ANNUAL 2012-2013 REPORT

Goddard Earth Sciences Technology and Research Studies and Investigations GESTAR STAFF Abuhassan, Nader Kowalewski, Matthew Stoyanova, Silvia Achuthavarier, Deepthi Kreutzinger, Rachel Strahan, Susan Anyamba, Assaf Kucsera, Tom Strode, Sarah Aquila, Valentina Kurtz, Nathan Sun, Zhibin Barahona, Donifan Kurylo, Michael Swanson, Andrew Beck, Jefferson Lait, Leslie Taha, Ghassan Bell, Benita Lamsal, Lok Tan, Qian Belvedere, Debbie Laughlin, Daniel Tao, Zhining Bindschadler, Robert Lawford, Richard Tian, Lin Bridgman, Tom Lee, Dong Min Ungar, Stephen Brucker, Ludovic Leidner, Allison Unninayar, Sushel Brunt, Kelly Lentz, Michael Utku, Cuneyt Buchard-Marchant, Virginie Lewis, Katherine Vikhliaev, Yury Burger, Matthew Li, Feng Wang, James Celarier, Edward Li, Xiaowen Weaver, Clark Chang, Yehui Liang, Qing Wen, Guoyong Chase, Tyler Liao, Liang Wiessinger, Scott Chen, Tiexi Lim, Young-Kwon Willard, Sean Chern, Jiun-Dar Lin, Xin Wright, Ernest

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Chettri, Samir Lyu, Chen-Hsuan (Joseph) Xu, Hui Cohen, Jarrett Majedi, Amir Yang, Weidong Colombo, Oscar Malespin, Charles Yang, Yuekui Cote, Charles Marchant, Benjamin Yasunari, Teppei Damoah, Richard Margolis, Hank Zeng, Xiping De Lannoy, Gabrielle J. M. McBride, Patrick Zhang, Qingyuan De Matthaeis, Paolo McGrath-Spangler, Erica Zhang, Yan Diehl, Thomas Meyer, Kerry Zhou, Jiansong Draper, Clara Mohammed, Priscilla Zhou, Yaping Duberstein, Genna Molnar, Gyula Ziemke, Jerald Eck, Thomas Mounirou Torre, Ally Zuber, Ryan Errico, Ronald Norris, Peter Farhadi, Leila Olsen, Mark Administrative Staff Fitzgibbons, Ryan Pan, Xiaohua Follette-Cook, Melanie Pasolli, Edoardo Arens, Jeff Gallagher, Dan Patadia, Falguni Baird, Steve Garner, Robert Peng, Jinzheng Dalnekoff, Julie Gasso, Santiago Phillips, Jackie Foster, Sarah Gatebe, Charles Plummer, Joel Harris, Monique Gautam, Ritesh Potter, Gerald Houghton, Amy Gong, Jie Prive, Nikki John, Sharon Grecu, Mircea Radcliff, Matthew Mobley, Lanisha Gupta, Pawan Randles, Cynthia Morgan, Dagmar Ham, Yoo-Geun Reale, Oreste Potts, Lisa Han, Mei Retscher, Christian Queen, Lynette Handleman, Michelle Reyes, Malissa Richardson, Linda Holdaway, Daniel Rousseaux, Cecile Samuel Kerr, Elamae Huang, Jingfeng Sayer, Andrew Hurwitz, Margaret Schiffer, Robert Jethva, Hiren Schindler, Trent Technical Editor Jiang, Le Selkirk, Henry Jin, Jianjun Sharghi, Kayvon Amy Houghton Johnson, Leann Shi, Jainn Jong (Roger) Jusem, Juan Carlos Sippel, Jason Graphic Design Kekesi, Alex Smith, Sarah Erin Carver Kim, Dongchul Soebiyanto, Radina Kim, Hyokyung Sokolowsky, Eric Kim, Kyu-Myong Southard, Adrian Korkin, Sergey Starr, Cynthia Kostis, Helen-Nicole Steenrod, Stephen TABLE of CONTENTS Image: The IRIS spacecraft. (T. Chase) Image: The IRIS spacecraft. (T. Letter from GESTAR Director...... 4 from GESTAR Letter Team...... 5 The GESTAR Research...... 6 Technical the Message...... 62 Delivering Products...... 75 Engagements/EPO...... 77 Student Awards...... 79 Supporting Travelers...... 81 External Acronyms...... 82 Storytelling Highlight...... 86 LETTER from GESTAR DIRECTOR

June 10, 2013

We are pleased to offer this second NASA Goddard Earth Sciences, Technology, and Research (GESTAR) Cooperative Agreement Annual Report for the period: 11 May 2012 – 10 May 2013. NASA awarded GESTAR to the team of Universities Space Research Association (USRA), Morgan State University (MSU), Johns Hopkins University (JHU), I.M. Systems Group (IMSG), Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), and Ball Aerospace for a period of fi ve years (2011-2016). During this second year, Johns Hopkins University researchers joined the GESTAR community at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). Additionally, technical staff from Global Science and Technology, Inc. (GST) joined GESTAR, supporting NASA’s Scientifi c Visualization Studio and other outreach efforts.

This report summarizes multidisciplinary efforts of GESTAR-affi liated researchers, technologists, students, visitors and staff. We describe accomplishments for the past year and technical progress in all research areas identifi ed in the GESTAR Annual Research Program Plan, submitted to NASA on 31 July 2012. Within the report and its appendices are: a) abstracts and papers published by GESTAR-affi liated staff; b) GESTAR-affi liated presentations at conferences, seminars, and workshops; c) education and public outreach engagements by GESTAR-affi liated staff; d) awards received by GESTAR- affi liated staff; e) engagement of GESTAR-affi liated staff in reviewing/advising/ committee participation activities, and; f) travel/meeting support provided by GESTAR to NASA.

This past year has been another good year. Everyone at GESTAR worked diligently with our NASA sponsors/collaborators to ensure success of critically important projects that support NASA’s mission in Earth Sciences and beyond. Their efforts have resulted in many substantive accomplishments, highlighted in this report. Our sincerest thanks go out to all for their commitment and professionalism. We look forward to applying our knowledge to the upcoming year to ensure GESTAR exceeds expectations, yet again.

William Corso

Joseph Whittaker Darryn Waugh Le Jiang

4 | GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 The GESTAR TEAM

Image: BETTII. (M. Lentz)

GESTAR MANAGMENT TEAM

GESTAR Director: Dr. William Corso

Associate Director: Dr. Darryn Waugh, JHU

Associate Director: Dr. Joseph Whittaker, MSU

Associate Director: Dr. Le Jiang, ISMG

Business Manager: Ms. Dagmar Morgan

Founded in 1969, Universities Space Research Association Morgan State University (MSU), founded in 1867, is one of the (USRA) is an independent nonprofi t research corporation that nation’s premier Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HB- conducts basic and applied research and operates programs and CUs). The University offers a comprehensive program of studies national facilities for government and industry, many of which are at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Morgan State has in support of NASA. USRA currently manages 20 programs and continuously served the community with distinction while meeting facilities that employ more than 400 scientifi c, technical, and the educational needs of an increasingly diverse society. Desig- professional staff. With 105 university members, USRA provides nated as Maryland’s Public Urban University, MSU will continue a unique and special value that other research organizations do its prominence in Maryland’s educational future. In many fi elds, not. Only PhD-granting universities in Earth and space sciences particularly in engineering and the sciences, MSU accounts for with demonstrated outstanding research abilities are eligible for large percentages of degrees received by African-Americans from membership in USRA. USRA’s mission is to advance Earth and Maryland institutions. At the graduate level, it awards doctoral space sciences and exploration through innovative research, and master’s degrees in several selected fi elds. The University technology, and educational programs, and to develop and oper- has made a major commitment to academic excellence, investing ate premier facilities and programs by involving universities, the substantial resources to enhance its research infrastructure, and private sector, and governments. stimulate research development in a broad range of disciplines, especially STEM. In addition to the Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr. Founded in 1876 as the fi rst research university in the United School of Engineering complex, MSU has the Estuarine Research States, The Johns Hopkins University (JHU) is one of the lead- Center, the Richard N. Dixon Science Research Center, a state- ing research institutions in the nation. JHU is composed of of-the-art research facility that provides space for specialized nine academic divisions, including Arts & Sciences, Education, research laboratories in physics, chemistry, and biology, and the Engineering, the School of Public Health, plus JHU Applied Physics modern Murphy Fine Arts Center. Laboratory. The Krieger School of Arts and Sciences is the home of the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences. A major I.M. Systems Group (IMSG) has over 15 years of providing envi- focus within this department is global change science, with active ronmental, scientifi c, technical, and I support to the US govern- research groups in atmospheric, oceanic, and hydrospheric sci- ment as well as environmental services to government agencies ences as well as planetary geodynamics. The department main- in Africa and Asia. Over 60% of its workforce has advanced tains state-of-the-art design and engineering facilities, as well as degrees with over 100 PhD researchers. IMSG is NOAA’s largest laboratories for high performance computing and large-scale data support service, with its largest concentration of researchers and analysis that are also being used for Earth system science. JHU’s support scientists in the Satellite Applications Research Center Whiting School of Engineering consists of faculty who possess and the NWS Environmental Modeling Center. experimental, computational, robotic and modeling capabilities. Additionally, faculty at the School of Public Health are involved Rounding out the GESTAR Team are Ball Aerospace and Tech- with the application of Earth system science and remote sensing nologies and The Institute for Global Environmental Strategies to the study and teaching of public/environmental health. (IGES). GESTAR Management continues to work to identify ap- propriate, GESTAR-affi liated activities in which they may become meaningfully engaged.

GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 | 5 TECHNICAL RESEARCH

CODE 555: Microwave Instrument Technology Branch Going forward, the prototype code for RFI detection and removal from calibration data will be completed. A document with full de- NASA’s Soil Moisture Active and Passive (SMAP) Mission, sched- tails of the radiometer L1B product will be fi nalized and submitted uled for launch in October 2014, is the fi rst of a series of Earth to Mission Systems at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Work will be- Science Decadal Survey missions. The mission will provide global gin on the calibration and validation of the radiometer data once measurements of soil moisture and freeze/thaw state using L- in orbit, and the L1B TB prototype code will be updated based on band radar and radiometry. Dr. Priscilla Mohammed (sponsor J. the radiometer fl ight model integration and testing. Piepmeier) collaborates with a team at NASA Goddard to develop the Level 1 brightness temperature (L1B TB) algorithm that con- Dr. Jinzheng Peng (sponsor J. Piepmeier) works along with Dr. verts radiometer data into calibrated estimates of brightness tem- Mohammed on a collaborative team developing NASA’s Soil perature. The algorithm theoretical basis document (ATBD) for the Moisture Active/Passive (SMAP) radiometer. He is responsible for L1B TB algorithm was initially generated at the start of the SMAP developing the SMAP L1B TB forward simulator and the SMAP project. The purpose of ATBD is to document in detail the L1B TB L1B algorithms for Antenna Pattern Correction (APC), Faraday Ro- algorithm. The L1B TB ATBD was submitted for various reviews; tation Correction (FRC) and Atmospheric Correction (AC) to obtain based on these reviews, Dr. Mohammed and the algorithm team the Earth surface brightness temperature from the calibrated and updated the ATBD and completed sections that cover the L1A pro- RFI-free antenna temperature. cessing and address RFI detection and mitigation. Prototype code for the algorithm was completed, as was additional prototype The APC algorithm is designed to correct the contributions beyond code for computation of calibration coeffi cients. After process- the antenna main beam and to correct the cross-coupling be- ing radiometer test data using the prototype code for the L1A tween polarization channels. During this past year, he worked on and L1B algorithm, a design change was made to facilitate faster the APC algorithm to model the error sources and Earth sidelobe reprocessing of data. The L1A software unwraps the radiometer contributions. The error sources include Sun, Moon and galaxy fi les, separates and sorts science data from engineering data and and how their contribution enters the radiometer directly and computes digital numbers to engineering units. The L1B soft- indirectly (refl ected by the Earth surface). These models were ware includes calibration of counts to brightness temperatures evaluated by using the SMAP simulator. Peng wrote the APC pro- and radio frequency interference (RFI) detection and mitigation. totype codes incorporated with these models using Matlab; these Based on results from the data analysis of the radiometer ETU prototype codes will be translated into C for production code. He science data, the L1A and L1B prototype code for the algorithm also worked on the radiometer test and calibration of both the was updated. Several test procedures were designed specifi cally engineering model and the fl ight model. He comprehensively to test the algorithm’s performance with respect to RFI detection analyzed the SMAP radiometer data and evaluated the radiom- and removal. eter’s performance and successfully corrected the radiometer’s anomalies. In addition, he created RFI test cases for the SMAP Radiometer data obtained from the engineering test unit was radiometer RFI-removal performance evaluation using the RFI analyzed using the results of the L1A and L1B processing. The data from the SMAPVEX12 fi eld campaign. science data is sorted into various radiometric states and calibra- tion coeffi cients are computed using inputs from an instrument Peng will continue working on the L1B correction algorithms (APC, data fi le. The engineering data, which contains information about FRC, AC) and the SMAP brightness temperature forward simula- temperatures, currents and voltages from the instrument, are tor, and will provide support to the coming SMAP radiometer fl ight converted from digital numbers to engineering units. All of the model test at JPL. data are then stored in various groups in the L1A data fi le. Data analysis tools were created to monitor radiometer science CODE 606.2: High-Performance Computing data during fl ight model (FM) testing and supported radiometer Over the past year Dr.Gerald Potter (P. Webster) worked with the fl ight model testing by monitoring science data. Tools were writ- Data Services Group at the NASA Center for Climate Simulaton ten to create reports to monitor engineering telemetry as well as (NCCS) to assist in organizing, collecting, documenting and stan- calibrated radiometer data before and after RFI detection and dardizing observational data for inclusion into the “obs4MIPs” mitigation. As part of the science algorithm team, Mohammed project in the Earth System Grid Federation (ESGF). This involved was required to be present during radiometer FM integration and collaborating with various observation science teams (TRMM, testing to monitor science data to verify the operation of the in- GPCP, CERES, MODIS) and reformatting the data into the stan- strument and the algorithm. Data were monitored during electro- dards set by the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP). magnetic interference, electromagnetic compatibility (EMI/EMC) He assisted in organizing a new ESGF project called “ana4MIPs”, testing as well as during thermal vacuum testing. which is the collection and standardization of the primary reanaly-

6 | GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 sis projects including MERRA, CFSR, 20CR, JRA-25 and ECMWF- Mr. Cote served as a member of the Earth Sciences Division interim, and he contributed to the development of the Ultra-Scale Review Panel for Step-2 IRAD proposals as a representative of Climate Data Analysis Tools (UV-CDAT) by exploring use cases and atmospheric research. The Step 2 proposals required an intensive demonstrating capabilities to various organizations such as NASA review based on relevance to future GSFC science missions, in- Goddard’s GMAO, GISS and NCEP. As part of his tasks, he has novation, and potential payoff for GSFC, cost, and FTE resources. contributed to several science projects to promote collaboration The panel recommended approximately 50 proposals, and these with data providers and data users. Late in 2012, NCCS hired a recommendations were presented to Center management for fi nal data expert with whom Potter worked closely in expanding the approval and funding by the Division management. data services activity. Additionally, he served on a NASA-wide advisory committee that has continued to identify new data sets Science research highlights are prepared each month by the that would prove useful in the obs4MIPs project. Atmospheric Laboratories and the Wallops Support Offi ce. The highlights consist of recently published research results on topics covering the analysis of scientifi c sensor observations from space, CODE 606.3: Information Science & Technology Re- suborbital platforms or surface measurements, development of search theoretical and numerical models for simulation and prediction of atmospheric processes and phenomena, validation and calibra- Dr. Edoardo Pasolli (sponsor J. Tilton) is involved in the NASA- tion of fl ight sensors and fi eld campaign results. The scientifi c AIST project entitled “Advanced active learning methods for robust talent includes civil service scientists as well as scientists from classifi cation of multi-source remotely sensed data”, in which he GESTAR, supporting contractors and scientists from other organi- works to develop, validate and optimize a generalized multi-ker- zations. Their accomplishments are even more impressive when nel, active learning pattern recognition framework for multi-source considering the ever-increasing amount of data from observation data fusion in order to create land-cover classifi cation maps. satellites combined with unstable budgets and increasing admin- Dr. Pasolli studied the HSEG segmentation software and re- istrative diversions. searched literature for the spatial-spectral classifi cation of very Goddard employees are annually nominated for honor awards in high-resolution and hyperspectral images. He investigated the use recognition of superior accomplishments in science and technol- of textural and shape features in order to improve the classifi ca- ogy. Awards are offered at the NASA agency level, Goddard Center tion process. The most promising features were implemented into level, plus employees receive recognition from outside organiza- the HSEG software. He also reviewed the use of these features for tions such as the AMS, AGU and other agencies. The success post-analysis of the HSEG segmentation hierarchy as well as the rate was very high; however, some selections are still awaiting integration of these features into HSEG to drive the segmentation decisions. The Albert Einstein World Award of Science, offered process. The methodology was tested experimentally on several annually by the World Cultural Center, pays tribute to individuals different data sets. or institutions that have made outstanding achievements in sci- Work will continue on the NASA-AIST project, and he plans to ence and arts and recognizes benefi ts to mankind brought about complete journal papers on the use of spatial features and HSEG by scientifi c innovation. Andy Lacis of GISS and Mr. Cote prepared segmentation for classifi cation of very high-resolution and hyper- a complete nomination package for Dr. James Hansen, which spectral images. He will also participate in the HyspIRI science was approved by Charles F. Bolden, NASA Administrator, and then symposium at NASA in May 2013. submitted to the Culture Center in Mexico in October. The annual Dave Johnson award, offered annually by the National Space CODE 610: Earth Sciences Division Club in honor of the fi rst Administrator of what was to become the NOAA, NESDIS, is given to young professionals who have Mr. Charles Cote (sponsor W. K. Lau) oversees several responsi- developed an innovative application of Earth observation satellite bilities within Code 610 regarding a variety of proposals, awards, data (alone or in combination with non-satellite data) that is, or and reports, as well as administrative duties. He has completed could be, used for operational purposes to assess and/or predict compiling and editing a draft of the 2012 Atmospheric Research atmospheric, oceanic, or terrestrial conditions. A highly qualifi ed Technical Highlights Report, which addresses major activities young GSFC candidate nominated by the Biospheric Sciences such as fl ight mission studies and development, fi eld campaigns, Laboratory was selected to receive the award. For nominations modeling, education and outreach, and scientifi c publications. of NASA Honor awards, division management requested a review The report has been sent to the TIMS offi ce for layout and edit- of the justifi cations for two senior scientists. Recommendations ing, and will be printed for distribution and posted on the at- and comments were submitted and incorporated into the fi nal mospheres webpage at atmospheres.gsfc.nasa.gov, along with forms. Further, the Earth Sciences Atmospheric Offi ce annually previous years’ reports. announces a call for contractors who have displayed outstanding performance during the year. Candidates are solicited for ac-

GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 | 7 complishments in eight categories, including best senior author Work continued on the SPARC DynVar ENSO project, for which publication, science, engineering, IT security, and administrative she examined the extra-tropical atmospheric response to ENSO support. The Laboratories responded with 21 candidates spread events in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project, phase 5 among the various categories; following reviews and recommen- (CMIP5) models. She downloaded sea surface temperatures and dations, Dr. Bill Lau reviews each for fi nal approval, and selections geopotential height output for approximately 30 models for each and an awards ceremony are determined. of two CMIP5 experiments, and analyzed the response of each model to each of four types of ENSO events, using diagnostics de- He provided an update on the status of the 23 aircraft instru- veloped by the DynVar ENSO group. She also completed 50-year ments used for atmospheric research was carried out at the time-slice simulations with and without an internally-generated request of the Division. Of these, 14 are operational and the re- QBO signal, in perpetual ENSO neutral conditions. These simula- maining 9 are under development or undergoing fi nal testing. The tions will be used to 1) assess improvements in the GEOSCCM atmospheric instruments constitute 56% of the total used by all model performance due to the implementation of the internal Division Laboratories among various other disciplines. VOLCAM QBO and 2) better understand how to compare model results that (Volcano Camera) was a previously funded NASA study program have different representations of the QBO. that designed a concept for an instrument system in Geosynchro- nous orbit to detect volcano emissions, relay data in real time Dr. Hurwitz met frequently with the GEOS Chemistry-Climate and distribute information in near real-time. The system would Model (CCM) team to prepare material and strategy prior to the produce information for research and warnings to aircraft pilots in CCMVal workshop in Davos, Switzerland in May 2012 and made near real time. Volcanic dust emissions are known to have caused two poster presentations. She also began an analysis of the fi rst engines on commercial aircraft to stall in fl ight. The original VOL- ocean-atmosphere Goddard Earth Observing System Chemistry- CAM Instrument team met to discuss a possible future proposal Climate Model (GEOSCCM) simulations, with Dr. Feng Li (GESTAR), preparation. Consideration is being given to proposing a fl ight mis- and gave two poster presentations at the WCRP Special Workshop sion on a NASA or commercial satellite; discussions will continue. on Climatic Effects of Ozone Depletion in the Southern Hemi- sphere in Buenos Aires (February 2013). This past year, Mr. Cote was also involved with hiring and fi lling positions for scientists to support atmospheric chemistry, climate Hurwitz contributed to three proposals, one NASA MAP, one NASA research, and radar development. The ads were sent to Bill Lau ACMAP, and one NSF, which were not funded, awarded, and for review and submission to 4 journals. He consulted with the submitted, respectively. She will be performing present-day and Chief and Associate Chief on various topics dealing with Labora- future climate simulations with the coupled ocean-atmosphere tory personnel, administration, management, etc., distributed GEOSCCM, and assisting with model validation (i.e., as part of the daily summaries of Aerospace Daily items pertaining to NASA to SPARC CCMI activity). She will also assist with implementation a select list of Laboratory employees via e-mail, attended Labora- and testing of HFC chemistry in the GEOSCCM, and perform fi rst tory general staff and senior staff meetings, and attended various simulations comparing stratospheric ozone and climate with and seminars and colloquia. without the HFC chemistry.

Dr. Margaret Hurwitz (sponsor P. Newman) analyzes and models Dr. Kyu-Myong Kim (sponsor W. K. Lau) carries out numerical the impact of sea surface temperature variability on the ozone experiments using high-resolution Nu-WRF coupled with GOCART layer. From her work on understanding dynamical variability in model to study the impacts of radiative heating by biomass burn- the Arctic stratosphere, she contributed to three published manu- ing aerosols and dust on the predictability of monsoon rainfall scripts examining interannual variability in the Arctic stratosphere, over northern India and the Himalayas foothills, among other re- and the relationship to sea surface temperatures in the tropical search activities. This past year, using the NASA Unifi ed Weather Pacifi c and North Pacifi c. Two were published in J. Geophys. Res., Research and Forecasting (Nu-WRF) model, he studied the effects and one was published online in Climate Dynamics. She also of aerosol radiative forcing on the short-term predictability (1-7 studied the atmospheric response to El Niño/Southern Oscillation days) of the South Asian monsoon rainfall system. Two sets of (ENSO), completing eight 50-year time-slice simulations testing 7-day forecasting experiments were conducted with and without the sensitivity of WPEN teleconnections to future sea surface tem- aerosol radiative forcing. Results show that inclusion of aerosol peratures and climate change. She began an analysis of these radiative forcing and interaction with dynamics reduces rainfall simulations with simulations under present-day and 2100 bound- over the Indo-Gangetic plain where aerosol loading is high, but en- ary conditions, focusing on the Southern Hemisphere autumn hances rainfall downstream of the prevailing monsoon fl ow in the and winter seasons. Preliminary results were presented at the southern slope of Tibetan Plateau, especially over the northeast International Conference on Southern Hemisphere Meteorology India and foothills regions, consistent with the EHP hypothesis. and Oceanography in New Caledonia (April 2012) and in a Code The effect of aerosol radiative forcing is small during the fi rst two 614 “Lab Lunch” seminar (June 2012). A manuscript based on days of forecasts. Rainfall anomalies generated by atmospheric these results was submitted in April 2013. feedback induced by aerosol radiative forcing become statistically 8 | GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 signifi cant and large enough to be separated from growing model modate special needs of the HS3 mission, packing equipment biases after three days of simulation. The results indicate that the and initiating arrangements for shipment to Wallops, and partici- inclusion of aerosol radiative forcing may improve short-term (4-7 pating in teleconferences. A library of aircraft sampling patterns day) forecasting skill in northeastern India. was created that can be loaded into the fl ight planner software to facilitate planning fl ights over storms using the NASA Global Dr. Kim analyzed the characteristics and vertical structure of Hawk aircraft platform. On-site fi eld mission support centered on raining clouds using TRMM (Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission) planning science fl ights: evaluating various scenarios for timing TMI (TRMM Microwave Imager) and PR (Precipitation Radar) and feasibility, and determining way points and dropsonde loca- data during the JJA period of 1998-2011 over the East Asia tions. From the resulting plans, Lait prepared materials for the (30N-40N, 122E-134E). The rainfall characteristics seen by the fl ight crew (including high-altitude meteorological forecasts) and PR observations signifi cantly varied year to year, especially in the leading mission scientists, and he uploaded descriptive fi les convective clouds. In particular, in 2004 shallower convections to the project’s web-based collaborative tools web site for use more frequently occurred, while in 2002 deeper convections were by all participants. He assisted in revising the fl ight paths in real more dominant. To investigate the interannual vaiability of rain- time during fl ight to adjust for the movement of the tropical storm ing clouds and TB - rain rate relations, TRMM latent heat profi le, systems being examined. In addition, he set up and maintained storm height, and meteorological variables from 14-year reanaly- the computer system used for fl ight planning, and he trained sis data are examined. several of the mission forecasters in how to use the fl ight planning software. After the Wallops phase of the experiment ended, one Kim participated in WAMME2 experiments and conducted a set science fl ight remained for HS3, involving a second Global Hawk of GEOS-5 model experiments to understand the effect of sea aircraft fl own out of NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center, Calif. surface temperature and aerosols on the long-term variation of For this fl ight, which took place on November 8, 2012, Lait pro- the West African monsoon rainfall and circulation. He also has vided support remotely from GSFC. He created several versions studied long-term variations of frequency and intensity of extreme of a fl ight plan based on the evolving meteorological situation in rainfall in a warmer climate based on CMIP5 model simulations. real time, and he created a new fl ight planner macro for overfl ying For comparison, four different scenarios (historical, RCP45, fi xed-point ocean buoys. The second science deployment for HS3 RCP85, and 1pctCO2) are used. Results indicate that regions is scheduled for August-September 2013. Lait participated in a with high rainfall will get wetter while dry land regions will get less site visit at Wallops on April 17th to evaluate ongoing preparations rainfall in a warmer climate. A paper detailing these results has there. been submitted for publication. Kim is now working on the future changes in the intensity and frequency of daily extreme rainfall Lait also provides support to the Airborne Tropical TRopopause events associated with intensifi ed monsoon rain band over the EXperiment (ATTREX), and has participated in planning discus- East Asia. He will study the connections between the land-sur- sion telecons. To answer questions about the feasibility of fl ying face condition in spring and early summer and the occurrence, through the extremely cold temperatures of the tropical tropo- strength, and duration of atmospheric blocking and heat waves pause region, he analyzed temperature data from radiosondes over the Eurasia during summer, based on various in situ, satel- and meteorological analysis products for the region surrounding lite, and reanalysis data. Guam to obtain statistical characteristics of the region. He also quantitatively characterized the Global Hawk aircraft’s climb per- Dr. Leslie Lait (sponsor P. Newman) focuses his research on in- formance and used those data with the Guam area temperature vestigating the dynamical context of atmospheric measurements, statistics to evaluate several strategies for conducting successful to aid in their interpretation. Data from a wide variety of sources operations there. The results were written up in a white paper (satellite, balloon-borne, aircraft, and ground-based instruments) and distributed to ATTREX leadership. Lait analyzed the behavior are analyzed with an emphasis on using techniques that assist of internal fuel temperatures in the Global Hawk aircraft as well, in combining disparate data sources to yield a unifi ed picture of using data from the 2011 ATTREX test fl ights from California to the whole. He also provides support to aircraft fi eld experiments, characterize the behavior of the fuel cooling rate as a function of including the use of forecasts and modeling results to aid in plan- outside air temperature, fuel mass, and air density. He then used ning aircraft fl ights to maximize the scientifi c return and test the the relationships found to create a model of Global Hawk fuel feasibility of various fl ight path scenarios. Over this past year, Dr. temperature. Using forecast temperature fi elds as input he was Lait was heavily involved with the Hurricane and Severe Storm able to forecast the fuel temperatures realistically for proposed Sentinel (HS3) fi eld experiment, beginning with providing prepara- fl ights, assisting the process of evaluating fl ight plans for feasibil- tion and fl ight planning support for the fi rst science fl ights of the ity. In early 2013, Lait participated in the fi rst ATTREX science HS3 fi eld experiment staged from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility fl ight series at NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center, Calif. His from August 20 through October 7, 2012. Preparations included main duties there were similar to those in support of the HS3 mis- modifying the locally-written fl ight planning software to accom- sion (described above).

GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 | 9 Lait conducts various software development and data process- over varying time periods; those averaged values were then used ing, and other data systems work as well. Extensive revisions as coordinates in creating an ozone composite in (PT, PV) space. were made to the locally-developed software for planning science It was found that such averaging does not appreciably affect fl ights for fi eld experiments. He re-implemented maneuver param- the ozone variance near a given point in (PT, PV) space. In other eters and defi ned locations as objects, laying the groundwork for words, trajectory-averaging does not improve the quality of the co- added capabilities such as automatic generation of relocatable ordinate values. Further, he performed a linear fi t in time at each patterns of points. Work continued on a giga-parcel trajectory grid point in the composite ozone fi elds for selected days for each model with massively parallel capability. He designed and wrote of the six years; no statistically signifi cant time trend was found. system software to enforce NASA-mandated password aging The six-year average fi eld was then computed, as well as the within the Code 614 Unix Cluster computer system, which uses interannual variability in (PT, PV) space. Interannual variability was an unusual user management system. He implemented a new generally found as a percentage to be low, except in the region of encryption procedure between the members of the Cluster and the annual Antarctic ozone hole. Going forward, Lait will address the new central log server host. With secure encrypted logging in certain subtleties in the statistics to put them on a more robust place, he then assisted with the move of rack-mounted computers basis, and the time trends will then be re-evaluated. The interplay from Building 33 to Building 32 at Goddard, and he assisted in will be examined between the spatial density of the original mea- the response to recent NASA IT security audits. surements and the statistical advantage that (PT, PV) analysis has over (PT, latitude) compositing. Preparations will continue for the HS3 and ATTREX fi eld experi- ments. New capabilities will be added to the fl ight planner. He Dr. Allison Leidner (sponsor J. Richards) supports the Earth Sci- will be attending science team meetings and provide on-site fl ight ence Division at NASA headquarters in two primary ways: coordi- planning support for the HS3 deployment scheduled for August- nating NASA’s involvement in the National Climate Assessment September 2013 at Wallops Island, and for the ATTREX deploy- (NCA), and assisting with activities in the Biodiversity and Ecologi- ment scheduled for early 2014 at Guam. cal Forecasting Programs. For the NCA, Dr. Leidner represents NASA on the Interagency NCA taskforce (under the auspices of Dr. Leslie Lait also performs work under his grant titled “Quasi- the U.S. Global Change Research Program) to help produce the conservative coordinate analysis of ozone in the lower strato- Third NCA report and lay the groundwork for ongoing assessment sphere and upper troposphere using trajectories and advanced activities. She provides weekly updates to NASA Earth Science meteorological assimilation products”. In this research project, Division managers about NCA progress and coordinates several he applies a data analysis technique to ozone measurements NASA activities in support of the NCA. For example, she organized from a variety of satellite, aircraft, and sonde instruments to study and led a webex meeting of fourteen principle investigators at various trends and variability of ozone and examine the variability NASA Centers funded to do research in support of the NCA, as an in the domain and extent of the potential temperature (PT) and opportunity for the researchers to report on progress and develop potential vorticity (PV) coordinate space, and how such variability new collaborations. She also coordinated the completion and affects the analysis technique. Throughout the past year, he cre- online publication of three visualizations using NCA data devel- ated composite ozone fi elds for selected days from each of four oped by the Scientifi c Visualization Studio. She also presented an seasons of six years, using measurements from the Microwave overview of NASA’s involvement in the NCA during an organized Limb Sounder (MLS) instrument onboard the NASA Aura satellite. oral session at the AGU Fall Meeting and attended and presented Half of the MLS measurements went into the composites, and at the two NCA regional town hall meetings that were supported half were held in reserve. The composite fi elds were then mapped in part by NASA. The draft of the Third NCA Report was released back onto the original measurement locations, effectively recon- for public comment in February, and Dr. Leidner arranged to have structing those measurements; then, percentage errors between the director of the NCA provide an agency briefi ng and webex on the measurements and the reconstructed values were calculated, the fi ndings of the draft report. She also coordinated the NASA’s and those errors were examined as a function of PT. Profi les of er- comments on the draft report. ror statistics were created for each group of measurements (those that went into the composites and those held in reserve); they Leidner provides a variety of support to the Biodiversity and Eco- were found to be comparable. The procedure was repeated to logical Forecasting programs, particularly with respect to reaching make composites in (PT, latitude) space, and they found that for out to the conservation remote sensing community. In the fall, the spring and fall seasons, the errors using the quasi-conserved she helped organize a workshop that brought together biodiver- coordinate technique were smaller. sity researchers, conservation practitioners, and remote sensing scientists on “Satellite Remote Sensing for Biodiversity Research Dr. Lait calculated about 14.3 million parcel trajectories using and Conservation Applications: A Committee on Earth Observa- multiple trajectory models and meteorological data sources. Each tion Satellites (CEOS) Workshop”. The workshop was held October parcel was initialized at the location of an MLS ozone measure- 8-10 in Munich, Germany, and was hosted by the German Group ment. Potential temperature and potential vorticity were averaged on Earth Observations (D-GEO) and the German Aerospace Center

