says. “That puts them analyzing the data to develop a clouds, rainfall, and climate. in the position to be the science new CloudSat snowfall retrieval leaders of tomorrow.” algorithm. | Sarah Witman In the fall of 2010, the group “You can make good coordinated an international collaboration called the Light measurements on Precipitation Validation Experiment the ground, but they (LPVEx), a field campaign designed to evaluate and improve satellite just represent one precipitation estimates at high point. The goal of a latitudes. Scientists from the United States, Finland, and Canada satellite is to take that worked together to make ground- measurement and based, aircraft-based and satellite- based measurements of liquid and extrapolate it over the frozen precipitation in and around whole Earth...” Helsinki, Finland. The group is currently analyzing the data in order to evaluate and improve CloudSat light rainfall and snowfall retrieval Looking to the future, L’Ecuyer has algorithms. also been in talks with scientists in Satellite imagery of SSEC’s Lidar group and the SSEC dust plumes off the The group also participated in Portable Atmospheric Research coast of Namibia, a follow-on experiment, the Center (SPARC) to possibly Africa; a region Global Precipitation Mission collaborate on fieldwork. where, in the near (GPM) Cold-season Precipitation future, L’Ecuyer’s Experiment (GCPEx), which was Combining ground-based data with group will collaborate led by scientists at NASA’s Goddard aircraft and satellite remote sensing, on the Observations Space Flight Center over the L’Ecuyer explains, has the ability to of Aerosols above winter of 2012. GCPEx measured take fieldwork to the next level. CLouds and their properties of falling snow over intEractionS Ontario, Canada, including radiative “You can make good measurements (ORACLES) project. signatures and snow microphysics on the ground, but they just Credit: NASA Earth associated with a strong lake-effect represent one point. The goal of a Observatory.

1111 GOES-R Education Proving Ground 2016 Activities

Credit: CIMSS.

s university, government, and to work with CIMSS researchers and users to explore, via an interactive tool, industry researchers anticipate NOAA scientists to develop lesson how meteorologists combine satellite the launch of GOES-R in plans and provide feedback on new web data from different spectral bands OOctoberA 2016, the GOES-R Education applications, or web apps (applications to create a blended colorized image Proving Ground at the Cooperative run in a browser that are used to that often provides more information Institute for Meteorological Satellite teach concepts). Last year, the group than separate images. The app even Studies (CIMSS) has been developing expanded in preparation for the 2016 has an option to blend spectral bands learning opportunities for teachers and GOES-R launch. Currently, 29 teachers using real-time data processed at the students. from 12 states and Puerto Rico are Space Science and Engineering Center participating in the program for 2016, (SSEC) data center from seven different The goal is to raise visibility and which includes a 4-part webinar series. geostationary satellites. awareness around new instruments and capabilities coming with the GOES-R The first webinar took place on This fall, CIMSS is organizing a 2-day satellite series. GOES-R will feature Saturday, February 20th and featured teacher workshop at Kennedy Space new solar sensors and the Geostationary NOAA scientist Tim Schmit and Center (KSC) in October. Middle and Lightning Mapper (GLM) which will CIMSS scientist Scott Lindstrom. high school science teachers will tour measure lightning over the Americas. Feedback from teachers indicates that KSC, learn all about GOES-R – and The most exciting and advanced several have already demonstrated watch the GOES-R satellite launch live technology will be the Advanced what they learned about special GOES from the KSC Visitor Center! Baseline Imager (ABI) instrument, 1-minute imagery to their classes. which will provide more data in greater Additional webinars are scheduled for The workshop, new resources, year- detail faster than previously possible. Saturday mornings on March 12th, long events and growing network of April 23rd and September 17th. Topics, GOES-R educators will benefit science According to Margaret Mooney, project log-in details, and recorded webinars are students around the country, and, lead and director of CIMSS Education all available on the GOES-R Education ultimately, all of society. and Public Outreach, advancements Proving Ground web page coming with GOES-R align perfectly (go.wisc.edu/iws64r). | Margaret Mooney, Jean Phillips, with national goals to advance skills in and Tim Schmit science, technology, engineering, and The April webinar will include math (STEM). “What better way to demonstrations of the new web apps promote STEM education than a new developed by CIMSS and NOAA’s satellite?” said Mooney, “By engaging Advanced Satellite Products Branch. teachers around GOES-R, we can reach These web apps will support awareness their students and recruit more young around the new capabilities coming people to Earth science careers.” with GOES-R. The newest app, called RGB (go.wisc.edu/fzwoit), allows Mooney originally enlisted six teachers

12 Jonathan Gero: Scientist, mentor, leader onathan Gero was a sophomore deployments of SSEC’s Scanning High- Planetary Physics (EAPP) group at the in college when he first met Space Resolution Interferometer Sounder University of Toronto until graduation, Science and Engineering Center (S-HIS) instrument. Staying in the same by which point he had decided to J(SSEC) Director Hank Revercomb. hotel and working in the same lab space pursue graduate studies in atmospheric Little did he know that, less than a throughout the campaign, Gero was science. decade later, he would be working with introduced to Revercomb, and SSEC Revercomb at the same institution on scientist Dan Laporte, who worked This would lay the groundwork for two major instrumentation projects. extensively on the S-HIS until his the work he does now, research “at the retirement earlier this year. interface of engineering and science,” Back in 2000, Gero was completing he says. “In order to do good science – a summer research internship at the good experimental science, that is – you University of Toronto, where he have to understand how the instruments was earning a bachelor’s degree in “In order to do good work. The two really go hand in hand.” engineering. The internship was part of science — good NASA’s Measurements Of Pollution In Gero studied under James Anderson, The Troposphere-Aircraft (MOPITT-A) experimental science, one of the best atmospheric project, an effort to develop an airborne that is — you have to experimenters in the world (of which instrument that could validate carbon- there are few), for his PhD at Harvard monoxide and methane measurements understand how the University. Anderson, who leads a taken by the MOPITT instrument instruments work...” research group on the chemistry and launched with Terra, a NASA polar- physics of climate and Earth-system orbiting satellite. change, was an early proponent of a NASA satellite mission dedicated to It just so happens that the MOPITT-A The internship was Gero’s first studying climate change: what would collaboration was involved in NASA’s experience with atmospheric science come to be known as the Climate SAFARI 2000 campaign to study instrumentation, but it was certainly not Absolute Radiance and Refractivity smoke and other aerosols over South his last. He continued to be involved Observatory, or CLARREO. Africa – which was also one of the first with the Earth, Atmospheric, and “Jim was one of the visionaries who was pushing for CLARREO before CLARREO even existed,” says Gero.