10 | GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 (DLR). The goal of the workshop was to provide feedback to the Earth Observing System Chemistry-Climate Model (GEOSCCM)”, CEOS Societal Benefi t Area on Biodiversity as to how satellite published by JGR, he and his co-authors investigated how the remote sensing can address needs of the terrestrial biodiversity stratospheric age spectra might change in response to increases research and conservation applications communities. Leidner of greenhouse gases in the 21st century using the GEOSCCM sim- also helped compile the workshop report, which is now available ulation. They found that changes in the age spectra in the 21st online. She helped organize a NASA-funded workshop, led by the century simulation are characterized by decreases in the modal Wildlife Conservation Society, to bring together experts in the age, the mean age, the spectral width, and the tail decay times- conservation and remote sensing communities to identify the top cale throughout the stratosphere. They show that the decrease ten conservation challenges where remote sensing could make of the mean age is caused by two processes: the increase of the a signifi cant contribution, and to develop a Conservation Remote residual circulation and the weakening of the recirculation. These Sensing Working Group. Outputs from the workshop include a results have important implications in understanding changes in manuscript highlighting the workshop fi ndings and a work plan important photochemical tracer species such as the chlorofl uoro- to start the Conservation Remote Sensing Working Group. She carbons (CFCs). assisted with organizing the annual team meeting for investiga- tors funded under the Biodiversity and Ecological Forecasting Li participated as a Co-I in a selected MAP proposal entitled programs and arranged to have a panel discussion on how federal “Interactions of Stratospheric ozone with Northern Hemisphere agencies use remote sensing to inform their biodiversity conser- Tropospheric Climate” (PI: Dr. J. Perlwitz, Univ. of Colorado). Work vation activities. on this proposal will address how sensitive ozone change is to a range of factors in the model, how have ozone changes impacted Leidner will continue her support for NCA activities and the Bio- surface climate in the early 21st century, and how ozone and diversity and Ecological Forecasting programs. She will represent climate will interact in the late 21st century. The GEOSCCM, par- NASA on the Interagency NCA taskforce, brief division managers ticularly its coupled ocean-atmosphere version, will be rigorously on NCA activities, coordinate research activities related to the evaluated and validated. He is also Co-I in a selected proposal NCA, and continue to engage in other NCA projects. For the Biodi- titled “Understanding the role of Hydrofl uorocarbons (HFCs) versity and Ecological Forecasting programs, she will attend and in climate and stratospheric modifi cation” [PI: Dr. M. Hurwitz present at the International Congress for Conservation Biology (GESTAR/Morgan State University)]. The proposal investigates the this July, and is organizing talks for the NASA Hyperwall – this will impacts of rapid increasing of HFCs on stratospheric climate and be the fi rst time that NASA brings the Hyperwall to this conference the ozone layer using a simplifi ed 2D chemistry model and the (pending approval). She will also continue to develop highlights comprehensive GEOS-AOCCM. charts for both activities. Li will complete control simulations of preindustrial and present- Dr. Feng Li (sponsor P. Newman) is the PI of a 4-year MAP propos- day climate with the GEOS-AOCCM, and conduct sensitivity simu- al that addresses three key science questions on Southern Hemi- lations to investigate the impacts of ocean coupling on climate sphere climate change: what is the role of Antarctic ozone deple- variability and change; results will be presented in scientifi c tion in recent Southern Hemisphere climate change, how does conferences. He will also work with Dr. Perlwitz and Dr. Hurwitz ocean feedback affect climate change in the SH atmosphere, and on the funded proposals. what are the impacts of Antarctic ozone recovery on SH climate change in the future? Dr. Li and his team members will use the Dr. Oreste Reale (sponsor W. K. Lau) designed a new experiment Goddard Earth Observing System – Coupled Atmosphere-Ocean- with the latest version of the GEOS-5, inclusive of interactive Chemistry Climate Model (GEOS-AOCCM) as the main tool, and aerosol ability and aerosol data assimilation. With the aid of a will conduct multiple centennial-scale ensemble simulations using collaborator, the entire experiment was run, to cover part of the the GEOS-AOGCM and combine model simulations with MERRA, summer 2006, a well-studied period because it coincides with NASA satellite and other observations to address the above key the NASA NAMMA campaign. The experiment comprises a 30-day SH climate change questions. The proposed research includes long global data assimilation run, in which optical depths from fi ve tasks: development of the GEOS-AOCCM; pre-industrial and MODIS were assimilated, and two sets of 5-day forecasts initial- present-day baseline assessment; quantify the effects of Antarctic ized every day. The two sets were produced with and without the ozone depletion on climate change in the Southern Hemisphere interactive aerosol modeling respectively. Dr. Reale analyzed the troposphere and Southern Ocean in recent decades; determine experiment and performed a preliminary validation. The results the effects of ocean feedback on Southern Hemisphere climate indicated that the effect of aerosol on tropical cyclone was very change; investigate the effects of Antarctic ozone recovery on weak in the fi rst days of the forecast, but became stronger at day Southern Hemisphere climate change in the 21st century. 5. This prompted the redesigning of the experiment, with forecast length extended to 10 days. In Dr. Li’s lead-author paper entitled “Long-Term Changes in Stratospheric Age Spectra in the 21st Century in the Goddard The new experiment with extended 10-day forecasts was ex- GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 | 11 tensively analyzed and validated against analyses and satellite show that much deeper analyzed center pressures (as low as observations. Two major results are the outcome of this study. 20 hPa) are obtained when retrievals were assimilated. While First, this experiment represents the fi rst attempt of producing a the complete statistical evaluation of the entire data set is be- fully 3-dimensional analysis of aerosols, obtained by assimilation ing completed, the preliminary evidence is that both track and of satellite-derived MODIS optical depths in a global data assimi- intensity forecast improve substantially. These results, obtained lation and forecast framework, and documents this existing capa- with the GEOS-5.7, make the previous experiments obtained dur- bility within NASA. At this time, no operational center in the world ing the fi rst year with the older version of the GEOS-5.2 to appear assimilates real-time aerosol data. Second, the results unveil a somewhat obsolete. All the more recent results are therefore be- time scale which is necessary for a model to clearly discriminate ing condensed into a comprehensive article which discusses the the impact of interactive aerosols. impact of AIRS on tropical cyclone environment, representation, and intensity forecast. Some results of this work have been high- The vastness of the results obtained from this experiment re- lighted on the Science GSFC NASA website at http://science.gsfc. vealed that the article on which Reale had initially worked should nasa.gov/sed/content/uploadFiles/scihi_atmos_ppt/2013_1_ be published into two separate parts: one concerned with the highlights.pdf operational aspect of the aerosol assimilation, the other focused on the impact of cyclogenesis. The fi rst article will document the Further, results were presented at two talks at the NASA Sounder feasibility of real-time aerosol assimilation, and indicate a route Science Team Meeting in November 2012. for including this important player in operational systems, and the second will document the time scales and processes through The widespread damage caused by Hurricane Sandy (2012) that which aerosols may act on cyclogenesis. Unlike speculative state- coincided with the recent release of AIRS version 6 prompted ments based on scattered data and subjective decisions, the Reale to start a new set of experiment to investigate the storm, article presents an objective technique to ascertain the impact of covering the entire month of October 2012 and using AIRS V6 aerosol on the atmospheric dynamics, and may provide an impor- retrievals and radiances. This has been the fi rst experiment as- tant contribution to the ongoing debate on the effect of Saharan similating AIRS version 6 products into a global data assimilation dust on tropical cyclogenesis in the Atlantic region. and forecast system. All the operational centers in the world are still using version 5 at the time of this report. The results of the Dr. Oreste Reale (code 610) also conducts research related to experiments are currently being analyzed. In the coming year, he his NASA ROSES grant (6/20/2011-6/19/2014) of which he is will complete and submit a comprehensive article on the impact the PI. The goal of this proposal is to investigate the impact on of AIRS on the tropical the representation of tropical cyclones within a global data as- similation and forecasting framework, consequent to the use of cyclone environment, tropical cyclone intensity and structure, AIRS-derived products, as a tool to better understand processes based on the new experiments performed; complete the investiga- affecting intensity forecast, particularly those deriving from the tion on Hurricane Sandy, focusing on the impact obtained by the improved horizontal and vertical TC structure. Over the past year, assimilation of AIRS version 6 in the GEOS-5, and continue new Dr. Reale completed experiments for 2010 hurricane season with experiments with AIRS version 6 covering different periods the new GEOS-5.7. A very large data assimilation and forecasting experiment was produced; specifi cally, two sets of AIRS assimila- Sarah Smith and Jackie Phillips (sponsor E. Brown de Colstoun) tions (with version 5 retrievals and radiances), each encompass- work to create a global urban map at the 30m resolution from the ing more than 120 days, plus two sets of 7-day forecasts (initial- use of high-resolution imagery and Landsat GLS data. They have ized from every day of the analysis data sets, for a total of about fi nished the training scenes for Europe and North America, which 250 7-day forecasts), were performed with the GEOS-5 on NASA will be applied to the algorithm created by Bin Tan to be aggre- High-End-Computing (HEC) systems. These experiments cover the gated up to the 30m resolution. entire 2010 northern-hemisphere tropical cyclone season, and For the annual NASA LCLUC group meeting in April, Sarah and generated very robust statistics, representing a major computa- Jackie helped the GLS-IMP team create and present a poster tional effort that required several months to be completed. At this of their current standings and the project’s results. Preliminary time, it can be confi dently stated that no other team in the world results from Europe were shown, and problems faced during the has assimilated such a large sample of AIRS retrievals and radi- fi rst year and a half were discussed. ances within a global data assimilation system. They also fi nished high-resolution imagery orders from the NGA Reale analyzed extensively these simulations and further cor- using WARP (Web-based Access and Retrieval Portal) and a new roborated the previous results, that the assimilation of cloudy web tool, CIDR (CRSSP Imagery Derived Requirements) from the retrievals produces a substantially better representation of the USGS. Their team was able to order imagery from China, Oceania, tropical atmosphere than the corresponding clear-sky radiances, Siberia, and the center of Brazil not previously obtained, which led while also improving slightly the global skill. In particular, results 12 | GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 they fortunately obtained observations of dust depositions in Ja- pan during precipitation (called wet deposition) from a previous study. This paper is a good reference to relay the current perfor- mance skill of dust depositions during precipitation over Japan area simulated by one of the global models, the NASA GEOS-5.

Climatological snow darkening effect was simulated by NASA GEOS-5 for seven years. The relay run GEOS-5 simulation was driven with a realistic global meteorological product produced by NASA GMAO (called MERRA re-analysis data). The simulations were carried out with and without the snow darkening effect cases with 2x2.5 degree horizontal resolution mostly focusing on land surface feedbacks. Further, ten sets of free run global simulations (total 20 experiments; 2x2.5 degree horizontal reso- lution) by the GEOS-5 were conducted with and without the snow darkening effect. Each simulation started from the same month in the same year, but using the different year’s restart fi les in the same month (one is from the same year) for their initial condi- tions so as to have ensemble mean discussions in near future. Experiments were completed and analyses on their outputs will be underway. This past year, Yasunari gave an invited seminar Credit: Sarah Smith and Jackie Phillips. talk to introduce the snow darkening effect considered in the NASA GEOS-5 at the Climate & Radiation Laboratory Seminar Se- to gaps in the global training area coverage. Further, Sarah, along ries in October 2012. He also co-authored a paper titled “Satellite with Kelly Boyd, Katie Melocik, Adrian Gardner and others, suc- observations of desert dust-induced Himalayan snow darkening” cessfully held the fi rst meeting of the Geospatial Community of published in Geophys. Res. Lett. online. Practice within NASA. The belief is that, with this community, the GIS users of NASA would have a way to collaborate and discuss Dr. Yaping Zhou (sponsor W. K. Lau) studies the climate variability issues and ideas more openly and easily. and trends of precipitation and other related hydrological fi elds and studies the characteristics of extreme precipitation events Sarah and Jackie will complete training masks for Africa, Asia, including those of tropical cyclones. This past year, she completed South America, and Australia, and then create a webpage for the a manuscript titled “Characteristic and Large-Scale Environment project where they can publish their results. Another goal is pub- of Extreme Volumetric Rainfall Based on TRMM Observations”. lish a paper on the training data and issues that arose during the Understanding extreme rain characteristics and associated large- creation of the training masks using HSeg software. scale environments based on a 14-year volume of TRMM observa- tions is a major undertaking. Characteristics of instantaneous Dr. Teppei Yasunari’s (sponsor W. K. Lau) work involves conduct- extreme volumetric Precipitation Features (PFs), their spatial and ing the data analysis and modeling studies of the impact of solar temporal distributions were examined and compared to those absorbing aerosols such as dust, black carbon (BC) and organic of intermediate and small systems, and it was found that the carbon (OC), on the changes of snow-related variables (called instantaneous PF exhibits a much wider scale range compared snow darkening effect) and its climate feedbacks between the to daily gridded precipitation accumulation. The top 1% rainiest atmosphere and the land surface in the South Asian monsoon PFs contribute to over 55% of total rainfall and have two orders of region. While he mainly focuses on the Himalayas and Tibetan magnitude of rain volume greater than the medium PFs. Results Plateau (HTP), the research is not limited to that area. He investi- show that starting with the top 10 percentile, the PFs grow rapidly gates how the snow darkening effect impacts snow melting over into larger, deeper and colder rain systems. Furthermore, the the HTP region and surrounding climate via feedbacks by using NCEP reanalysis shows mid-level relative humidity and total pre- the snow darkening module in satellite data and fi eld observa- cipitable water increase steadily with increasingly larger PF along tions. with a rapid increase of 500 hPa upward vertical velocity beyond the top 10th percentile, which provides the necessary moisture Results from Dr. Yasunari’s research were presented in a submit- convergence in amplifying and sustaining the extreme events. The ted paper. In this study, for the fi rst time, he and colleagues com- rapid increase in vertical motion is associated with the release of pared dust depositions during precipitation between observations Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE) in a mature system, and simulations by GEOS-5 for a validation over Japan. Asian dust as evident in the increase in CAPE with rain volume up to the 10th transport in spring is a well-known phenomenon in Japan and

GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 | 13 percentile, and then drops off rapidly beyond that threshold. The lies associated with a mature El Niño and a persistent negative study illustrates a systematic build-up in large-scale temperature North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). This study employed the GEOS- and moisture preceding a rapid change in rain structure and an 5 atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM), run at high explosive growth of the PF size in conjunction with a release of resolution and forced with specifi c observed or idealized SST. The CAPE in the development of extreme rainfall events. simulations consisted of a 50-member ensemble of three-month- long simulations aimed at assessing the roles of the Pacifi c and Another highlight from the past year was the funding of a pro- Atlantic SST anomalies. Comparisons were made with the winter posal. Dr. Zhou is a major Co-I on a NASA Precipitation Sciences of 1999-2000, a period characterized by SST anomalies largely Measurement 3-year proposal, awarded in January 2013. of an opposite sign. When forced with observed SST, the AGCM response consists of a band of enhanced storminess extending from the central subtropical North Pacifi c, across the southern CODE 610.1: Global Modeling and Assimilation Offi ce U.S., the North Atlantic and across southern Eurasia, with reduced Dr. Deepthi Achuthavarier (sponsor S. Schubert) works on storminess to the north of these regions. Positive precipitation evaluating aspects of climate and weather variability in century- and cold temperature anomalies occurred over the eastern U.S., long simulations and decadal predictions made with the GEOS-5 refl ecting a propensity for enhanced snowstorm activity. The coupled atmosphere/ocean/land model. One of the main goals is signal-to-noise ratios of the precipitation fi elds indicate a potential to provide insights into physical mechanisms and model defi cien- for predicting the unusual storm activity along the U.S. east coast cies that can lead to model improvements. Over the past year, several months in advance. Experiments that attempt to isolate progress was made toward understanding physical mechanisms the role of the North Atlantic SST indicate that the anomalies over of decadal variability. Dr. Achuthavarier examined the role of the U.S. are, to a large extent, driven by El Niño, while the impact tropical forcing by the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on the of the North Atlantic SST primarily contributes to the cooler tem- Pacifi c Decadal Oscillation (PDO) by comparing observations or peratures along the U.S. east coast. reanalysis with GEOS-5 long run. One main result is that the role of ENSO is unlikely crucial in the model, while in nature, PDO may Large ensemble high-resolution prediction experiments were be at least partially forced by ENSO. The lack of an ENSO-PDO cor- conducted to assess the ability of the GEOS-5 model to reproduce relation can be viewed as a model defi ciency; however, an implica- the unusual extreme weather activity, such as the fl ooding and tion from the model result is that robust decadal scale variability other extreme weather of the 2011 spring in the central U.S. The can exist in the North Pacifi c coupled climate system even in SST boundary forcing, global atmospheric initial conditions and the absence of a strong ENSO forcing. Progress was also made North America land initial conditions were examined, and he as- regarding model defi ciencies. An analysis has led to a better un- sessed the climate factors contributing to the extreme weather of derstanding of model defi ciencies that include knowledge about 2011. He investigated the maintenance mechanisms of the April spatial and temporal characteristics of the ENSO, variance in sea 2011 stationary waves with a linear stationary model. The zonally surface temperature and the ENSO teleconnection to the North asymmetric stationary wave forcings for the linear model include Pacifi c. Achuthavarier presented the model evaluation results at diabatic heating, orography and stationary non-linearity, plus tran- the GMAO science theme meeting on April 25, 2013. sient vorticity and heat fl ux convergences. Several high-resolution GEOS-5 GCM ensemble simulations provided a high-quality global Achuthavarier plans to extend the PDO analysis to understand the data set. role of oceanic processes in the North Pacifi c, and she will start analyzing decadal forecast runs of GEOS-5 to understand the The global overturning of ocean waters involves the polar-ward predictability of PDO. She expects to plan and conduct idealized transport of warm, near surface waters and the equator-ward predictability runs using GEOS-5 to improve the understanding of transport of cold, deep waters. On the climate time scale, the At- decadal predictability. lantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is the dominant mechanism by which the heat is transported northward. In his Dr. Yehui Chang (sponsor S. Schubert) contributes to the overall study, Chang conducted long-coupled MERRA replay experiments evaluation of climate variability and predictability at sub-seasonal- to contribute to the GMAO decadal prediction effort. The simulat- to-decadal timescales and the role of improving prediction skill, ed impact of the AMOC on the low-frequency variability of the SST, works on climate simulations and attribution studies, and con- sea surface height (SSH) and sea ice extent was studied with a ducts climate diagnostic studies using the GEOS-5 model suite in 500-year-long record of replay runs of the GEOS-5 coupled model. the GMAO. Dr. Chang was a key contributor to attribution studies The simulated AMOC variations in the replay runs were signifi - that focused on the role of climate models in extreme weather cantly anti-correlated with the Arctic sea ice extent anomalies and events. He examined the cause of the extreme snowstorm activ- signifi cantly correlated with the SST on decadal time scales in the ity along the U.S. east coast during the winter of 2009-2010, northern Atlantic sector. His research contributes to the overall focusing on the role of sea surface temperature (SST) anoma- evaluation of AMOC variability and its impact on the sea surface