Throughout Gero’s postgraduate education, he and Anderson worked together to build a prototype of the instrument: how it would work, what uncertainties they would need to analyze. Afterward, NASA decided to fund the project through an Instrument Incubator Program (IIP) grant, and Gero was hired by SSEC to continue his work on CLARREO at the Center.

“It was a smooth transition,” he says.

And so it happened that, in 2008, Gero started working alongside SSEC scientist Jonathan Gero onboard a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Revercomb (the principal investigator (NOAA) research vessel in the Pacific, where he led a field study last winter to better understand atmospheric rivers. Credit: Marcus Smith, ARM. continued 

13 for CLARREO at SSEC) and the rest in Antarctica, Oliktok Point in Alaska, first-ever experimental verification of of the team to deliver a technologically and in transit to Ascension Island in the greenhouse effect: carbon dioxide mature version of the prototype he had the southern Atlantic Ocean), and a heating up the Earth’s surface. developed with Anderson. network of three additional AERIs that will be deployed in Oklahoma this “To actually measure that radiating Meanwhile, Gero became involved spring. effect is not easy, and that’s where the in another major project at SSEC: AERI comes in,” Gero explains. “With the Atmospheric Emitted Radiance For the most part, Gero says, being the those extremely accurate measurements Interferometer (AERI), an instrument AERI mentor entails keeping these nine of radiance at the surface for 20 years, developed by a team of SSEC scientists instruments “happy and functioning we were able to exactly look at how and engineers, including Revercomb, and producing good data.” CO2 is causing the greenhouse effect, in the 1990s for the U.S. Department how it’s heating up the earth.” of Energy’s Atmospheric Radiation There is also a 10th AERI, a spare, Measurement (ARM) program. housed at SSEC so that the scientists The results of the experiment, “can tinker with it” when needed, published in the journal Nature The AERI makes highly accurate he says. Furthermore, ARM recently last year, were precisely consistent measurements of radiant energy purchased a marine AERI that can take with previous measurements and emitted downward from the Earth’s measurements from onboard ships. calculations. The experiment, says Gero, atmosphere. It uses the same common- “really set the record straight in that core technology as both the S-HIS and Last winter, Gero spent a month on everything we know about how CO2 CLARREO instruments – a specialized a National Oceanic and Atmospheric works is factually correct.” field of study known as Fourier Administration (NOAA) research transform spectroscopy (FTS). vessel in the Pacific operating the Looking back, Gero says he is grateful marine AERI. He and a team of SSEC to the many people who helped him get FTS, Gero explains, is a technique scientists used its measurements to to this stage. For example, when he was for observing the atmosphere in examine weather patterns, including first getting acclimated to the scientific the infrared region, which contains atmospheric rivers, to better understand mechanics of the AERI, he recalls, “a wealth of information” about California’s historic drought. there was “a bit of a learning curve,” temperature, water vapor, and trace even with everything he knew about gases. In about a year, there will be another FTS from working on CLARREO. deployment of the marine AERI What made the difference is that he “It’s a very powerful measurement, off the shores of Antarctica. A ship was able to work directly with the which is why we’re so interested in it,” will ferry the AERI between Hobart, scientists and engineers who pioneered he says. “You could launch a weather Tasmania, and Australia’s Antarctic the technology, at one of only a handful balloon to take a profile of these bases for a full year, in order to study of groups in the world studying this quantities, but with FTS you can have the radiative processes of ice and technology. Gero credits this to an an instrument on the ground or on a clouds. innate quality of SSEC. plane or satellite to look at an entire column and derive information about “It’s a pretty exotic array of “That’s one of the enormous strengths each level of the atmosphere.” destinations,” Gero says, “but each of working at SSEC. The people who deployment is science-driven. These are designed the instrument, who came up In 2010, Gero was appointed by the places that have scientific questions we with the ideas, were here for the initial ARM program to be the “mentor” for want to address.” deployment, and have seen an array of the AERI instrument. In this role, he problems – and solved them – are still oversees all nine AERI instruments Because the first AERI was deployed in here today and we can work alongside under ARM’s jurisdiction, including 1995, there is now a 20-year continuous each other,” he says. “When you see a three permanent facilities (the Southern data record of the AERI’s highly problem, you don’t have to start from Great Plains site in Lamont, Oklahoma; accurate thermal infrared radiance scratch in solving it. There’s an excellent the North Slope of Alaska site in measurements. This record provides a pool of expertise to draw upon.” Barrow, Alaska; and the Eastern North valuable resource for long-term climate Atlantic site on Graciosa Island, studies, such as a collaboration led by “Not only are the scientists at SSEC of Azores), a series of three mobile Daniel Feldman at Lawrence Berkeley an excellent caliber,” he continues, “but facilities (currently, McMurdo Station National Laboratory that made the the people who work here like it and

14 Credit: Jonathan Gero. stay here for a long time, so you have people take an interest in this field and in atmospheric and computer sciences, people who stay through the entire life- decide to pursue graduate degrees and and has also continued to work on cycle of a project. It’s invaluable.” professional careers in atmospheric AERI-related projects at SSEC. science.” Throughout his seven-plus years at Looking further into the future, Gero the Center, Gero himself has been a It’s a win-win-win. says that a potential revival of the mentor for numerous students – sharing CLARREO mission could lead to a his expertise in the same way that Coda Phillips, a University of demonstration of the instrument on the Anderson, Revercomb, and plenty of Wisconsin-Madison engineering and International Space Station (ISS). other scientists did for him. computer sciences student who started working at SSEC as a freshman, was “Building an instrument for the Space “I am very much an academic at heart, inspired to pursue a graduate degree in Station could be a great opportunity in that I really value teaching. The whole atmospheric science after working on for the Center,” says Gero. “It will help premise of academia is that you are AERI projects over the past four years. build our expertise even more, if that always learning and teaching at the same Phillips was a key part of the team that comes to fruition.” time,” he says. deployed an unprecedented network of AERIs across the Great Plains | Sarah Witman In particular, Gero has had many last summer for the Plains Elevated students work with him on the AERI Convection At Night (PECAN) field project. The students get hands-on campaign. experience doing relevant work in a lab setting, and SSEC benefits from As a senior in high school, current UW- the extra set of hands (and minds) Madison student Matthew Westphall contributing to the project. worked with Gero for a summer through Madison Metropolitan School Moreover, he says, “The most District’s Science Research Internship rewarding part is when some of these Program. Westphall is double-majoring

15 Mike Foster: Advancing research on cloud climate data records

Credit: Bill Bellon, SSEC.

wo years ago, Mike Foster, from the HIRS sounder to address studying how the use of reanalysis data a researcher with the UW- shortcomings in the AVHRR imager. affects PATMOS-x when retrieving Madison Cooperative Institute The sounder is good at detecting polar cloud properties to look for patterns Tfor Meteorological Satellite Studies inversions. It’s really hard for an imager over time. Because AVHRR is only a (CIMSS), and a team of colleagues to detect cloud over cold reflective five-channel imager, for certain cloud made a milestone dataset delivery to the surfaces, like snow or sea ice,” says property retrievals it is necessary to National Centers for Environmental Foster. bring in additional information, such Information (NCEI). The dataset as atmospheric profiles of temperature was the PATMOS-x (Pathfinder In addition, the team has been and moisture, from outside sources. Atmospheres Extended) cloud dabbling in the creation of a However, using reanalysis data to fill properties Climate Data Record (CDR) PATMOS-x Geostationary Operational these gaps is not without pitfalls. – a unique, continuous record of Environmental Satellite (GOES) global cloud products strung together dataset. This version using geostationary “There’s been some question as to how from Advanced Very High Resolution data will complement the PATMOS-x appropriate it is to use reanalysis data Radiometer (AVHRR) instruments AVHRR dataset created from polar for trend detection. Because you’re flown on 15 different satellites satellite measurements. They have reliant on a model, and you’re reliant beginning in 1981. begun processing the GOES data, but on a changing observing system, so you as Foster noted, they have yet to release can get artificial signals inserted into These days, Foster is helping to expand an official product. your record,” says Foster. on that work, advancing research on climate datasets to make them more However, data from this new Foster examined a number of different useful for climate applications and PATMOS-x GOES dataset, as well as reanalysis datasets that could be studying climate trends. data from the PATMOS-x AVHRR used augment the PATMOS-x data: cloud dataset, can be accessed online Climate Forecast System Reanalysis With the PATMOS-x AVHRR CDR through a newly created CIMSS Climate (CFSR, from the National Centers delivery as a guide, the same team led Data Portal. CIMSS programmers for Environmental Prediction); ERA- by NOAA scientist Andrew Heidinger Tommy Jasmin and Mike Hiley have Interim (from the European Center for of the Advanced Satellite Products been instrumental in creating the portal, Medium-range Weather Forecasting); Branch (ASPB) is now developing a which is in beta release and Modern-Era Retrospective PATMOS-x AVHRR + HIRS CDR to (www.ssec.wisc.edu/cdp/main). analysis for Research and Applications deliver to NCEI. (MERRA, from NASA). In addition to helping to create “I am trying to add spectral information PATMOS-x datasets, Foster is also “The thing that interests me is trying to

16 global cloud coverage

PATMOS-x HIRS 10 MISR AQUA MODIS C6 CALIPSO CERES SATCORPS CLARA-A2 5 anomaly (%)

0

1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015

Annual global cloudiness anomalies for 1981-2015. The anomaly is defined as the annual value minus the mean, derived for a period common to the satellite records excluding CALIPSO, where the entire record was used instead. The datasets include (a) PATMOS-x, (b) HIRS, (c) MISR, (d) AQUA MODIS C6, (e) CALIPSO, (f) CERES Aqua MODIS, (g) SatCORPS and (h) CLARA-A2. Credit: Mike Foster. figure out where the shortcomings are did he have to learn how to manage the As NOAA has launched its last for these long-term datasets and how project, but research and processing AVHRR, Foster is looking ahead to we adjust for them,” says Foster. advances, such as the creation of the continuing the cloud climate data record PATMOS-x CDR, have made the task with the Visible Infrared Imaging Foster also leads an effort documenting less labor intensive. Foster mentioned Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) onboard global cloudiness for the State of how he appreciated the opportunity the Suomi National Polar-orbiting the Climate issue published annually to maintain contact with scientists Partnership (NPP) satellite. VIIRS has by the Bulletin of the American conducting similar research and to improved spatial resolution, as well Meteorological Society. Foster has review the previous year’s work. as additional channels. The key to a played (and enjoyed) this role since successful transition lies in maintaining 2008, back when he was a CIMSS Foster was also awarded funding consistency between the two instrument postdoc. He contacts other scientists through the NASA New Investigator records. who have also developed cloud datasets Program in Earth Science. According to derived from satellite data to gather NASA, this highly competitive program Similarly, with the success of integrating information on their performance over is “designed to support outstanding the HIRS data with the AVHRR, Foster the last year and compare them. scientific research and career will also be looking at integrating data development of scientists and engineers from the Cross-track Infrared Sounder “In the last 10 to 15 years everything at the early stage of their professional on Suomi NPP. is in good agreement. But as you go careers.” farther back you see more variability Each additional satellite instrument among the datasets,” says Foster. With this funding Foster and Amanda and passing year allows Foster to help Gumber, a CIMSS research intern, are improve and lengthen the current Foster noted that one theory had been using a 3D Monte Carlo model to study climate records. His research aims that strong El Niños were responsible how cloud field morphology affects not only to improve the quality and for the variation. However, 2015 solar fluxes and using a fit method he consistency of the satellite cloud ushered in the first strong El Niño since developed as a postdoc to “simulate records but also to subsequently 1998, and the datasets continue to show the in-cloud distribution of the optical enhance our understanding of climate excellent agreement. properties.” Foster jokingly noted that processes on a global scale. “it’s one of the few projects [that I’m Foster also spoke about how working on] that’s not PATMOS-x | Leanne Avila coordinating this contribution to the related” as they are using MODIS to State of the Climate effort has changed conduct this research. dramatically over the years. Not only