14 | GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 temperature, sea fi gure). She also ice and atmospheric contributes to circulation, as well as code testing the overall evaluation and delivering of climate variability for SMAP. Ad- and predictability at ditionally, she decadal timescales routinely pro- and the role of ini- cesses in situ tialization in improv- validation data ing prediction skill. and operational Further, work was SMOS-observa- done to improve the tions. summer precipitation in the GEOS-5 model, Over the past which is a problem year, she with zonal wind bias, contributed to weak transients and several papers Figure: Difference between the climatological means of model simulations and SMOS Tb obser- as both lead reduced precipitation vations at 42.5˚ incidence angle for (a-b-c) different literature-based parameters (Lit1 ~ SMAP, throughout the middle author and Lit2 ~ L-MEB, Lit3 ~ ECMWF SMOS monitoring), and (d) calibrated parameters. Within each co-author (fi ve latitudes. This study subplot, titles indicate the global (avg) average and (std) standard deviation across each map. extends the GEOS-5 published, one The average absolute difference (avg (\.\)) across the map is also indicated. currently in replay run, including (G. De Lannoy) bias correction of the press, and three u-wind and temperature, the goal being that the model will spin under review). up more transients that will reduce the precipitation bias. Also, De Lannoy published a paper on radiative transfer model parameter estimation; a follow-up study includes uncertainty esti- Chang presented his research results at the 2012 AMOC Annual mation using a Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method. She Meeting and also had two related papers published in J. Climate. (co-)authored invited presentations for several meetings, and she Evaluating climate variability and predictability at sub-seasonal-to- regularly contributes to SMAP-related meetings/teleconferences. decadal timescales will continue, along with analyzing very large De Lannoy was awarded a new project (THP10) on simultaneous coupled model decadal hindcast experiments to contribute to the GRACE and SMOS data assimilation. GMAO decadal prediction efforts. He is also examining the use of GEOS-5 GCM simulated, MERRA, various NEWS and other data She will continue to contribute to SMAP-prototype developments; sets to quantify mechanisms that link the upper-level circula- specifi cally, the downscaling of SMOS observations (in the SMAP tion to changes in surface meteorology, with a focus on weather prototype system) will be targeted. Also, a new GRACE/SMOS transients and their role in the development of the sub-seasonal data assimilation project will be initiated with a new hire. She climate extremes. He will begin the evaluation of the existing also plans to submit papers on the assimilation optimization for high-resolution GEOS-5 simulations for April 2011 to quantify the SMOS soil moisture and brightness temperature as part of the nature of the forcing of stationary Rossby waves and anomalous SMAP L4_SM prototype, on parameter and uncertainty estimation high-frequency transients associated with them. with MCMC, and on soil parameter optimization and land surface model updates for improved soil moisture simulation. Dr. Gabrielle J.M. De Lannoy (sponsor R. Reichle) supports the development of the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) Level Dr. Clara Draper’s work (sponsor R. Reichle) involves developing 4 soil moisture (L4_SM) data product. In preparation for the as- and implementing land data assimilation components, in particu- similation of SMAP observations, satellite observations from the lar the use of satellite observations of soil moisture, snow and Soil Moisture Ocean Salinity (SMOS) mission are used to build a land surface temperature. Dr. Draper has designed and imple- prototype system for the L4_SM product. She implemented a new mented a scheme to improve the skin temperature in the GMAO global soil texture and new soil parameters in the catchment land land surface model by assimilating remotely sensed skin tem- surface model to improve soil moisture and brightness tempera- perature observations. Large biases exist between modeled and ture simulations for the SMAP Level 4 product. observed skin temperature, and this skin temperature assimila- tion scheme includes a new dynamic observation bias correction Dr. De Lannoy has continued the optimization of global SMOS method, designed to remove the biases from the observations soil moisture and brightness temperature assimilation (see within the assimilation. She has also developed a strategy for

GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 | 15 evaluating modeled and remotely sensed skin temperature, which now consistent with locations of those features in the nature run. draws on alternative remotely sensed skin temperature, modeled Radiosonde observations are also now computed with wind drift skin temperature, in situ observations, and low-level atmospheric and signifi cant-level reports consistent with the nature run. An ex- temperature observations. Assimilating one year of geostationary tensive validation of an earlier version of this OSSE was reported skin temperature observations into the offl ine GMAO land surface in a pair of papers (in press). This is the most extensive validation model over North America yielded improved skin temperature of any OSSE framework previously reported. While shortcomings estimates, when compared to an alternative remotely sensed exist, notably in slightly over-optimistic medium-range forecast skin temperature data set (the assimilation reduced by root mean scores compared with assimilation of real data, most correspond- square difference between the modeled and MODIS skin tem- ing statistics compare quite well. This OSSE framework therefore perature from 2.7 K to 2.2 K). Land surface skin temperature is appears suitable to investigate many outstanding and otherwise central to the surface energy, water and radiation balances, and elusive questions in data assimilation. implementing the skin temperature assimilation in the GMAO at- mospheric modeling and assimilation system is expected to yield The GMAO OSSE was applied to several problems. One was a improved land surface fl ux forecasts. Ultimately, it is expected determination of characteristics of analysis error. Since an analy- to enhance the assimilation of radiances from surface-sensitive sis produced by a modern data assimilation system is generally channels. the best description of the global atmosphere at a given time, it is very diffi cult to validate such an analysis against any better Draper completed a study of the continental-scale estimation of rendition of the state. Alternatively, analysis error statistics can be Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) in remotely sensed soil moisture. inferred from residuals calculable during the assimilation process, Evaluating soil moisture over large domains is not straightforward, but these require unsupportable assumptions about critical input since the true soil moisture is unknown due to the systematic statistics. In contrast, realizations of analysis error can be explic- differences between soil moisture estimates obtained from differ- itly calculated in the OSSE context by simple differencing with ent remote sensors and numerical models. This study compared the known true state that is the nature run. This has been done two methods of estimating the RMSE in passive (from AMSR-E) for metrics including temporal variances, temporal mean vari- and active (from ASCAT) microwave observations of near-surface ances of spherical harmonic spectra, 3-directional correlations soil moisture, over a continental-scale domain centered on North in various regions and estimates of Kalman gains. Results reveal America. The fi rst method is the triple colocation, which combines signifi cant longitudinal as well as latitudinal variations in many of three independent estimates of a state variable to calculate the these statistics, with a large percentage of errors in the divergent errors in each, by assuming an additive error model. The second wind analysis at almost all horizontal scales. Typical zonal mean method is error propagation through the model used to retrieve Kalman gains range from 10%-20%, which can be expected from soil moisture from the microwave observations. The spatial simple consideration of the Kalman fi lter equations. A report distribution of soil moisture RMSE is not well understood, and describing these results is in press. Other GMAO OSSE applica- this study made several recommendations related to estimating tions addressed relationships between observation and forecast and interpreting the errors in remotely sensed soil moisture at error variances, as discussed in the context of another GESTAR global scales. Hence, this work will benefi t the specifi cation of task. One report of this other work is in press and another is in error variances for use in data assimilation, as well as efforts to preparation. evaluate remotely sensed soil moisture, including from NASA’s planned SMAP mission scheduled for launch in 2014 (see P. A preliminary investigation of the fi delity of the “NMC method” Mohammed/J. Peng). A paper summarizing this study is currently for prescribing background error covariances was undertaken under review in Remote Sensing of Environment. within the OSSE context. The NMC method uses scaled statistics generated from 48-hour minus 24-hour forecasts validating at the She will be implementing the skin temperature assimilation same time as proxies for statistics of 6-hour forecasts errors that into the GMAO atmospheric modeling and assimilation system defi ne background errors. The scaling is required to account for (GEOS-5), and testing the impact on modeled skin temperature, the expected additional growth of errors between 6 and 24 hours. land surface fl uxes, and low level atmospheric temperature and As revealed by singular vector analysis, it is not simply that error humidity, as well as on the assimilation of radiances from surface- variances grow during this time, but the shapes (i.e., spatial cor- sensitive channels. relations) of errors also change appreciably, particularly becoming more barotropic and quasi-geostrophic, with a larger horizontal Dr. Ronald Errico (sponsor R. Gelaro) works on the develop- scale. The NMC method was originally invented because a more ment and application of an observing system simulation (OSSE) direct method was not available to estimate background error framework at NASA Goddard’s GMAO as well as further develop- statistics globally; in the OSSE, the latter calculation is simple and ment of the GMAO GEOS-5 adjoint model on the cubed sphere direct. The preliminary results indicate large differences between grid. This work has included the addition of IASI, MHS, GPS results using the two methods regarding estimated correlation radio-occultation and ASCAT data to the types of observations as- distances, revealing an inherent weakness of the NMC method. similated. Cloud and water vapor tracked wind data locations are More conclusive studies will be performed after the GMAO OSSE

16 | GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 Figure: The sensitivity of a northern hemisphere storm with respect to the specifi c humidity, and shows the sensitivity at a height of 500 hPa. Black contours show the pressure in hPa. Over a period of 24 hours from when the plot is drawn, the center of the storm moves into the box shown. The adjoint is initialized with the storm in the center of the box and integrated backwards to give the sensitivity, shown in red to yellow shading. Blue contours show the convective precipitation. In the left panel, the original dry physics model is used; in the right panel, the moist physics is included. Note, the scale is approximately three orders of magnitude larger when the moist physics are included. (D. Holdaway)

framework is updated to the current operational data assimilation method for assimilating atmospheric/oceanic of coupled atmo- system. sphere ocean model, and the method for generating optimal perturbations which maximize prediction skill. Over this past Work was also performed concerning the further development of year, his lead author paper titled “Sea Surface Temperature in the a suitable adjoint for the GEOS-5 model using a cubed-sphere grid north tropical Atlantic as a trigger for El Niño/Southern Oscilla- and including moist physical processes. Since the latter are inher- tion events”, for which he received recognition, was published ently nonlinear, this required an extensive preliminary investiga- in Nature Geoscience. He was also recognized for Outstanding tion of properties of linearized versions of various approximations Scientifi c Achievement for signifi cant contributions to the GMAO’s to the parameterized model physics, including consideration of efforts in climate prediction, especially in improving predictions their numerical stability. An extensive study of the resulting linear- of the Madden-Julian Oscillation and in documenting results from ization of the Relaxed Arakawa-Schubert (RAS) moist convection GEOS-5 decadal climate predictions. He published 16 Science Ci- scheme has been reported in a submitted paper. The scheme is tation Index (SCI) papers, and is the fi rst author of eight of the 16; surprisingly quasi-linear for deep convection, but appears unsuit- these papers discuss developing seasonal/intra-seasonal predic- able for shallow convection, where small perturbations of input tion systems and climate variability. Further, he gave three invited fi elds can result in relatively large, discontinuous changes in the talks on the role of Atlantic ocean to the El Niño Southern Oscilla- cloud depths considered. The linearization tests were performed tion. His work in developing a prediction system is ongoing, and using perturbations that had the magnitude and structure of he expects his study examining the GMAO seasonal prediction analysis uncertainty rather than the less-relevant infi nitesimal system will be submitted to SCI journals. Additional papers on the perturbations typically employed by others. role of Atlantic SST and on the performance of the GEOS-5 AGCM will also be completed. Ham plans to analyze CMIP archives in Future work will primarily concern further development and ad- order to understand the current status of climate modeling, and ditional application of the GMAO OSSE. The former will include to provide future guidelines to further development. Developing improved specifi cation of land surface characteristics for radiance climate models requires a precise understanding of how to ad- calculations, vertical correlation of simulated GPSRO error and dress the current problems in climate models. consideration of new satellite instruments. Also, the software will be redesigned to allow consideration of an hourly nature run Dr. Daniel Holdaway (sponsor M. Rienecker) conducts work on currently being produced at 10 km resolution. Aerosols will be building and developing a method for incorporating the moist incorporated into both the analyzed state and the radiance cal- physics (convection and large scale cloud) into the 4D-Var data culations. OSSE applications will still focus on discernment of the assimilation in the NASA GEOS-5 general circulation model. NASA general functioning of the GMAO data assimilation system. Devel- Goddard’s GMAO employs a linear version of the weather forecast opment and application of a GEOS-5 adjoint model will continue. in their atmospheric data assimilation system; its main applica- tion is in the assimilation of observations in 4D-var and in the Dr. Yoo-Geun Ham (sponsor M. Rienecker) works on developing observation operator used to produce model space equivalents an initialization technique for the GEOS-5 coupled atmosphere for the observations received from satellites. Further, the linear ocean model, which involves developing the data assimilation model is used for diagnostic tools such as measuring observation GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 | 17 impacts and for determining sensitivity to initial conditions. This shows how sensitive the storm is to the moisture in the initial past year, Dr. Holdaway has been concerned with completing the conditions; in fact, it is as sensitive to moisture as it is to all other development and testing of the linearized moist physics model. model variables when moist physics is included. This included tying in the code he had written with the current model and testing the performance. An important use of the linear model is in the observation op- erator, which is used to obtain model space equivalents of the The linear model is used to approximate the perturbation trajec- observations (e.g., a satellite might provide a cloudy radiance, but tory, i.e. it models the development of perturbations over time. the model needs that to be in terms of temperature and specifi c He tested the linear model with the moist physics, including the humidity). Currently the data assimilation system (DAS) employs perturbation trajectory found with the linear model, by compar- outdated versions of the linearized moist physics schemes that ing it with the actual nonlinear perturbation trajectory. A related are based on the NOAA model. Holdaway has initiated the work example demonstrates that differences between nonlinear required to update the observation operator to use the latest ver- and linear perturbations are smaller, especially for the specifi c sions of the moist physics that have been developed. This should humidity when the moist physics are included in the model. To improve the mapping from model to observation space and allow ensure that the adjoint and tangent linear models are equivalent, for improved assimilation of moisture affected observations. another test, a “zero-diff test”, is performed for the model that includes the moist physics. The same level of accuracy found for Going forward, minor refi nements will be made to the linearized the dry model is found for the moist model. The capability of the moist physics model. Part of this involves identifying particular linear model is also tested by measuring the ability of the linear locations where the linear scheme encounters a problem due to model to capture the nonlinear observation impact. For the old some property of the atmosphere there. Holdaway has developed dry model, the linear system could capture around 77% of the a fi ltering that diagnoses these places and adapts the scheme. observation impact. Over a month-long integration, the addition of Also, the linearized physics schemes currently handle a single moist physics is found to increase this from 80% - 82%. cloud variable: total cloud water. He plans to update the linear- ized moist physics schemes to handle cloud liquid water and When observation impacts are computed, the calculation relies cloud liquid ice separately, which is likely to be benefi cial since on a measure of error. Currently the system does not include satellites can distinguish between the two types. As discussed moisture when computing the energy norm; however, now that above, Holdaway plans to use the linear model with moist phys- linearized moist physics are being included in the model physics, ics to further examine the sensitivity with respect to moisture in it makes sense to include moisture in the error measure, and the the atmosphere, as it would be interesting to examine where the GEOS-5 linearization model has been adapted to use moisture in dominant sensitivity is and experiment with different measures. the norm. A factor of 0.3 is included in the moisture term so as to As the moist physics capabilities are improved in the linear model, reduce the emphasis on the moisture when measuring the error. he will be examining how the OSSE may be useful. A fully inte- With testing complete, the integration of linearized moist phys- grated OSSE has been implemented at NASA Goddard and the ics has been completed and a model tag has been created that ability to model with knowledge of the ‘truth’ may be benefi cial includes the new components. This tag has been distributed to as researchers try to improve the assimilation of moisture in the GEOS-5 users and will be used operationally by the GMAO. model. Holdaway will attend a workshop on satellite data assimi- lation and has submitted an abstract to the World Meteorological An important use of the linear model for the GMAO is the observa- Organization data assimilation symposium in October 2013. tion impact tool, which is used to routinely monitor both convec- tional and satellite observations. This powerful tool measures the Dr. Jianjun Jin (sponsor S. Pawson) conducts scientifi c investiga- impact that each individual instrument has on the weather fore- tions using the GEOS-5 data assimilation system in conjunction cast. The observation impacts have been compared for moist and with EOS-Aura and other observations of ozone, temperature dry physics in the model with various types of energy measures. and moisture in the middle atmosphere and upper troposphere. It has been determined that for instruments which are sensitive Dr. Jin helps improve GEOS-5 middle atmospheric temperature to moisture in the atmosphere, such as AIRS, MHS and HIRS, the analyses by assimilating Aura/Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) measured impact increases when the moist model is used. An- temperature measurements using GEOS-5. GEOS analyses other important diagnostic tool that is an application of the linear were only constrained by nadir satellite infrared and microwave model is sensitivity analysis. In a sensitivity analysis, Dr. Holdaway measurements in the middle atmosphere; however, the depth used the adjoint model, which propagates a sensitivity (gradient) of the nadir-viewing weighting functions over the relatively sharp backwards in time, providing the examination of important me- stratopause temperature peak along with the uncertainty in the teorological phenomena, such as a storm; then, the sensitivity of modeled stratopause temperature limited the usefulness of these that storm can be propagated with respect to the initial conditions measurements. As a result, GEOS-5 analyses were problematic in backwards in time. Including moisture in the model allows for a the upper stratosphere and mesosphere. After joining GESTAR in more complete representation of the sensitivity. The fi gure above 2012, Jin developed and conducted experiments on constraining