17 Highlights of recent publications

► Baldassarre, G.; Pozzoli, L.; Schmidt, Thomas F., and Solbrig, Jeremy E., 2015: and Partain, Phillip T., 2015: Upper C. C.; Unal, A.; Kindap, T.; Menzel, W. P.; Evaluating environmental impacts on atmospheric gravity wave details Whitburn, S.; Coheur, P.-F.; Kavgaci, A., tropical cyclone rapid intensification revealed in nightglow satellite imagery. and Kaiser, J. W., 2015: Using SEVIRI predictability utilizing statistical Proceedings of the National Academy of fire observations to drive smoke plumes models. Weather and Forecasting v.30, Sciences (PNAS) v.112, no.49, ppE6728– in the CMAQ air quality model: a case no.5, pp1374–1396. E6735. study over Antalya in 2008. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics v.15, no.14, pp8539- ► Kossin, James P., 2015: Validating ► Otkin, Jason A.; Anderson, Martha 8558. atmospheric reanalysis data using C.; Hain, Christopher; Svoboda, Mark; tropical cyclones as thermometers. Johnson, David; Mueller, Richard; Tadesse, ► Foster, M.; Ackerman, S. A.; Heidinger, Bulletin of the American Meteorological Tsegaye; Wardlow, Brian, and Brown, A. K., and Maddux, B. C., 2015: State of Society v.96, no.7, pp1089–1096. Jesslyn, 2016: Assessing the evolution the climate in 2014: Cloudiness. Bulletin of soil moisture and vegetation of the American Meteorological Society ► Lee, Yong-Keun; Kongoli, Cezar, and conditions during the 2012 United States v.96, no.7, ppS24-S26. Key, Jeffrey, 2015: An in-depth evaluation flash drought. Agricultural and Forest of heritage algorithms for snow cover Meteorology v.218-219, pp230-242. ► Gravelle, Chad M.; Mecikalski, John and snow depth using AMSR-E and R.; Line, William E.; Bedka, Kristopher AMSR2 measurements. Journal of ► Pavolonis, Michael J.; Sieglaff, Justin, M.; Petersen, Ralph A.; Sieglaff, Justin M.; Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology v.32, and Cintineo, John, 2015: Spectrally Stano, Geoffrey T., and Goodman, Steven no.12, pp2319–2336. Enhanced Cloud Objects - A J., 2016: Demonstration of a GOES-R generalized framework for automated satellite convective toolkit to “bridge the ► Limaye, Sanjay S.; Markiewicz, W. J.; detection of volcanic ash and gap” between severe weather watches Krauss, R.; Ignatiev, N.; Roatsch, T., and dust clouds using passive satellite and warnings: An example from the 20 Matz, K. D., 2015: Focal lengths of Venus measurements: 2. Cloud object analysis May 2013 Moore, Oklahoma, tornado Monitoring Camera from limb locations. and global application. Journal of outbreak. Bulletin of the American Planetary and Space Science v.113-114, Geophysical Research-Atmospheres v.120, Meteorological Society v.97, no.1, pp69-84. pp169-183. no.15, pp7842-7870.

► Huang, M.; Mielkainen, J.; Huang, B.; ► Liu, Yinghui, 2015: Estimating ► Pavolonis, Michael J.; Sieglaff, Justin, Chen, H.; Huang, H.-L. A., and Goldberg, errors in cloud amount and cloud and Cintineo, John, 2015: Spectrally M. D., 2015: Development of efficient optical thickness due to limited spatial Enhanced Cloud Objects - A GPU parallelization of WRF Yonsei sampling using a satellite imager as a generalized framework for automated University planetary boundary layer proxy for nadir-view sensors. Journal of detection of volcanic ash and scheme. Geoscientific Model Development Geophysical Research-Atmospheres v.120, dust clouds using passive satellite v.8, no.9, pp2977-2990. no.14, pp6980-6991. measurements: 1. Multispectral analysis. Journal of Geophysical Research- ► Kabatas, B.; Unal, A.; Pierce, R. B.; ► Mielikainen, Jarno; Huang, Bormin, Atmospheres v.120, no.15, pp7813-7841. Kindap, T., and Pozzoli, L., 2015: The and Huang, Hung-Lung Allen., 2015: contribution of Saharan dust in PM10 Optimizing Total Energy-Mass Flux ► Roman, Jacola; Knuteson, Robert; concentration levels in Anatolian (TEMF) planetary boundary layer Ackerman, Steve, and Revercomb, Peninsula of Turkey. Science of the Total scheme for Intel’s Many Integrated Hank, 2015: Predicted changes in the Environment v.488-489, pp413-421. Core (MIC) architecture. IEEE Journal frequency of extreme precipitable water of Selected Topics in Applied Earth vapor events. Journal of Climate v.28, ► Kaplan, John; Rozoff, Christopher Observations and Remote Sensing v.8, no.8, no.18, pp7057–7070. M.; DeMaria, Mark; Sampson, Charles pp4196-4119. R.; Kossin, James P.; Velden, Christopher ► Rozoff, Christopher M.; Velden, S.; Cione, Joseph J.; Dunion, Jason P.; ► Miller, Steven D.; Straka, William C. Christopher S.; Kaplan, John; Kossin, Knaff, John A.; Zhang, Jun A.; Dostalek, III; Yue, Jia; Smith, Steven M.; Alexander, James P., and Wimmers, Anthony J., 2015: John F.; Hawkins, Jeffrey D.; Lee, M. Joan; Hoffmann, Lars; Setvak, Martin, Improvements in the probabilistic