18 | GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 GEOS-5 middle atmospheric analyses by Aura/MLS temperature This past year, Lim studied the impact of the dominant large-scale measurements. Resulting analyses are signifi cantly improved in teleconnections on boreal winter climate variability. First, he suc- the upper stratosphere and mesosphere. In addition, the use of cessfully decomposed the MERRA geopotential height data into MLS temperature allows better use of other microwave observa- major teleconnection patterns and calculated the various regres- tions in the middle atmosphere. Because of these productive sion patterns associated with each teleconnection using various investigations, future reanalyses with GEOS-5 will be well con- atmospheric/oceanic variables. From those regressed patterns, strained by Aura/MLS measurements. he improved understanding of the dynamical structure of the prominent teleconnection patterns and their impact on boreal In order to improve cloud and precipitation analyses with GEOS- winter climates. He also computed the wave activity fl ux patterns 5, Jin develops and conducts experiments assimilating space- to identify the origin and forcing of the large-scale stationary wave borne radiance measurements. Most of the weather satellites that resembles the spatial structure of the teleconnections. Dr. observe the Earth surface and atmosphere through measuring Lim’s study has focused specifi cally on two geographical regions, microwave radiances of the surface and the atmosphere. Due to eastern Asia and eastern U.S. through western Europe. Fur- diffi culties and large uncertainties in simulating these radiances ther studies of teleconnection patterns are demonstrated in his in cloudy conditions, the current GEOS-5 DAS only assimilates simulation of large-scale stationary waves (Rossby waves) forced these radiance observations under clear sky conditions. In order by heat or transient vorticity using the state-of-the-art stationary to make good use of the vast satellite observations, especially wave model, and his investigation of the relation of the Rossby the measurements made by the upcoming Global Precipitation wave to the large-scale teleconnections. His focus here is on the Measurement (GPM) mission, Jin, collaborating with scientists teleconnection patterns over the Atlantic through Europe, such in NASA and NOAA, is developing an all-sky data assimilation as NAO (North Atlantic Oscillation), SCA (Scandinavian pattern), scheme in both clear and cloudy situations using GEOS-5. Experi- EA (East Atlantic) and EA/WR (East Atlantic/West Russia). The ments on assimilating TRMM/TMI radiance measurements have stationary wave model reasonably generates SCA-like and EA/WR- been successfully conducted with GEOS-5. Thorough evaluations like patterns forced by transient vorticity over the extra-tropical of the new TRMM/TMI radiance data assimilation results will be Atlantic. When examining the inter-relationship among telecon- conducted before the new TMI all-sky radiance data assimilation nection patterns, he found better representation of SCA-like scheme is implemented in the GEOS-5 DAS. and EA/WR-like patterns when wave trains are embedded in the enhanced westerly jet over the mid-latitude Atlantic due to posi- Dr. Young-Kwon Lim (sponsor S. Schubert) uses GMAO’s mod- tive NAO. eling and assimilation tools to support scientifi c research on climate variability and weather extremes. This past year, he inves- Lim investigated the remote response of Northern-Hemispheric tigated the GEOS-5 model sensitivity to the change in convective winter temperature to the interannual Arctic sea-ice variation by activity, integration time steps and spatial resolution to determine comparing two atmospheric global circulation model (AGCM) set the clues for better simulating tropical cyclone at a quarter-degree ups. One is the atmospheric model inter-comparison (AMIP) style resolution. He modifi ed the cumulus cloud scale at the cloud base run forced with observed sea surface temperature (SST), sea ice level so that the entrainment from the environmental air can be and greenhouse gases (referred to as RSI), and the other is the also changed. Some increase in minimum entrainment rate is es- same as RSI except for a repeating climatological annual cycle in sential in the quarter-degree simulation to best reproduce tropical the sea ice (referred to as CSI). He found that Eurasia tempera- cyclones over the Atlantic (any further increase in the entrainment ture is very sensitive to the Arctic sea ice variation over the east rate produces an excessive number of storms). He also found part of Greenland, the Barents Sea and the Kara Sea. From his that Pacifi c storms are reliably produced without modifi cation of investigation of the dominant time-lag for Eurasian cooling re- convective activity in the model. A series of experiments were sponse to the winter sea ice retreat and its lasting impact during performed on the model’s response to the spatial resolution the following spring, he concluded that the observed sea-ice con- change, and he confi rmed that a quarter-degree resolution run centration signifi cantly increases the prediction skill over Eurasia substantially outperforms the tropical cyclone simulation over during boreal winter season. a half-degree resolution run in terms of storm numbers, track, vertical/horizontal storm structure, duration time, land fall and In the coming year, Lim will perform multiple member runs to intensity. Lim also incorporated the new replay run technique into obtain a more robust conclusion about model dependency upon the GEOS-5 model based on the spectral fi lter method. When the the change in convective activity in the GEOS-5 model. This analysis increment (difference between analysis and background) experiment is expected to support conclusions drawn during is fi ltered by dividing it by a time-scale (e.g., six hours), the incor- 2012-2013 period. Further, he will use the modifi ed replay run porated spectral fi lter method truncates a higher wave number system to perform the replay run, and will fi lter the analysis incre- contained in the spatial fi eld. The resulting replay run data are ment (difference between analysis and background) based on the expected to facilitate understanding the role of specifi c wave band spectral fi lter. He expects various assimilated data with respect to in the data in constructing the observed atmospheric fi elds. different spectral wave truncation will give a useful indication of GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 | 19 the role of particular wave bands in constituting the atmospheric Radiation Laboratory for his study using data from the Discover- weather/climate system. He also plans to work intensively on the AQ fi eld campaign and with Daniel Klaus, a graduate student at role of heat forcing or vorticity forcing over the Atlantic in generat- the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research in ing large-scale stationary waves (Rossby waves), and relate the Potsdam, Germany. waves to the large-scale teleconnections. Their inter-relationship will be continuously studied, and results from his study on this Two peer-reviewed journal articles were accepted for publica- topic for the Atlantic and European region will be compiled in a tion this year in Journal of Geophysical Research - Atmospheres. paper. The Atlantic tropical storm activity will be diagnosed in re- McGrath-Spangler has begun preparing an article describing sponse to the dust absorption change in the atmosphere; he will her work investigating PBL depth diagnostics in GEOS-5. In her use the GEOS-5 model data produced during 2012-2013. fi ndings, PBL depth estimates using a bulk Richardson number collapse better at night and produce shallower midday depths Lim also is involved with the US CLIVAR hurricane working group, under warm, moist conditions, such as in the tropical rainforest, and has discussed with the working group members the current than estimates using the default scalar diffusivity. She attended capability of global climate models in simulating various tropical several meetings over the past year, including the Carbon Monitor- cyclone characteristics. He has informed them of progress on the ing System meeting, the Chemistry Climate Model meeting, and realistic simulation of tropical cyclone characteristics by the high- the AGU 2012 Fall Meeting, as well as a workshop in Pasadena, resolution (quarter-degree) GEOS-5 model. Calif., jointly hosted by NASA’s JPL and the California Institute of Technology. The attendees were competitively selected. Dr. Erica McGrath-Spangler (sponsor S. Pawson) uses space- based observations and earth system models to further the un- Future work will involve the completion of long-term GEOS-5 runs derstanding of the carbon cycle. Complex global models are run, and the evaluation of the PBL depth diagnostics produced. She developed, and evaluated and the output applied to address sci- will evaluate the carbon budget resulting from climatological entifi c questions about the carbon cycle. Over this past year, Dr. carbon emissions. McGrath-Spangler will begin GEOS-5 simula- McGrath-Spangler implemented seven new planetary boundary tions initialized using the tracer concentrations determined by her layer (PBL) depth defi nition diagnostics into GEOS-5 that will be long-term simulation and run using time-specifi c carbon emis- available in the new release of the model. The options are based sions. Work will continue on completing her paper with Dr. An- on the vertical profi les of the scalar diffusivity, the bulk Richard- drea Molod, and she also will assist Dr. Scott Denning of Colorado son (Ri) number and the horizontal turbulent kinetic energy (TKE). State University in writing and submitting their paper discussing the rectifi er effect produced using a land ecosystem model and McGrath-Spangler has tested and debugged new code for defi ning CALIPSO PBL depths. tagged CO2 tracers in the GEOS-5 model. She developed a new region mask to identify boreal forests and differentiate between Dr. Peter Norris (sponsor A. da Silva) uses retrieved cloud data to continents in order to identify CO2 and CO resulting from boreal validate cloud properties within the GEOS model to measure the forest fi res. Also she created climatological CO2 emissions fi les capability of trial cloud representations and to assimilate cloud for use in years without known emissions. This work was done in measurements directly into the GEOS data assimilation system. preparation for the long-term run she started that will investigate From this research, Dr. Norris converted the cloud data assimila- carbon budgets. Currently she is running three long-term GEOS-5 tion (CDA) code from python to Fortran (resulting in an order of simulations, each with a different PBL depth defi nition, in order magnitude more effi cient code). He used a profi ling tool to make to examine the impact of PBL depth on tracer transport within the code highly effi cient, so it is suitable for operational use, and the model. McGrath-Spangler also developed code to separate made the code more object-oriented, leading to improved modu- GEOS-5 model output to Köppen-Geiger climate classes and the larity and readability, and further identifi cation of bottlenecks. diurnal cycle based on local time in order to provide insight into A simulated annealing version of the code was implemented implications of PBL depth defi nition on the regional and global as well. Norris then prepared a system for effi ciently running a climate scales. month-long MODIS Level 2 cloud data assimilation experiment. Several preprocessing stages were added to enable effi cient re- McGrath-Spangler worked with the GEOS-Chem community to running of the experiment with different CDA parameters, without implement a PBL depth defi nition that better collapses at night needing to restart the experiment from scratch. The code was for their tracer transport simulations. She also has been working tested for July 1-7, 2011, and produced excellent results, which with Dr. Scott Denning at Colorado State University to estimate have already been used by the GMAO in examining cloud param- the strength of the seasonal rectifi er effect. This work will be eterization adjustments. Norris also made a preliminary adapta- presented by Dr. Denning at the International Carbon Dioxide tion of the new Monte Carlo cloud data assimilation system to Conference in June 2013 and will be described in a peer-reviewed work with geostationary cloud retrievals produced for the SEVIRI journal article. In another collaborative effort, she shared CALIP- instrument (Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager) by SO-estimated PBL depth with Dr. Allen Chu of the Climate and Dr. Pat Minnis’ group at NASA’s Langley Research Center. This 20 | GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 work formed part of a NASA Modeling, Analysis and Prediction error in forecast error growth. An identical twin OSSE is consid- (MAP) proposal in which Norris was a co-investigator (this propos- ered a “perfect model” scenario in which there is no model error. al has now been funded). By comparing the results of identical twin experiments with the full GMAO OSSE, the impacts of model error can be determined. Norris is writing a two-part journal article with Dr. Arlindo da Silva. To create the identical twin OSSE, the GEOS-5 forecast model Both parts are undergoing internal review. The papers describe was run without ingesting observations to generate a “free” run and test a new non-linear method of cloud data assimilation that for two months. This free run was treated as the nature run, or can correct poor background states. On a related note, Norris ‘truth’, used for verifi cation of the experimental forecasts and for delivered a presentation at the NASA Sounder Science Team generating synthetic observations. A complete set of simulated Meeting, summarizing progress made by himself and Dr. da Silva observations was created for the identical twin OSSE, includ- on their Monte Carlo CDA work. Additional work with Dr. da Silva ing appropriate observation errors. The simulated observations and Gala Wind was done on the co-development of the MODIS were then ingested into the GEOS-5/GSI forecast model to create cloud simulator. The goal of this project is to simulate full MODIS numerical weather forecasts. It was found that model error is a (MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) retrievals from signifi cant contributor to the evolution of forecast skill. The fore- GEOS-5 model output. Norris produced a stable pixel-level cloud cast skill in cases with no model error showed an improvement in simulator incorporating “skewed triangle” sub-grid-scale layer skill compared to cases with model error equivalent to a decrease moisture variability and Gaussian copula vertical total water corre- in forecast lead time of two days in the extratropics and four days lation. The resultant pixels are horizontally independent (the Inde- in the tropics. The analysis error is greatly decreased in the identi- pendent Column Approximation, ICA). He also produced, with Dr. cal twin experiments compared to cases that include model error, da Silva, a horizontal clumping algorithm that gives the ICA pixels even when similar magnitude of observation errors are included a reasonable horizontal spatial coherence, i.e., a horizontal pat- in the simulated data. tern that approximates real clouds. He debugged and corrected the baseline “bulk” cloud simulator option so that it correctly ap- One of Privé’s experiments investigated the potential improve- proximates the behavior of the GEOS-5 maximum-random cloud ment of numerical weather prediction if the observing network overlap algorithm, and wrote up the method to be submitted as a were nearly ideal. A hypothetical observing network of a dense journal article (Wind et al.). global grid of sounding observations (similar to rawinsondes) was designed and tested using the GMAO OSSE. In these experiments, Drs. Norris and da Silva will soon submit their two-part journal the root-mean-square analysis error was greatly reduced to less article on cloud data assimilation, as soon as fi nal editing is com- than half of the analysis error seen with the current global observ- plete. Another journal article on the simulation of MODIS cloud ing network. However, the forecast error growth is extremely rapid data with Gala Wind and Arlindo da Silva also will be submitted. during the fi rst 24-48 hours of forward integration of the GEOS-5. A review journal article by Wei-Kuo Tao et al. on the Goddard The medium-range forecast skill improvement due to the idealized Cumulus Ensemble model, including a summary of Norris’ 2008 observing network was equivalent to a decrease in forecast lead copula work, will be submitted as well. Drs. Norris and da Silva time of approximately one day in the extratropics and two days will couple the CDA code to the radiation grid component of in the tropics. The results of this experiment illustrate defi cien- GEOS-5 so that the radiative impact of the CDA analysis can be cies in both the data assimilation system and the forecast model. evaluated. He will assist with the implementation of a skewed Model error appears to play a larger role in degrading the forecast triangle probability density function into the GEOS-5 moist grid skill compared to initial condition error in the GMAO OSSE. Further component, and will assist with further work on validating the experiments are underway to determine if the very rapid initial GMAO implementation of the COSP satellite simulator package, forecast error growth is primarily due to systematic model error or included a Level-3 product that includes satellite track sampling. due to numerical artifacts of the forward integration process. The Norris will carry out work on the funded proposal of Drs. Minnis GMAO OSSE was initially developed using the global observing and Rienecker to assimilate SEVIRI geostationary cloud retrievals network circa 2005-2006, which is signifi cantly different from the by the Langley Cloud and Radiation Group into GEOS-5. current global observation network. The observation network is being upgraded to better refl ect the current observation network, Dr. Nikki Privé (sponsor R. Gelaro) works on projects in atmo- including observations from new satellites such as metop-a and spheric data assimilation, especially regarding the use of current NOAA-19, and instruments such as the Microwave Humidity and future space-based observations, including diagnostic stud- Sounder (MHS), and the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interfer- ies to evaluate and improve the use of observational data as well ometer (IASI). These new simulated observation types have been as running and interpreting observing system simulation experi- tested and calibrated in the GMAO OSSE in comparison to real ments. She modifi es, tests, and runs suites of computer software, data. interprets their output, and produces fi gures for presentation. During this past year, Dr. Privé developed an “identical twin” Three papers were accepted for publication, all to the peer- framework for the GMAO OSSE in order to study the role of model GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 | 21 reviewed Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society. Reale plans to contribute to an article investigating the ability of The manuscripts describe the development and validation of the the GEOS-5 to simulate tropical cyclone activity. GMAO OSSE framework, as well as some experimental results quantifying analysis error in the GEOS-5/GSI model system. A Dr. Cecile Rousseaux (sponsor W. W. Gregg) performs research fourth manuscript showing results of OSSE experiments on the on ocean phytoplankton populations using Goddard’s GMAO NASA role of observation error in forecast skill is under review. This Ocean Biogeochemical Model (NOBM). She is part of the inter- past year, she gave two conference presentations to the scien- national MAREMIP (MARine Ecosystem Model Intercomparison tifi c community, one at the WCRP International Conference on Project), for which she has provided necessary data and support Reanalyses and one at the AGU 2012 Fall Meeting. to use the NOBM data as part of this international collaboration. As part of one of the two winning ROSES 2012 proposals, Dr. The current version of the GMAO OSSE uses a version of the Rousseaux is now collaborating with Michelle Gierach (JPL), pro- GEOS-5 forecast model that is more than a year older than the viding the model output necessary to start the project. She also current operational GEOS-5 version. This coming year, the GMAO updates and adds new data to the GMAO Ocean Biology webpage. OSSE will be updated to a more recent version of the GEOS-5 She updated the NOBM data on the Giovanni website in 2012 forecast model in order to allow the use of newer data types and has received several requests from end-users, which she has such as GPS-RO and to eliminate some defi cient aspects of the addressed case by case. Rousseaux was also the lead organizer older model versions. The OSSE will be validated against statis- for the Science Jamboree 2012 for GMAO. tics of the data assimilation of real observation and of forecast skill. Further experiments into the role of model error in forecast In the last year, Rousseaux was fi rst author on two papers, one skill will be performed using the GMAO OSSE and identical twin in Journal of Geophysical Research and another in Biogeosci- frameworks. The results of these and previous experiments will ence Discussion. She was also a co-author on a paper in Nature be the subject of a manuscript to be submitted to a peer-reviewed Climate Change, a co-author on a technical memorandum and a journal. Also, a new nature run is currently being produced at the co-author on two reports (one for the Carbon Monitoring System GMAO using a high-resolution version of the GEOS-5 model. Privé and one for the fi nal Suomi NPP for NASA HQ). One of her fi gures will evaluate the nature run to determine if it is suitable for use in was used as the cover for Global Ecology and Biogeography. In OSSEs. Synthetic observations using the new nature run will also April 2013, Rousseaux received a GMAO Award for “Outstand- be developed and tested in the GMAO OSSE. ing Technical Contribution by a new GMAO member”. She also attended and presented at several conferences, workshops and Dr. Oreste Reale (sponsor S. Schubert) supports scientifi c meetings, including the international conference ASLO in Otsu, research on climate variability and tropical storms using high- Japan in July 2012, the 2012 Gregory G. Leptoukh workshop resolution versions of the GEOS-5 atmospheric model developed in September 2012, and the International Ocean Color Science by NASA Goddard’s GMAO. The sensitivity of the representation meeting in Darmstadt, Germany in May 2013, She attended of tropical storms in GEOS-5 to model resolution will be evaluated and co-authored a presentation at the Suomi NPP Science Team using metrics specifi c to different categories of tropical storms. meeting in May 2012 and another in January 2013 (Greenbelt, Md.), attended the Carbon Monitoring System Meeting in No- Dr. Reale is a co-author of a paper that is in press in J. Climate. vember 2012 and attended the MODIS Science Team meeting in He has completed, submitted (as corresponding author), revised April 2013. She was also a co-investigator on four proposals (two and resubmitted in fi nal form an article which investigates in awarded, two pending). Her contributions to other NASA missions depth a lesser-known 6-9 day time scale in the African Easterly include the integration of NOBM in GEOS-5, and downloading/re- Waves, different from the widely studied 3-6 day time scale. gridding and reformatting the input data necessary for the NOBM. The article discusses the structure of such waves and attributes The data downloaded includes chlorophyll, refl ectance, Particu- them an important role in tropical-extratropical interactions; this late Inorganic Carbon (SeaWiFS/MERIS/MODIS/VIIRS), clouds/ article is now in press. Additionally, he has been involved in the aerosols data (Aqua and Terra), ozone (OMI) and MERRA (Modern- validation of several long-term simulations of the Earth Atmo- Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications) data. sphere designed for possible use in Observing System Simulation These data will be regularly downloaded/regridded and formatted Experiments (OSSEs), and also to assess the overall seasonal to be used as input, assimilated or compared to the output from forecasting hurricane predictive ability. The simulations analyzed the NOBM. by Reale were produced by one of Dr. Schubert’s collaborators with the current operational GEOS-5 at different resolutions, and In the upcoming year, she will continue her involvement in CMS by Dr. Putman (GMAO) with experimental versions of the cubed and NPP, and her collaboration with Michelle Gierach. Depending sphere GEOS. Reale has collaborated with GMAO scientists to on the outcome of two ROSES 2013 proposals, work may also be- assess the quality of simulated cyclones and more generally tropi- gin on new projects. She will also update the data on the Giovan- cal atmospheric dynamics. Analyses will continue of additional ni website to include the MODIS mission and will update the NASA long-term simulations produced by Dr. Schubert’s collaborators. GMAO Ocean Biology and provide support to the end-users.

22 | GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 diurnal warm layer and a wave model into the GEOS-5 framework. The development of the GEOS-5 AOGCM will continue, and a long-term model drift needs to be investi- gated in more detail. A version of the GEOS- 5 AOGCM with Ganymed atmosphere and MOM5 ocean components will be fi nalized for data assimilation and forecast systems. Work will continue on the CMIP-5 project, and upon the completion of decadal fore- casts, Vikhliaev will contribute to the analy- sis of the GEOS-5 AOGCM’s ability to predict climate on decadal time scales. Regarding Figure: In testing AMOC models, the new ocean component exhibits more realistic behav- the next-generation integrated earth system ior. The left image, test181, shows results from the old model (mom4p1), and the right analysis, he will conduct high-resolution image, test182, shows the new model (mom5). (Y. Vikhliaev) coupled simulations to evaluate the impact One of the main goals of Dr. Yury Vikhliaev’s work (sponsor M. of the air-sea interface component on both Rienecker) is the development of the GEOS-5 Atmosphere-Ocean the atmosphere and ocean. General Circulation Model (GEOS-5 AOGCM) and research in climate variability and predictability on interannual-to-decadal time scales, and conducting and analyzing multi-decadal high- CODE 610.2: Global Change Data Center resolution climate simulations. He also assists other researchers Dr. Radina Soebiyanto (sponsor R. Kiang) utilizes remote sensing in conducting numerical experiments using the GEOS-5 AOGCM. technology to monitor, predict and facilitate the control of infec- Over the past year, Dr. Vikhliaev has addressed long-term model tious disease transmission. Her objective is to develop empirical biases, which include weakening of the Atlantic Meridional Over- and theoretical models and techniques that can be used by pub- turning Circulation (AMOC), warming drift in the tropical Atlantic lic health organizations for disease surveillance and control. This and strong sensitivity to the increase of greenhouse gas concen- past year, her research was centered on the study of infl uenza trations. In order to investigate these biases, 10 long numerical activity. Previous studies indicated that temperature and abso- simulations that included four multi-century simulations were lute humidity are associated with infl uenza activity in the temper- conducted and analyzed. Atmosphere-sea-ice-ocean coupling in- ate regions, but such relationships are less clear in the tropics. To terface was re-formulated to correct errors in fl uxes between main this end, Dr. Soebiyanto investigated how meteorological parame- model components. The ocean component was updated to MOM5 ters affect seasonal infl uenza transmission across climatic zones. version, which replaced MOM4p1. With the new ocean compo- She used rainfall data from Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission nent the model exhibits more realistic AMOC behavior, compared (TRMM), surface temperature from Moderate Resolution Imag- to the model with older ocean component. This is presumably due ing Spectroradiometer (MODIS), and specifi c humidity and solar to improved formulation of lateral viscosity and neutral physics in radiation from Global Land Data Assimilation Systems (GLDAS). MOM5. Sensitivity of the AMOC to parameterizations of viscos- Her fi ndings indicated that infl uenza activity in the majority of ity and diffusion is currently being investigated. Atmosphere the sites being studied was associated with specifi c humidity. component was updated to Ganymed-3 version, which replaced In the most temperate climate, infl uenza activity increased with Fortuna-2.5. The new cube sphere dynamic core in the Ganymed decreasing specifi c humidity, whereas some sites in the tropics version of the AOGCM has better scalability than older fi nite and subtropics showed inverse relationships. Soebiyanto also volume dynamic core, which results in the AOGCM’s improved found that infl uenza activity in a few sites was associated with computational performance in a massively parallel environment. decreasing temperature, increasing precipitation, or decreas- ing solar radiation. Her study not only underscores the role of Vikhliaev also conducted and analyzed a set of pre-industrial specifi c humidity on infl uenza activity across climatic zones, but and 20th century simulations according to CMIP-5 require- also demonstrates the predictive capability of the meteorological ments. These simulations helped with evaluating a performance parameters in estimating future infl uenza activity. of the GEOS-5 AOGCM compared to other coupled models, to address the model biases and to prepare the model for next set She presented results of her infl uenza study in Central America of decadal climate forecasts. A set of decadal forecasts with an countries at the American Society for Tropical Medicine and Hy- improved version of the GEOS-5 AOGCM is currently underway. giene annual meeting, and presented research during the G. Lep- Further, Vikhliaev assisted the Ocean Biology Modeling Group in toukh Online GIOVANNI Workshop. Some of her infl uenza results testing an ocean biogeochemistry model in coupled mode, and in European countries were presented at an infl uenza meeting he assisted a GMAO data assimilation group with incorporating a held by the World Health Organization in Russia. In addition to the GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 | 23 presentations, this year she published her works in book chapters the GCRP/GWC and expert on integrated assessments to par- and in a conference proceeding, and another paper is currently ticipate at a workshop organized by the GCRP in October 2012, in press in a peer-reviewed journal. Soebiyanto will continue her and to contribute to the GCRP Integrated Earth System Modeling infl uenza study with more focus on producing climate-based infl u- area of activity, led by DOE, to analyze the results of the CMIP-5 enza forecasts, and plans to expand her study into other respira- IPCC model intercomparison project as it pertains to impact and tory diseases such as Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection (RSV). applications in end-user sectors such as water resources manage- ment. In October 2012, he was invited to participate as a lead Under the guidance of Dr. Jared Entin, NASA Headquarters, Dr. panelist on developments in global climate modeling and regional Sushel Unninayar (sponsor S. Wharton) will continue to provide downscaling methodologies at a strategic planning meeting of scientifi c coordination/integration of the interagency US-GCRP/ the National Academies of Sciences Board on Atmospheric Sci- CCSP Global Water Cycle Working Group and interlinks with Atmo- ence. Previously, he submitted an extensive review on the same spheric Chemistry, Climate Variability and Change, Land Use and topic (still in draft) to the NAS/NRC with the objective of evolving Land Surface Change, Ecosystems, Human contributions and De- standardized protocols for improving the accuracy of downscaled cision Support Systems, among other national and international results to support improved decision making in a range of applica- programs. He was an invited expert reviewer of the GCRP’s new tions sectors. strategic implementation plan, which was fi nalized by the GCRP and submitted to the White House Offi ce of Science Technology As the lead author on several chapters in the international GEO/ and Policy (OSTP) in FY 2012. At an interagency GCRP Strategic GEOSS-IGWCO Water-Strategy for the next decade, he was an Scoping Workshop last June, Dr. Unninayar underscored the invited panelist at the IGWCO meeting in San Francisco, Decem- need to focus on resolving current defi ciencies in observing and ber 2012. NASA HQ requested that Unninayar to act as Co-Chair modeling systems with a priority on soil moisture, evapotranspira- of Session H13K at the AGU 2012 Fall Meeting in San Francisco, tion and ground water, in addition to precipitation, among others. December 2012, on “Integrated Observations, Modeling, and Future NASA observing systems, such as the Global Precipitation Prediction for Assessing Water and Energy Budgets at Global and Mission (GPM) and Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission, Regional Scales and for a New Observing Strategy”. He is also a and improved land/hydrological modeling systems, such as the member of the planning team developing a North American Water Land Information System (LIS) at Goddard, are expected to con- Program (NAWP) and an invited consultant to a NASA-sponsored tribute signifi cantly in this regard. water cycle community activity for the planning of Water Cycle Missions for the next decade (WCM-10). Further, as lead author, He also continued his interaction and coordination with the he continued working on additional chapters for the international international Integrated Global Water Cycle Observations (IGWCO) GEO/GEOSS-IGWCO Water-Strategy for the next decade, “From theme of the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) that coordi- Observations to Decision Making”, to be fi nalized in 2013 and nates the Global Earth Observing System of Systems (GEOSS). submitted to the international GEO Planery. Unninayar submitted several actions for incorporation in the GEO 2012-2015 work plan. He continued international coordination As coordinator of the GWC and expert on climate change obser- efforts to (a) develop a framework for the IGWCO (and NASA) vations, modeling and impact assessments, he was invited in contributions to and interaction with the Intergovernmental Panel April 2013 by the USGCRP to join a US Government review panel on Climate Change (IPCC) with a focus on “Hydroclimatic Change on Section 23 (Region-Europe) of the draft report of the IPCC and Extremes,” and (b) downscaling global observing systems Working Group II on global climate change impact assessments data and global climate change/variability model output for incorporating inputs from IPCC-WG-I (Physical Science Basis) improved accuracy on regional and local scales as an effort to and IPCC-WG-III (Mitigation of Climate Change). And fi nally, in support decision-making in water (and other) resource manage- response to a request from NASA HQ, Unninayar reviewed and ment applications. These critically important aspects of global submitted a concise list of recent accomplishments in water cycle change are considered essential for improved assessments of the science and applications highlighting new substantive fi ndings for impacts of global climate change on the regional terrestrial water presentation to high-level policy makers. cycle processes. They would also lead to more precise information required for policy guidance on adaptation/mitigation options. Much of his work in the coming year will be following on activities These activities are expected to continue over the next decade. and writings as described above. Interaction, coordination and Collaborators with NASA on this project include international and support will be provided to NASA programs such as Terrestrial national organizations and agencies. Hydrology, NASA Energy and Water Cycle Studies (NEWS), satellite missions such as the GPM and the SMAP mission; coordination The IPCC again invited Unninayar to serve as an expert reviewer with NASA’s (and interagency and international) research and ap- for the IPCC-AR5 (Science Assessment) report to Governments plications programs covering droughts/fl oods and natural disaster in the second-order-draft phase. He was invited as coordinator of monitoring, and other end user applications of NASA satellite