18 prediction of tropical cyclone rapid E.; Marcott, Shaun A.; Markle, Bradley R.; intensification with passive microwave Maselli, Oliva J.; McConnell, Joseph R.; observations. Weather and Forecasting McGwire, Kenneth C.; Mitchell, Logan Awards v.30, no.4, pp1016-1038. E.; Mortensen, Nicolai B.; Neff, Peter D.; Nishiizumi, Kunihiko; Nunn, Richard M.; William L. Smith ► Schmetz, Johannes and Menzel, W. Orsi, Anais J.; Pastens, Daniel R.; Pedro, Joel Senior Scientist, SSEC Paul, 2015: A look at the evolution of B.; Pettit, Erin C.; Price, P. Buford; Priscu, Awarded the 2016 Losey meteorological satellites: Advancing John C.; Rhodes, Rachael H.; Rosen, Julia L.; Atmospheric Sciences Award capabilities and meeting user Schauer, Andrew J.; Schoenemann, Spruce for “visionary and pioneering requirements. Weather, Climate, and W.; Sendelbach, Paul J.; Seveninghaus, hyperspectral resolution sounding Society v.7, no.4, pp309–320. Jeffrey P.; Shturmakov, Alexander J.; Sigle, techniques.” Michael; Slawny, Kristina R.; Souney, Joseph ► Smith, Nadia; Smith, William L. M.; Sower, Todd A.; Spencer, Matthew K.; Donald R. Johnson Sr.; Weisz, Elisabeth, and Revercomb, Steig, Eric J.; Taylor, Kentrick C.; Twickler, Professor Emeritus, SSEC Henry E., 2015: AIRS, IASI, and CrIS Mark S.; Vaughn, Bruce H.; Voigt, Donald Awarded honorary member status retrieval records at climate scales: An E.; Waddington, Edwin D.; Welten, Kees by the American Meteorological investigation into the propagation C.; Wendricks, Anthony W.; White, James Society. of systematic uncertainty. Journal of W. C.; Winstrup, Mai; Wong, Gifford J., Applied Meteorology and Climatology v.54, and Woodruff, Thomas E., 2015: Precise Jun Li no.7, pp1465-1481. interpolar phasing of abrupt climate Distinguished Scientist, CIMSS change during the last ice age. Nature Awarded the Distinguished ► Sromovsky, L. A.; de Pater, I.; Fry, P. M.; v.520, pp661–665. Scientist prefix by the University Hammel, H. B., and Marcus, P., 2015: High of Wisconsin-Madison, a title S/N Keck and Gemini AO imaging ► Wang, Pei; Li, Jun; Goldberg, Mitchell reserved for a small number of of Uranus during 2012-2014: New D.; Schmit, Timothy J.; Lim, Agnes H. N.; academic staff whose superlative cloud patterns, increasing activity, and Li, Zhenglong; Han, Hyojin; Li, Jinlong, and accomplishments are evidenced by improved wind measurements. Icarus Ackerman, Steven A., 2015: Assimilation peer recognition. v.258, pp192-223. of thermodynamic information from advanced infrared sounders under Michael Pavolonis ► Tushaus, Samantha A.; Posselt, Derek J., partially cloudy skies from regional Physical Scientist, NOAA and Miglietta, M. Marcello, 2015: Bayesian NWP. Journal of Geophysical Research- Advanced Satellite Products exploration of multivariate orographic Atmospheres v.120, no.16, pp5469-5484. Branch precipitation sensitivity for moist stable Awarded the 2015 Earth Science and neutral flows. Monthly Weather ► Weisz, Elisabeth; Smith, Nadia, and and Applications Award from the Review v.143, no.11, pp4459–4475. Smith, William L. Sr., 2015: The use of American Astronautical Society hyperspectral sounding information to for developing cutting-edge ► WAIS Divide Project Members; Buizert, monitor atmospheric tendencies leading methods to convert satellite data Christo; Adrian, Betty; Ahn, Jinho; Albert, to severe local storms. Earth and Space into actionable information for Mary; Alley, Richard B.; Baggenstos, Science v.2, no.9, pp369–377. mitigating hazards caused by Daniel; Bauska, Thomas K.; Bay, Ryan C.; volcanic eruptions and severe Bencivengo, Brian B.; Bentley, Charles R.; ► Wimmers, Anthony J. and Velden, convection. Brook, Edward J.; Chellman, Nathan J.; Christopher S., 2016: Advancements Clow, Gary D.; Cole-Dai, Jihong; Conway, in objective multisatellite tropical Michelle Feltz Howard; Cravens, Eric; Cuffey, Kurt cyclone center fixing. Journal of Applied Research Intern, SSEC M.; Dunbar, Nelia W.; Edwards, Jon S.; Meteorology and Climatology v.55, no.1, Selected to receive the Fegyveresi; Ferris, Dave G.; Fitzpatrick, pp197–212. Lettau Award for Outstanding Joan J.; Fudge, T. J.; Gibson, Chris J.; Master’s Thesis: “Guidance Gkinis, Vasileios; Goetz, Joshua J.; Gregory, for Stratospheric Temperature Stephanie; Hargreaves, Geoffrey M.; Products: Comparing COSMIC Iverson, Nels; Johnson, Jay A.; Jones, Tyler For a complete list of Radio Occultation and AIRS R.; Kalk, Michael L.; Kippenhan, Matthew publications, please visit: Hyperspectral Infrared Sounder J.; Koffman, Bess G.; Krautz, Karl; Kuhl, go.wisc.edu/lx74ac Data.” (Advisor: Steve Ackerman.) Tanner W.; Lebar, Donald A.; Lee, James

19 UW satellite pioneer garners top atmospheric sciences award ushing the boundaries of where measures of the stability of the satellite remote sensing, Bill atmosphere are necessary to predict Smith has been a catalyst for turbulence. Pincreasingly sophisticated instruments and methods to gather good data According to National Weather Service William L. Smith about Earth’s atmosphere in order to (NWS) director Louis Uccellini, “Bill improve weather forecasts. has been at the forefront of satellite sounding of the atmosphere and its who received the award before him. A senior scientist at the University of application to weather forecasting since Among them are Harry Wexler, Jule Wisconsin-Madison Space Science and its earliest days. There are many within Charney, Moustafa Chahine and Engineering Center, professor emeritus the atmospheric science community “Verner Suomi, the most notable,” says with the Department of Atmospheric today who consider Smith to be Smith. “They were heavily involved in and Oceanic Sciences, and the father of satellite atmospheric atmospheric sounding instruments and distinguished professor at Hampton sounding.” retrievals and that’s what makes it so University, Smith is responsible meaningful.” for “visionary and pioneering Smith’s legacy extends back to the hyperspectral resolution sounding early NASA Nimbus missions – in An alumnus of the UW-Madison techniques” – techniques that are being 1972 he was the principal investigator Department of Meteorology, Smith used on current polar-orbiting satellites for a radiometer that flew on Nimbus received his PhD in 1966. Even then, and planned for future polar-orbiting 5, successfully measuring carbon he was examining the possibilities and geostationary satellites. dioxide, temperature, and water vapor of using meteorological satellites to content in the troposphere and lower infer the temperature structure of the It is this work, sustained over the stratosphere. atmosphere from infrared radiation course of 50 years, that has landed him observations. the 2016 Losey Atmospheric Sciences Since then, he has spearheaded the Award. field’s progression to hyperspectral While studying in Madison, Smith soundings, collecting increasingly would cross paths with Suomi, Nominated by his peers and awarded accurate and detailed information another giant in the field of satellite by the American Institute of about the vertical structure of the meteorology, who founded SSEC Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), atmosphere with instruments on in 1965. Their professional interests the honor is given in memory of satellites, aircraft, or on the ground. would frequently converge over the Captain Robert Losey, a United States In addition to temperature and next three decades. Army observer and the first casualty moisture profiles at different levels of World War II. The award recognizes of the atmosphere, hyperspectral Smith spent 11 years in Washington outstanding contributions to the infrared measurements are providing DC, from the mid-1960s until the atmospheric sciences as applied to precise information on greenhouse mid-1970s, leading several satellite the advancement of aeronautics and gases, giving scientists a long view of programs for the National Oceanic and astronautics. changing climate. Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). During that time, both he and Suomi A scientist and an aviator, Smith has “All of the work that I’ve done that were working on different aspects of professional and personal interests in led to this award was done at the UW- the same program: the Visible-Infrared better weather forecasts. The sounding Madison,” says Smith. But what makes Spin-Scan Radiometer (VISSR) techniques he has pioneered are crucial it such a great honor for Smith is the Atmospheric Sounder (VAS) that could for many fields, including aviation, association with “brilliant scientists” obtain atmospheric soundings as well