24 | GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 observations, data assimilation systems, modeling/prediction Three different options were implemented to run the PBL and tools and data sets. Work will also continue on the development surface schemes from the global model or the cloud-resolving of the NASA-initiated North American Water Program, the basis of model. The fi rst option uses both PBL and surface schemes from which is described under the GEWEX linked decade-long TRACE the global model and turns off the surface and turbulence fl uxes planning project, as well as work with the international IGWCO, from GCE. The PBL mean profi les in GCE are updated by using GEO-GEOSS and WCRP/GEWEX. He will contribute to science GEOS results as large-scale forcing. The second option turns off planning and conceptualization of the representation in models the PBL scheme in the global model and applies constant surface of the dynamic interaction and feedback between Earth/Climate fl uxes from the global model into GCE. The third option turns off system component interactions between the micro-scale and the both PBL and surface fl uxes in the global model and the cloud- global-scale in both space and time, considered a critical aspect resolving model handles both processes. The MMF simulation for further developing methodological tools for climate change results are quite sensitive to the option chosen: the fi rst option impact assessments and the evaluation of adaptation/mitigation tends to produce a too moist atmosphere, even with overestima- policy options. tion of precipitation in the tropics; the second option produces the best results with a slightly dry bias in the atmosphere; and the third option produces a drier and colder atmosphere than the sec- CODE 612: Mesoscale Atmospheric Processes Labora- ond option. It is found that the current version of the TOGA COARE tory fl ux scheme in GCE is an old version (version 2.5); there are many changes between this version and version 3.0, which has been Dr. Jiun-Dar Chern (sponsor W.-K. Tao) works on developing a Mul- studied against other bulk-fl ux schemes using ocean observations tiscale Modeling Framework (MMF) based on NASA’s state-of-art and is found to be one of the best. The new version of the TOGA global atmospheric models (GEOS-4 and GEOS-5) and Goddard COARE bulk-fl ux scheme will be implemented into the Goddard Cloud Ensemble Model (GCE). The idea is to use the cloud-resolv- MMF in the near future. ing model in each column of a general circulation model explicity to represent cloud-scale processes. Another goal of this research The current Goddard MMF was developed based on GEOS-4 and is to use NASA satellite products to improve cloud microphysical the two-dimensional GCE in 2008. Based on the new state-of- schemes in the cloud-resolving model. the-art atmospheric models GEOS-5 and GCE, a new MMF has been developed that takes advantage of the ESMF framework for The cloud microphysical scheme of GCE embedded in the MMF coupling different model components and for parallel comput- uses a three-ice (cloud ice, snow, graupel) one-moment bulk ing. The new system improves the scalability and performance microphysical scheme from Lang et al. 2007. Recently, a four-ice on NASA HEC supercomputers. The new MMF system enables Dr. (cloud ice, snow, graupel, hail) one-moment bulk microphysical Chern and colleagues to study the impacts of aerosol, cloud and scheme was developed in a cloud-resolving model to account radiation on climate and climate changes, and a three-year model for the frozen ice particle habit and its interactions with other simulation was conducted from May 2008 to June 2011. Prelimi- hydrometeors. New microphysical processes associated with nary results showed that the MMF can reproduce as many im- frozen ice particles have been developed, and other microphysi- proved features as the GEOS-4 MMF. More sensitive experiments cal processes such as diffusion growth, saturation adjustment and long-term simulations will be performed to improve the model and accretion have been improved. In this scheme, the intercepts performance and to establish the baseline climate of the model. of snow and graupel particle size distribution are formulated as functions of temperature and mass. Snow and graupel density are Chern will conduct more MMF sensitivity experiments to study parameterized as a function of particle size. Three-dimensional the impact of the new 4-ice microphysical schemes on the model GCE simulations have shown that the four-ice scheme improves simulation of cloud systems as well as regional and global water simulated radar refl ectivity intensity and cloud vertical structure. and energy cycles. The MMF results will be compared against The new scheme has been successfully implemented into the NASA high-resolution satellites and published in journal papers. Goddard MMF. More than 20 two-year MMF experiments were Additional MMF GEOS-5 simulations will be conducted to im- conducted to evaluate the role of each new process and the prove the model performance and reduce model biases. Ten-year overall performance of this new scheme. The model-simulated simulations of present and future climate change scenarios will cloud ice and total ice amounts were compared against CloudSat/ be conducted and compared against the CMIP5 climate model re- CALIPSO retrievals. The observed cloud ice amount and patterns sults from convectional climate models. Finally, the TOGA COARE are well captured in MMF simulations, and the results are better bulk-fl ux scheme version 3.0 will be implemented into the GCE in than most of the global models that participate in the CMIP5 the near future, and its impact on surface fl uxes, boundary-layer project and the MERRA and ERA reanalysis. The MMF results were turbulence, and cloud developments will be studied. The scheme presented at the AGU 2012 Fall Meeting. will also be applied to the MMF system to study its impact on global and regional climate changes.

GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 | 25 structure of the precipitation system and to evaluate the impact of different microphysics schemes in the WRF model. Four widely used bulk microphysics schemes were examined: the Goddard scheme (GSFC), the WRF single-moment 6-class scheme (WSM6), the Thompson scheme (THOM) and the Morrison double-moment scheme (MORR). The unique assumptions of particles size dis- tributions, number concentrations, shapes, and fall velocities in different microphysics schemes were implemented into a satellite simulator (the Goddard Satellite Data Simulator Unit) along with customized calculations for the S-band radar to ensure consistent representation of precipitation properties in both the WRF and the radiative transfer models. This implementation makes it pos- sible to compare model results directly with signals from passive and active microwave sensors, instead of the retrieval data. Re- sults show large variations in the simulated radiative properties.

Han conducted and analyzed several simulations with the HUCM spectral bin scheme that was recently implemented into the WRF model. This scheme provides cloud and precipitation hydrometeor Figure: Near surface rain rates derived by the combined algorithm properties according to 43 size bins of each hydrometeor species. from cloud resolving-model-based simulated observations vs. the Spectral bins of vertical water paths and total mass profi les of true near surface rain rates. (M. Grecu) seven hydrometeor species have been evaluated in the analysis. Dr. Mircea Grecu (sponsor R. Meneghini) worked on refi nements The simulated brightness temperatures with G-SDSU show a bet- in the GPM Combined Algorithm. Several improvements in the ter agreement of the scattering signature as compared to satellite Combined Algorithm framework were obtained through the inclu- observations. It suggests improvement in the representation of sion of an independent land emissivity database, the reformula- total mass profi le in the SBM simulation vs. four other simulations tion and implementation of a block sequential fi ltering procedure, with bulk (1-moment and 2-moment) microphysics schemes. Han and the simulation-based calibration of the covariance matrices also analyzed the simulated radar refl ectivity and studied the in the fi ltering procedure. The improvements were quantifi ed particle size spectrums and the effects of snow particles’ riming through comprehensive evaluations based on simulated observa- and break-up on radar refl ectivity calculation. It was found that tions from TRMM retrievals and cloud resolving models. Shown in the break-up threshold of snowfl ake is critical in determining the the fi gure below are near surface rain rates derived by the com- size of snow, which is largely attributable to the magnitudes of bined algorithm from cloud resolving-model-based simulated ob- simulated radar refl ectivity. servations vs. the true near surface rain rates. As apparent in the fi gure, there is very good agreement between retrievals and the She will conduct and examine several sensitivity simulations with true rain rates used in synthesizing the observations. Dr. Grecu the SBM microphysics scheme, and also analyze differences plans to have the Combined Algorithm fi nalized and delivered to between the terminal velocity in the SBM scheme and the bulk the NASA Precipitation Processing System within the next year. schemes. Results of this study will be summarized for publica- tion. Han also will start a new study of the GPM Cold-season Pre- Dr. Mei Han (sponsor S. Braun) utilizes satellite-based obser- cipitation Experiment (GCPEx). She plans to use several types of vations from NASA satellites (TRMM and Aqua) and numerical aircraft and ground-based observations from the fi eld campaign models (MM5 and WRF) to study winter precipitation over ocean and WRF model to study physics and dynamics of a snow storm. and land and to evaluate the performances of cloud and precipi- Satellite data with high microwave frequency channels similar to tation models and retrieval algorithms in the middle latitudes. GPM Microwave Imager (GMI), such as SSMIS, will be examined. This past year, Dr. Han published a study on evaluation of cloud microphysics schemes in the Weather Research and Forecasting Dr. Xiaowen Li (sponsor W.-K. Tao) uses the Goddard cloud- (WRF) model on the simulations of a wintertime frontal precipita- resolving model and satellite/fi eld observations to study clouds, tion event in the U.S. west coast in JGR-Atmosphere. She ap- precipitation processes and their roles in radiation and climate, plied observations from a passive microwave sensor, Advanced and also develops, tests and improves cloud-resolving models. Microwave Scanning Radiometer for EOS (AMSR-E) onboard The Goddard Cumulus Ensemble (GCE) Model with the spectral Aqua satellite, and an active microwave sensor, a ground-based bin microphysical scheme has been continuously developed and S-band precipitation profi ling radar (S-PROF), to investigate the validated against fi eld campaign data. She was involved with several major model developments. A restarting procedure was

26 | GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 implemented and tested to allow for GCE model restarting with Going forward, work will be done to improve the GCE model and bin microphysical scheme, enabling an extended model simula- its microphysical schemes according to comparisons between tions period. It is also required in order to port the bin microphysi- model simulations and observations. The current aerosol-cloud- cal scheme to the Graphic Processing Unit (GPU), which is one of precipitation interaction study will be extended to MC3E and Dr. Li’s current research projects. Second, the GCE model hybrid DYNAMO cases. And, they will port the SBM scheme to GPU run has been implemented by Li, which enables the GCE model to algorithms in order to improve model performance and conduct run fi rst on a more effi cient bulk microphysical scheme and then long-term, large-domain, high-resolution cloud simulations. switch to the sophisticated bin microphysical scheme near the precipitation events of interests. Finally, three different methods Dr. Liang Liao (sponsor R. Meneghini) conducts research on a va- for adding aerosol source term in long-term, large-scale forcing riety of topics associated with airborne and spaceborne weather simulations were implemented and tested. radar analyses generally and the TRMM Precipitation Radar (PR) and GPM Dual-Wavelength Precipitation Radar specifi cally. The Over the past year, three fi eld campaign cases were simulated; accurate computation of scattering properties of snow aggregates the fi rst is a continuation from the previous year, and the last two is one of the crucial components in estimates of precipitation rate are new case studies. Tropical Warm Pool - International Cloud from radar and radiometer. Although a few numerical approaches Experiment (TWP-ICE), 2006, is one of the most complete data are available in computing scattering results from complex snow sets of tropical cirrus and convection observations ever col- structures, these computations are generally confi ned to lim- lected in the area around Darwin, Australia. Both bulk and bin ited frequencies and particle sizes because of time-consuming microphysical schemes are used for these next two case studies computations. To obtain scattering results at multiple frequencies during the Monsoon active and suppressed period. The Midlati- for a large range of particle sizes, it would be desirable to have tude Continental Convective Clouds Experiment (MC3E), 2011, in simple geometry models that can be used to replicate scattering central Oklahoma is part of the Precipitation Measurement Mis- results of the aggregates. An important advantage of simple mod- sion (PMM) ground validation effort. Both bulk and bin schemes els, such as sphere and spheroid, is the existence of their analytic are used for one deep convection case. For the Dynamics of the solutions, which makes the computations highly effi cient. In this Madden-Julian Oscillation (DYNAMO), 2011-2012, over the tropi- study, a few simple models are tested by comparing their results cal Indian Ocean, the bulk microphysical scheme is used for two with those computed directly from the aggregates using numerical MJO active periods. schemes. Preliminary results suggest that the scattering results of the aggregates could be reproduced by either sphere or randomly Li has been focused on three research goals. First, she com- oriented spheroids, if their mass densities are fi xed with values pared GCE model simulations and fi eld campaign observations between 0.2 and 0.3 gram per cubic centimeter. To improve the to improved cloud-resolving model physics. The simulated radar accuracy of scattering results from simple models, the scattering refl ectivity using a cloud simulator (SDSU) is compared with the computations also have been extended from the particle models surface radar observations. Furthermore, simulated vertical ve- with uniformly distributed mass density to those with the density locities are compared with the dual-doppler radar retrievals. Both described as a function of radius within the particles. In these TWP-ICE and MC3E case are used in these studies. Model sen- computations, a stratifi ed-sphere computational model is used to sitivities to changes of large-scale forcing, model domain sizes, describe radial distributions of snow mass. Some preliminary re- as well as upper-level sponge layers are explored. It is found that sults have been obtained, but a suffi ciently large number of tests nudging water vapor reduces the drying of the simulated domain are needed before jumping to meaningful conclusions. over long-term simulations. Extending the model upper bound- ary also improves the simulated cloud top and vertical velocity Additionally, efforts were made to test and evaluate the results statistics compared with the observations. Second, she explores of the integrated path attenuation generated from the GPM-DPR aerosol indirect effects with an emphasis on how variations of algorithms. Many useful plotting tools have been developed to aerosol concentration affect cloud structures and vertical velocity aid in understanding performances of the algorithms. Also, a statistics. A new approach using cluster analysis to automatically preliminary study was conducted to discriminate among various identify and tag strong updraft cores is being developed. The phase states of hydrometeors using dual-wavelength dual-Doppler TWP-ICE case is used for this research, and MC3E cases will be radars. This study is currently based on theoretical model com- added in the future. Third, she studies MJO to understand how putations to fi nd appropriate measurables that can be used to environmental variables, including large-scale forcing, water vapor separate hydrometeor phases. Dr. Liao also tested and evaluated profi le and aerosol concentration, affect the MJO structures and GPM-DPR at-launch algorithms. A set of plotting software has propagation. It has been determined that low aerosol concentra- been created in aiding in the visualization of a variety of algorithm tion over the clean tropical oceans can promote weak cumulus products. Liao and colleagues will continue and complete cur- congestus and suppress deep convection using previous TOGA rent studies as well as explore new fi elds in order to improve and COARE case studies. Results were submitted to a journal. enhance the GPM radar algorithms for detection and estimates of

GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 | 27 precipitation rate. and Bangladesh. Model results show that the inclusion of aerosol radiative forcing and interaction with dynamics reduce rainfall Dr. Jainn Jong (Roger) Shi (sponsor W.-K. Tao) studies physical over the Indo-Gangetic plain where aerosol loading is high, but and dynamical processes related to convective-to-regional-scale enhances rainfall downstream of the prevailing monsoon fl ow in precipitation systems. Aerosols affect the Earth’s radiation bal- the southern slope of Tibetan Plateau, especially over northeast ance directly and cloud microphysical processes indirectly via India and the foothills regions, consistent with the EHP hypoth- the activation of cloud condensation and ice nuclei. These two esis. The results indicate the inclusion of aerosol radiative forcing effects often have been considered separately and independently, may improve short-term (4-7 day) forecasting skill in northeast hence the need to assess their combined impact given the dif- India, and the result is consistent with the earlier hypothesis for fering nature of their effects on convective clouds. To study both this research. This research effort was in collaboration with Dr. effects, an aerosol-microphysics-radiation coupling, including Kyu-Myong Kim (GESTAR). Goddard microphysics and radiation schemes, was implemented into the NASA Unifi ed Weather Research and Forecasting model Hurricane Sandy was a late season hurricane that began as a (NU-WRF). Fully coupled NU-WRF simulations were conducted tropical low in the Caribbean Sea on Oct. 22, 2012. During its for a mesoscale convective system (MCS) that passed through lifespan, the system strengthened into a hurricane while it moved the Niamey, Niger area on August 6-7, 2006, during an AMMA northeastward, parallel to the coast of the southeastern United Special Observing Period. The results suggest that rainfall is States. It turned northwestward on Oct. 29, 2012, and eventually reduced when aerosol indirect effects are included, regardless made landfall near Brigantine, NJ with 70-kt maximum sustained of the aerosol direct effect. Daily mean radiation heating profi les winds. Because of its tremendous size and strong winds, Sandy in the area traversed by the MCS showed the aerosol (mainly drove a catastrophic storm surge into the New Jersey and New mineral dust) direct effect had the largest impact near cloud tops York coastlines. Preliminary U.S. damage estimates are near $50 just above 200 hPa where SW heating increased by about 0.80 billion as reported by the National Hurricane Center. The NU-WRF K on day 1; the weakest LW cooling was at around 250 hPa. It model with a 10-km resolution started the simulation at 00UTC was also found that, as a result of higher aerosol/dust concentra- Oct. 23, 2012 and ended on 12UTC Oct. 31, 2012. Preliminary tions, more condensation and ice nuclei led to increased amounts results show that the model made an excellent forecast on the of all cloud hydrometeors because of the microphysical indirect landfall location that is almost identical to the observed loca- effect, and the radiation direct effect acts to reduce precipitat- tion; however, the simulated hurricane made the landfall about ing cloud particles (rain, snow and graupel) in the middle and 12 hours earlier than the observed landfall time. Model results lower cloud layers while increasing the non-precipitating particles indicate that the reason Sandy turned northwestward on Oct. 29 (ice) in the cirrus anvil. However, when the aerosol direct effect and set the stage for this historical event was due to the block- was activated, regardless of the indirect effect, the onset of MCS ing pattern over the North Atlantic and the upper-level trough just precipitation was delayed about two hours, in conjunction with east of the Great Lakes. the delay in the activation of cloud condensation and ice nuclei. Overall, for this particular environment, model setup and physics Shi is working on an aerosol-radiation-microphysics coupling confi guration, the effects of aerosol radiative heating due to min- code in the NU-WRF Model based on two-moment microphysics eral dust overwhelmed the effect of the aerosols on microphysics. scheme, as well as work on an aerosol wet deposition scheme A research paper based on this study has been submitted to the in NU-WRF that is consistent with the Goddard microphysics Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society. scheme. Additional work will continue on the high-resolution NU-WRF modeling of the predictability of convective systems, Dr. Shi also studied the high elevation and steep topography of and infl uences by absorbing aerosols over northern India and the Tibetan Plateau and the Himalayan foothills regions, as they are Himalayan foothills during boreal summer for the NASA interdisci- important components of the South Asian summer monsoon sys- plinary science project. tem. Strong orographic forcing combined with abundant moisture from the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal and aerosols stacked Dr. Jason Sippel (code 612, sponsor S. Braun) studies hurricane up against the southern slope of the Tibetan Plateau produce formation and evolution through ensemble forecasts and data complex physical and dynamical effects on monsoon rainfall and assimilation. From mid-August through early October 2012, Dr. circulation. In this work, the NU-WRF model was used to study the Sippel participated in the Hurricane and Severe Storm Sentinel effect of aerosol radiative forcing on the short-term predictability (HS3) fi eld campaign. The fi rst two weeks involved dry-run activi- (1-7 days) of the South Asian monsoon rainfall system. NU-WRF ties of forecasting and planning for hypothetical research fl ights. forecasts without aerosol forcing capture the horizontal distribu- In late August, he traveled to NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility near tion of 7-day mean precipitation reasonably well, but it tends to Chincoteague, Va., to participate in the fi rst year of the fi eld phase over-estimate rainfall over central India. The biases are especially of the campaign. For two separate two-week periods, he served as larger in the upwind side of the western Ghats, northeast India a mission scientist during several research fl ights. The last fl ight