20 as images from the early geostationary here because I saw the application interested in improving forecasts for satellites. of McIDAS (SSEC’s Man-computer severe weather. Interactive Data Access System Smith has been at the leading edge Smith’s group in Washington DC was developed for data visualization) of developing atmospheric sounding working on the program from the data for editing bad data and displaying systems flown by the world’s premier processing point of view, and Suomi, sounding product results.” weather agencies. In fact, generations in Madison, was working on it from of satellite instruments – for polar the instrument point of view. McIDAS was still in beta in the 1970s, orbiting and geostationary satellites – but Smith, like Suomi, saw its potential, had their genesis with Smith and his “We thought, ‘Why are we doing “not just for producing winds, but SSEC colleagues. this separately?’” Smith recalls. “It for quality controlling and for getting just made sense to join our forces to sounding information to forecasters.” For example, the Cross-track Infrared improve the VAS retrievals.” The story of the McIDAS innovation Sounder (CrIS) on the Suomi National spread beyond SSEC and Wisconsin. Polar-orbiting Partnership (NPP) And so in 1976, working with After demonstrating its capabilities, satellite is slated for operations on Suomi, NOAA, and UW-Madison the SSEC research and engineering the 2017 Joint Polar Satellite System: administrators to iron out the details, teams installed the first McIDAS It is a direct descendent of polar- Smith moved eight federal scientists, system at the National Severe Storms orbiting sounders developed at SSEC. plus himself, to Madison to work Forecast Center (now the NOAA Data from CrIS will improve model alongside university researchers Storm Prediction Center) in Kansas forecasts, aiding in both short-term – a move that, over the years, has City, Missouri, in 1982. It was the first and long-term weather forecasting, repeatedly proven its value in the form time “we were able to get forecasters and provide more information about of better environmental data and to look at and actually use atmospheric atmospheric chemistry. better weather forecasting tools. That sounding data,” says Smith. “We made move would result in the establishment derived product images so they were On the geostationary side, the of NOAA’s Cooperative Institute not looking at numbers, but pictures United States has yet to include a for Meteorological Satellite Studies of atmospheric features.” hyperspectral sounder on one of its (CIMSS) at UW-Madison, with Smith satellites, but China and Europe are as its first director. It was a monumental advance: proceeding with this capability – its McIDAS, by providing a way to lineage linked directly to the SSEC “Beyond coming back to my alma animate satellite images, made the data model. Smith is certain that both mater,” says Smith, “I wanted to come usable to NWS forecasters who were instruments will provide “a real demonstration of capabilities, and then maybe we’ll do it.”

“All of this work and development was really from here,” says Smith. “My name may be on the award, but there are many people at SSEC who deserve recognition for it.”

| Jean Phillips

The first federal research group arrived in Madison in 1976 to collaborate with SSEC scientists. Standing, from left to right: Leroy Herman, Frederick Nagle, John Lewis, Hugh Howell, Geary Callan, William Togstad. Sitting: Harold Woolf, William Smith, Christopher Hayden. Credit: CIMSS.

21 2015 AOSS Photo Contest

Counterclockwise from top:

First Place Ilya Razenkov, “Ice crystals forest,” Lake Mendota.

Second Place Dave Stettner, “Rainbow,” Rocky Mountain National Park.

Third place Paolo Veglio, “Moonbow,” Yosemite National Park.

Honorable Mention Ilya Razenkov, “Pressure ridge, with Mt. Erebus in background,” Antarctica.

Honorable Mention Dan DeSlover, “Oxarafoss waterfall after fresh snowfall,” Iceland.

22 SSEC’s research interns forge studious camaraderie

t is uncommon, perhaps even done just that. Once office-mates different SSEC scientist on different unprecedented, for four graduate on the Atmospheric, Oceanic and research projects, the relationships students from the same class to Space Sciences building’s 13th floor they built in room 1311 continue to Ibe hired on as Space Science and (informally known as the graduate serve them well now, as they face the Engineering Center (SSEC) research student office), these atmospheric challenges of full-time research. interns straight out of school. But, scientists are using the skills and in the past year, current interns interests they developed as students Amanda Gumber, Michelle Feltz, to pursue real-world applications. Aaron Letterly, and Alexa Ross have While each of them works with a continued 

From left to right: Research interns Alexa Ross, Amanda Gumber, Michelle Feltz, Aaron Letterly sit in front of four MODIS images of the Great Lakes in the AOSS building. Credit: Bill Bellon, SSEC.

23 questions about climate – but it wasn’t It also helps that she is working with the for her. She wanted the hands-on same team of scientists, she says. For the element of working with data. From most part, these include programmers then on she has worked under SSEC in SSEC’s Science Investigator-led scientist Bob Holz. Processing System (SIPS) office. Ross says that, despite being the youngest one and “[Bob] gave me a big data project and I often the only female in the room, she has absolutely loved it. I took a programming always felt welcome. class that semester, using MATLAB. Programming has always been super “I’m working in a place where I feel daunting to me, because I had never had like my opinions are really respected. someone to walk me through things, When I present something I’ve done to but I fell in love with the puzzle-solving my research group, people assume it’s aspect of it,” she says. “That was what correct,” she says. “They don’t see me as got me into physics in the first place.” a rookie. … They see me as an equal, a colleague, and I think there’s something Ross’ master’s thesis on the microphysics really special about that.” Alexa Ross of a specific type of cloud ice offered a great many puzzles to solve. Her work Currently, Ross’ biggest project centers Of the four interns, Ross has perhaps centered upon a year’s worth of data on preparing for the launch of GOES-R, strayed the furthest from her original collected by the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and a next-generation geostationary satellite, area of study: She did her undergraduate Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation scheduled for later this year. Her role is degree in physics, at a small liberal (CALIPSO) satellite. When the satellite to help develop software that can be used arts college. Unlike the University was first launched, in 2006, its lidar was to validate the collocation of multiple of Wisconsin-Madison, one of the initially pointed almost straight down, satellites, matching up their different most prolific research universities in or what’s known as “nadir” in satellite fields of view (something that has been the country, there were almost no science. At that viewing angle, it was done by SSEC scientists, such as Fred research opportunities available to her possible to differentiate between two Nagle, for decades). She and the rest of as an undergraduate. She had very little types of ice crystals: randomly oriented her team work together to write code programming experience. crystals and a flatter oriented type that that incorporates desired variables, such appear at the very top of some types of as cloud-top height, into the finished By the time she started applying to clouds. When the flat type of ice crystal product: an entire record of data. graduate schools, though, she had set her was present, Ross explains, the signal sights on studying something within the coming back to the sensor was strong, Since geostationary satellites hover over Earth sciences. with very little polarization (like shining a the same point on the globe constantly, laser-pointer into a mirror, she says). the team is “collocating to this same “Climate was interesting to me,” she footprint each time,” she explains, so they recalls. Furthermore, she knew she The lidar has since been repositioned, are able to match them up in real time. wanted to work with big data. but in the meantime this specific type of ice microphysics data was collected for all They plan to apply the same process for “I liked the idea of big data, so I was of 2007. For her thesis, Ross compared validating GOES-R data upon its launch, looking into remote-sensing programs. the 2007 CALIPSO data to CloudSat “which everyone is super excited about,” Satellite remote-sensing piqued my surface precipitation data, and found that she says. interest because I had a little bit of a the presence of randomly oriented ice background in astronomy,” she explains. crystals was correlated to a much higher “For the first time, I feel like I’m able to “So I was used to working with satellites, chance of surface precipitation. While the relate what I’m doing to something that is just looking outward instead of inward at reasons for this result are unclear, it was operational,” she says. “This could actually the Earth.” an interesting finding nonetheless. And, in be helping forecasters when GOES-R the process of discovering it, she learned gets launched. It’s really cool to think that Upon starting graduate school at a set of invaluable skills: The research she I’m contributing.” UW-Madison, Ross got involved in a is doing now builds directly on the work modeling project with professor Tracey she did as a graduate student. Holloway, working to answer big-picture

24 using these adjusted distributions of Aside from making eye-catching data cloud optical properties throughout the visualizations of her own, Gumber says MODIS record. her favorite part of research has been the satisfaction of getting results. Gumber became interested in studying clouds early on, particularly “It’s great when you see something you via satellite. Because of their close made actually work,” she says. “You proximity, clouds are ultra-accessible apply a specific method and you get to satellite instrumentation – especially this output and you see how cool it polar-orbiters, such as MODIS, that looks. To know that you actually did soar a few hundred miles above the something, and it’s not just random Earth’s surface. Satellites also offer the noise…that’s really rewarding.” advantage of a global view in just a day or two, versus highly localized ground- To get to that scientific sweet-spot, based instruments that cover a much Gumber often enlists the help of Foster narrower swath. or other scientists in the building, including the other interns. Having Amanda Gumber “Satellites have offered the opportunity them as a sounding board has been a to get a global record of clouds for the big help as she tackles coding challenges Gumber works with SSEC scientist first time,” she says. “I like it because it’s for the first time. Mike Foster, primarily working to finish a field that still has a lot to be explored.” up a project she began as a master’s Being able to focus on her research student: manipulating data from the And, with more than three decades’ full time has helped, too, as she works Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectro- worth of global cloud data available, on developing her master’s thesis into radiometer (MODIS), an instrument Gumber says, it’s a thrilling time to be a paper for publication. For now, she onboard NASA’s Terra and Aqua entering the field. explains, there is still at least another polar-orbiting satellites, to examine 3D year to go with that project. And radiative cloud effects. “We’re getting to a cool part in time, afterward? where satellites have been getting cloud “I play with the data,” she summarizes data for 30-plus years, so it’s helping “I think one day it would be cool jokingly, explaining that she uses a with climatology,” she says. “You can to work on more of the algorithm method developed by Foster to retrieve use the record for climate-related development side of the process,” she distributions of cloud liquid-water path analyses.” says. “I think that’s fascinating.” over partially cloudy scenes. As an undergraduate student at UW- No matter what role she may take on She has applied Foster’s method over Madison, Gumber had the opportunity in the future, she says, one thing will the MODIS record in order to create to do some software testing for SSEC’s stay the same: “Ultimately, you’re always a dataset that adjusts for distributions longest-running data visualization working toward the same goal: Let’s get of cloud liquid-water path in marine program, the Man-computer Interactive good measurements, so we can input liquid clouds. Essentially, the method Data Access System (McIDAS). She them into models to get reliable results.” adjusts horizontal distributions of cloud would use the program and provide optical properties to be more consistent feedback to SSEC scientists in the with the observed visible reflectance, McIDAS working group. After that which is useful in areas where cloud experience, she enrolled in a remote- optical retrievals have either failed or are sensing course offered through the considered to be low-quality. Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences (AOS) that gave They have used the method to do her exposure to the full range of comparisons among other satellites capabilities offered by satellites and and data sets, too. Ultimately, they use other instrumentation. From there, she a 3D Monte Carlo radiative transfer set her sights on a graduate degree in model to identify and quantify the 3D remote sensing. radiative cloud effects that occur from

25 Borbas on NASA’s Making Earth forecasters. A number of forecasters System Data Records for Use in have been working with SSEC scientist Research Environments (MEASURES) Elisabeth Weisz and scientists based endeavor. Borbas has already done a at other institutions to use infrared great deal of work on MEASURES, sounders to provide these observations. including validating the accuracy of a Feltz’s expertise in validation using radio land emissivity variable: a job that has occultation could potentially be useful to been passed on to Feltz. Using code the project. that Borbas developed, she compares a calculated brightness temperature “If you can offer something to solve a quantity to a satellite-measured problem that has societal benefits, that’s brightness temperature to validate that pretty cool,” she says. “It’s nice to be their high spectral resolution emissivity able to see you are making a difference.” algorithm is working properly. That algorithm will then transition to use The group also sees some potential for in operational weather models that international collaboration, perhaps could be used by the numerical weather with Johannes (Joe) Nielsen, a visiting Michelle Feltz prediction community to improve scientist at SSEC from Denmark. Right weather forecasts. now, Feltz says, the project’s focus is on Feltz has been working with SSEC the U.S. But “those applications should scientist Bob Knuteson since she was Another 25 percent of Feltz’s time be made widely available. A lot of an undergraduate student. Transitioning is focused on a validation project for potential opportunities are there for us from undergraduate to graduate SSEC scientist Lori Borg related to the to follow.” coursework was fairly seamless, she National Oceanic and Atmospheric recalls. But the transition to research Administration (NOAA) Unique CrIS/ As she’s come to understand, “that’s intern, while an informal process, has ATMS Processing System (NUCAPS). kind of how research goes. You have involved more of a mental shift. Feltz’s role in the project is essentially to be really proactive. If you see an an extension of her master’s thesis opportunity to start a new project, and “There’s more responsibility, more topic, which recently earned her the solve a new issue, you should follow that independence,” she describes. “I’m Lettau Award for Outstanding Master’s lead.” learning how research is done.” Thesis. In her thesis, she explored the use of radio occultation – a means of For the time being, Feltz says, she’s While she is unsure what will happen making atmospheric measurements by excited to stay in research. It has taken a when her one-year internship ends, detecting changes in radio signal caused while to get comfortable, build her skills, for now she says she is enjoying the by electromagnetic radiation passing and to figure out how best to do her opportunity to learn more about what through the Earth’s atmosphere – to job – and she says she’s glad to have the she might want to do next. validate soundings from satellites. She opportunity to take her time exploring. and Borg are currently working on a “I really enjoyed research during grad paper that will compare all available “Research in this field is really fun school, so I thought being a research operational temperature products to because it’s always changing. You are intern would be a good opportunity to radio-occultation temperature data. constantly learning new things and continue working on those projects and getting to solve problems,” she says. test out if I really want to do research as A third project that Feltz has just “You might be working with other a career.” recently gotten involved with is people to solve a problem or sitting particularly exciting, she says, because at your desk all day trying to figure Knuteson has been a wonderful mentor the real-world applications are readily something out – both are fun in their to help find funding and projects that apparent. An aviation safety initiative own way.” would interest Michelle, she says. Her out of Alaska, the project is examining time is currently divided among three the “cold pool” phenomenon. Aircraft distinct projects. cannot fly through cold air aloft, Feltz explains, because it’s too dangerous. So, Fifty percent is spent working with scientists are trying to find ways to get Knuteson and SSEC scientist Eva real-time 3D observations available to

26 to the image you made yesterday, to see He did not know then that he would how far the sea ice has moved in a day spend a substantial amount of his – or a week, or a few months. … That’s graduate and post-graduate years how you derive sea-ice motion.” studying the subject, but “it’s evolved into some pretty fun research,” he says, Applying this technique over a longer “because it’s always changing.” period of time, scientists are able to look at averages in sea ice behavior over a The concept of less ice growth span of years. indicating warmer temperatures, and more ice growth indicating colder “Our satellite data goes back to 1982. temperatures, is more intuitive than … Pretty significant for sea ice,” he says. many other environmental processes. “We can look at a mini-climatology, Letterly says this is an advantage that sea changes that happen. It’s nice to have ice has toward explaining climate science that track record. And that’s only going to a lay audience, who are able to see to expand further as time goes on.” satellite images and easily draw important scientific conclusions from them. “I Aaron Letterly The end goal for the products that think that’s really fun,” he says. Letterly and others create is an online Letterly has been working with Jeff Key, resource allowing scientists around the Becoming a research intern was the a NOAA Advanced Satellite Products globe to access the data. “most attractive option” after graduate Branch (ASPB) scientist based at SSEC, school for a number of reasons, Letterly for more than two years: as a research “We want to have a web-space … that says. Firstly, it would allow him to intern since June 2015 and as a graduate provides these Arctic parameters, since continue to build the relationships he student since August 2013. Their focus is we get a large volume of data and can do had fostered as a student: with Jeff and Arctic sea ice. so much with it here,” Letterly explains. the rest of his team at SSEC, and with “If you are interested in the Poles, most the other interns. The past few months, Letterly has been likely, [we have] something that will editing and adapting his graduate student interest you.” Furthermore, he says, the position has thesis, discussing winter clouds and how enabled him to immediately jump into they affect sea ice later in the summer, Letterly became interested in sea ice applying the skills and knowledge he has to turn it into a manuscript fit for a through a small research project he did learned over the past few years, as well peer-reviewed journal – it was recently as an undergraduate at the University as begin to develop some new ones: how accepted to be published. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in to make a job run faster, or how to write 2011. He was immediately drawn to the code so the output is cleaner. Everything His tasks as a research intern, he says, are possible climate-change applications the he has learned on the job thus far, says for the most part continuations of what data offered. Letterly, has been at an accelerated pace. he did as a graduate student, however, his “responsibilities are expanding.” “When you look at an IPCC “As a research intern, if I need to learn For example, he helps provide weekly (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate something, it’s probably because I’m products for sea-ice motion and weekly Change) report, they talk about 20-year going to be using it every day for the Advanced Very High Resolution or 100-year changes. That always seemed next three months,” he says, “Things Radiometer (AVHRR) values for cloud, so far away, like so much of an estimate. stick with me more than they did in grad sea, and ground surface temperature – … But I did this project where we just school because of the constant repetition important Arctic parameters related to looked at year-to-year changes of just sea of tasks reinforcing what I’ve learned. sea ice. This involves receiving data from ice. I was fascinated to see how changes It’s less theory, more application.” satellite overpasses – typically 20-35 per in just this one substance (sea ice at the day – and arranging the data together Poles) could change the albedo of the He says, he is enjoying the chance to to create one mosaic-like image of the Earth so rapidly and so drastically in the learn as much as possible in a positive Earth. course of a year. … The fact of whether environment. or not there was ice had so much of an “A neat thing you can do with a satellite implication,” he recalls. | Sarah Witman image,” explains Letterly, “is compare it

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