28 | GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 into Hurricane Nadine was particularly interesting and should to observe and how to observe them. Outreach efforts will con- prove to be valuable for tropical cyclone research. tinue, especially with presentations on NASA’s HS3 campaign and general hurricane sciences program to the larger community. A Most of Sippel’s research efforts during the past year have been large part of this effort will be geared towards the MSU chapter of geared towards utilizing ensemble Kalman fi lter (EnKF) with both NASA’s SEMAA program. real and simulated data to analyze the impact of assimilating radial velocity observations with the high-altitude imaging wind Dr. Lin Tian (sponsor G. Heymsfi eld) conducts research to improve and rain airborne profi ler (HIWRAP). HIWRAP is a new Doppler satellite rain retrieval algorithms. Global rain measurements are radar mounted upon the NASA Global Hawk unmanned airborne important for advancing the understanding of Earth’s water and system, which fl ies above hurricanes and has the benefi t of a energy cycle and for improving the forecasting of extreme events 25-h - 30-h fl ight time, providing the Global Hawk a much longer that cause natural hazards and disasters. Dr. Tian’s efforts have range and on-station capabilities than conventional aircraft and been directed toward improving microphysical assumptions, such making it a desirable addition to other observation platforms. as particle size, phase, and distributions through airborne radar Thus, this study is intended as a proof-of-concept for future as- and radiometer, aircraft in situ microphysics, and ground-based similation of real HIWRAP data. The results from the simulated- measurements. Over the past year, Tian analyzed multi-ground- and real-data experiments have been somewhat confl icting. In based polarimetric radars and airborne radar measurements the simulated-data experiments, analysis error is 80%-90% lower to understand dual-wavelength (Ku/Ka) observations in deep than in deterministic forecasts by the end of a 12-h assimila- convective storm. Her effort resulted in a peer-reviewed journal tion window. As a result of the improved analyses, subsequent paper and presentations at national and international confer- forecasts initialized with the EnKF analyses also improve consid- ences. Also, Tian evaluated the particle models to be used for a erably. Meanwhile, the real-data assimilation has been plagued by radar-radiometer combined algorithm. In collaboration with Dr. Bill several problems related to data quality and availability. This has Olson (UMBC) and Dr. Mircea Grecu (GESTAR), Tian has analyzed limited the success of these later experiments, and full verifi ca- aircraft microphysics data from MC3E to derive the particle size tion of the simulated-data results will not be possible until data of parameters that were used to validate the theoretical model. A higher quality is gathered in 2013-2014. peer-review journal paper is in preparation. Tian is a member of NASA GPM radar and radar-radiometer combined algorithm team. Outside of his research, Sippel gave a presentation at the GRIP Science Team Meeting, the Ensemble Kalman Filter Conference, Tian also focused on the development of a wind retrieval algo- and the AGU 2012 Fall Meeting. He also gave an invited seminar rithm in hurricanes from observations of HIWRAP (a downward at the NCEP Environmental Modeling Center and a seminar for conical scanning Doppler radar fl own on NASA’s Global Hawk) dur- the Morgan State University Interdisciplinary Seminar Series on ing last year’s NASA GRIP fi eld campaign. This is of great interest February 28, 2013. Finally, he presented a poster at the Interde- because, for the fi rst time, HIWRAP provided three-dimensional partmental Hurricane Conference. Through his involvement with wind observations of the inner core of a major hurricane, which the Morgan State University chapter of NASA’s Science, Engineer- could improve hurricane forecasting. This effort has resulted in ing, Mathematic, and Aerospace Academy, he presented informa- a peer-reviewed journal paper to be submitted and in confer- tion on NASA’s Hurricane Research Program at Morgan State’s ence presentations during the past year. Tian will continue work SEMAA Day on Sept. 15, 2012. Also, Sippel published several on MC3E data analysis, developing and implementing a wind articles this past year, including a fi rst-author paper in Monthly retrieval algorithm. She also plans to participate in the upcoming Weather Review. HS3 fi eld experiment and to provide support in data analysis and archiving. His future work will be on assimilation experiments for Global Hawk-based instruments. The experiments with HIWRAP radial velocity data from Hurricane Karl have been fairly challenging. CODE 613: Climate and Radiation Laboratory In addition to the HIWRAP data, Sippel is ready to assimilate Dr. Santiago Gassó (grant manager P. Bontempi) performs re- dropsonde data from Hurricane Nadine, which occurred during search under his NASA Grant titled “Melting ice, habitat change, the 2012 HS3 campaign. He is also interested in S-HIS tempera- nutrient fl ux, and salmon: Hydrological, biogeochemical and ture and water vapor retrievals, where the objective is to obtain biological linkages between the Copper River and the coastal an accurate analysis of these tropical cyclones with an ensemble Gulf of Alaska”. Under this project, routine surveillance of dust Kalman fi lter. His work with the HS3 fi eld campaign will continue activity in the Gulf of Alaska is ongoing. Tasks carried out include for the next several years, with extensive planning occuring during the recording of the dust events, monitoring of MODIS and GOES the summer of 2013, and the fi rst deployment of the campaign satellite images, and comparisons with surface aerosol measure- itself will take place from the middle of August 2013 through the ment at Middleton Island and the Copper River Delta meteorologi- end of September 2013. As co-investigator for HS3, he will be cal station. A collaboration with Professor Jun Wang (University of actively involved in decision making for which systems/cyclones

GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 | 29 Alaska) resulted in the production of GOES aerosol optical depths distribution function from space. for one case study. Dr. Ritesh Gautam (sponsor N. C. Hsu) investigates direct and Dr. Charles Gatebe (sponsor R. Kahn) works on a project to indirect effects of tropospheric aerosols on climate by employ- advance the knowledge of clouds, aerosols, ecosystem structure ing long-term multi-platform satellite and in situ measurements and function, snow and ice, albedo and feedbacks to climate. of aerosols, clouds, radiative fl uxes, and precipitation. Other Well-calibrated, atmospherically corrected and feature-rich air- specifi c work involves quantifying the impacts of aerosols on the borne data sets for calibration and validation of satellite sensors Asian monsoon and tropical cyclones by utilizing both observa- were built; also, elaborate experiments were conducted and new tions and modeling tools. This past year was a prolifi c one for Dr. methods developed to defi ne important surface and atmosphere Gautam, as he was lead author (2) and co-author (4) of several radiative transfer functions, and to improve remote sensing publications in Atmospheric Environment, Geophysical Research retrievals of aerosols and clouds using laboratory, ground-based, Letters, Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, Atmospheric airborne and satellite remote sensing. Instruments and tech- Chemistry Physics, and J. Geophysical Research. His research on nologies are being developed for new measurements in support biomass burning aerosols in southeast Asia and his lead-author of future missions, including those defi ned in the U.S. National paper in Atmospheric Environment was featured on the NASA Research Council Decadal Survey. A current effort of Dr. Gatebe’s Earth Observatory site: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/ is the Earth Venture suborbital-2 proposal, whose primary goal view.php?id=80724. He was also invited to organize a Special is to improve remote sensing of snow depth, snow water equiva- Issue of Atmospheric Environment, centered on the theme titled lent and albedo during the spring melt season using multisensor “Aerosols and Air Quality over South Asia: Observations, Model- remote sensing approaches, data assimilation and modeling. ing, Impacts”. In an assessment report of The National Research Council on the Himalayan Glaciers, four of Gautam’s published/ Under IRAD funding, he and his colleagues are reducing the cost unpublished fi gures related to aerosols and tropospheric tempera- and risk for the BACAR instrument, which is needed to advance ture trend analysis over the South Asian region were shown, and the knowledge of clouds, aerosols, ecosystem¬ structure and there were several references to his papers discussing aerosol- function, snow and ice, albedo, and climate feedbacks. BACAR will climate linkages over the Gangetic-Himalayan region. provide critical and much needed ground truth measurements to support many upcoming missions, including JPSS (Joint Polar Sat- Gautam attended and presented at several meetings and confer- ellite System)/VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite), ences, from India to Maryland to Massachusetts to California. At as well as Decadal survey PACE (Pre-Aerosol, Clouds, and ocean the AGU 2012 Fall Meeting, Gautam was the Lead Convener of Ecosystem) and HyspIRI (Hyperspectral Infrared Imager) missions. a session (with three co-conveners) on Aerosols over South Asia, which was well attended. Fifty-nine abstracts were submitted Outside of his hands-on work, Gatebe submitted an IDS proposal plus three scheduled oral sessions and a poster session with (PI: Charles Ichoku, NASA/GSFC) to study the interactions and scientists from around the world. This was probably the fi rst time feedbacks between biomass burning and water cycle dynamics that a session focused on aerosols over South Asia was organized across the northern sub-Saharan African region. Also, a paper he at AGU. Additionally, Gautam gave a presentation titled “Satellite co-authored will be published in the IEEE TGRS special issue on Observations of Snow Darkening over the Himalaya due to Desert the “Inter-Calibration of Satellite Instruments”. Dust”, as part of the Science and Exploration Directorate (SED), Code 610, Director’s Seminar. He is collaborating on a USAID Gatebe will continue to develop and mature the Earth Venture project with Cairo University on Aerosol-Climate Effects over North suborbital proposal, which is led by USRA with a strong participa- Africa, and hosted a scientist from the Egyptian Meteorological tion from NASA Goddard and other institutions across the U.S. Authority in September 2012. and Canada. He will lead and conduct trade studies with regard to the BACAR instrument development (optical and mechanical For his work on evaluating Suomi NPP/VIIRS aerosol products, design, detector mount packages, radiometric modeling, etc.), Gautam analyzed VIIRS Suspended Matter retrievals at regional and will prepare and submit periodic IRAD reports. Work will and global scales, and inter-compared the retrievals with those continue on the study of the effects of biomass burning activities from CALIPSO feature mask. He also submitted a report based on on surface albedo over the northern sub-Saharan Africa region the evaluation’s results to Dr. Hsu, a project deliverable. Addition- using the MODIS albedo product. A manuscript based on this ally, this task involved generating global monthly mean Aerosol work is currently under review. A pilot study will be conducted to Optical Depth from VIIRS EDR and comparing those with MODIS demonstrate tree height retrievals from CAR (Cloud Absorption aerosol products. This coming year, work will continue on aerosol Radiometer) multiangular/multispectral data, and a full proposal above cloud characterization and its radiative effects, using multi- will be submitted to the ROSES 2013. Also, Gatebe will be work- sensor satellite observations, specifi cally over southeast Asia for ing with a doctoral student from MIT on the development of a biomass burning smoke above stratiform clouds. nano-satellite concept for measuring the bidirectional refl ectance-

30 | GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 Cloud Regimes and tropical precipitation As highlighted by NASA in September 2012, Dr. Dong Min Lee (code 613) is lead-author on a paper explaining the contribu- tion of different cloud regimes to the tropical precipitation bud- Dr. Jie Gong (sponsor D. Wu) works on the development of retriev- get. The Code 610 science highlight included the following: al techniques and the delivery of retrieval products (such as cloud In order to understand the water budget of the planet it is ice water path, cloud top height, ice particle size) of AMSUB/MHS important to measure the rainfall distribution. We can now onboard NOAA satellite series. Correlative datasets are compared achieve relatively good rainfall estimates from satellites over in order to evaluate retrieval performances and uncertainties. She participated in several manuscripts this past year, one fi rst- almost the entire planet. Measuring only rainfall amounts is author paper published in JGR-Atmosphere, one co-authored however not enough to understand the underlying physical paper under review in JAMC, and another fi rst-author paper sub- processes determining where, when, and how much rainfall mitted to AMT. She also contributed to writing four NASA ROSES occurs. We must also observe and measure other atmospheric proposals, and attended a variety of conferences, meetings, and characteristics related to rainfall, such as cloud properties. In workshops in the U.S. and abroad. This coming year, she plans to this paper we propose a method to help us better understand fi nish and submit her cloud systematic tilting structure paper, as what cloud regimes (as defi ned by distinct “weather states” or well as participate in Goddard seminars. WS) the precipitation of the extended tropical region originates from. The tropics are of special interest because they cover Dr. Sergey Korkin (sponsor A. Lyapustin) has fi nalized his APC about half the area of the planet and produce the strongest (Atmospheric Polarization Computation) code, which is available rainfall intensities. We can partition the tropical precipitation online at ftp://climate1.gsfc.nasa.gov/skorkin/APC/. He also has by WS (see examples of tropical WS in Fig. 1–how they are fi nalized a set of subroutines for Levenberg-Marquardt minimiza- defi ned and where and how often they occur) by combining tion. The subroutines are available from the same ftp server. different satellite measurements targeted to rainfall and joint cloud optical thickness/cloud top height distributions. An im- This past year, Dr. Korkin published a full-length article in Journal portant fi nding is that in the tropics about half of the total rain- of Quantitative Spectroscopy and Radiative Transfer, with an fall comes from one particular cloud mixture, associated with abstract of the paper included in an online abstract database deep storm systems, WS1 (Fig. 2). Surprisingly, our combined “Topics in Particle and Dispersion Science” (http://www.tpdsci. com). He was a co-author on two publications, and he presented datasets indicate that even these clouds are often (about half posters at two conferences, the AGU 2012 Fall Meeting and the the time) not precipitating (Fig. 3); when they do, they tend to International Radiation Symposium. Going forward, Korkin plans precipitate stronger over ocean than land. Our analysis sug- to publish a full-length fi rst-author paper titled “APC: a new code gests that this is because oceanic WS1 cloud regimes are larg- for atmospheric polarization computations”. He also plans to fur- er and longer-lasting. The results may be used to investigate ther develop his codes for numerical simulation of polarized light whether climate models partition precipitation in accordance scattering in the atmosphere (APC) and his Levenberg-Marqurdt with observations, and to therefore indirectly assess whether code. These codes are to be used together to retrieve aerosol predictions of future precipitation in a changed climate can particle properties from ground and satellite measurements. be trusted. Dr. Dong Min Lee (sponsor L. Oreopoulos) explores the utilization of the GEOS-5 AGCM for radiative and aerosol indirect effect stud- ies, especially linking aerosols with cloud formation and micro- physics. The avenue for accomplishing this is by further develop- ment and validation of the McRAS-AC cloud scheme implemented in GEOS-5 under support from the previous MAP funding cycle. In addition to standard cloud macrophysical variables, such as cloud fraction and condensate, McRAS-AC in GEOS-5 predicts profi les of mean cloud particle size and particle number density for liquid, ice and mixed phase clouds. Particle number prediction is achieved by implementing aerosol activation and ice nucleation routines applied to both stratiform and convective clouds. The GEOS-5 AGCM possesses the required framework for studying aerosol-cloud interactions and providing quantitative assess- ments of the aerosol indirect effect. Despite the many successful features of GEOS-5 AGCM simulations with McRAS-AC, areas of improvement still remain. Parallel microphysical parameterization improvements as part of core GEOS-5 AGCM development efforts pave the way for ultimately synthesizing the best features of the two cloud schemes. As co-author, Dr. Lee published two papers GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 | 31 on cloud microphysics related work, two papers on cloud - radia- sizes. An understanding of these parameters will help in model- tion analysis, and one paper on aerosol forcing calculations. Ad- ing the impact of this region to the overall atmospheric energy ditionally, he was part of a funded NASA MAP proposal. budget.

He is also involved in the research of “cloud regimes”, which Development also began on an algorithm for estimating cloud ab- aims to enhance the understanding of cloud structure and cloud sorption, notoriously diffi cult to derive from observations. In order interaction with their environment by using the concept of cloud to know this quantity correctly, the radiative energy would have regimes as a basis for performing comparisons and compositing to be known at all directions of the cloud and there is no practi- analyses with a suite of spatiotemporally matching observational cal way to make those measurements. The goal is to show that, and model-derived datasets. Two distinct defi nitions of cloud within a reasonable uncertainty, the absorption for typical clouds regimes will be used: one that can potentially reveal the impact can be estimated with zenith radiance observations made from of the surrounding dynamic and thermo-dynamical conditions on the ground. Work continues on characterizing the range of clouds clouds, and one that may provide clues on how cloud microphysi- that this will work for. cal properties relate to the supply of aerosols. The fi rst class of cloud regimes will be derived from clustering analysis on daily Working with scientists from NASA Goddard, NASA Ames, the Uni- one-degree joint histograms of MODIS cloud optical thickness and versity of Colorado, and the University of Reading, McBride sub- cloud top pressure for three geographical zones: tropics, northern mitted a proposal to the Atmospheric System Research to include mid-latitudes and southern mid-latitudes (akin to an approach a hyperspectral spectrometer in the Marine ARM GPCI Investi- adopted by ISCCP). The second class of cloud regimes is entirely gations of Clouds (MAGIC) fi eld campaign. This is a ship-based novel and will be extracted using the same clustering algorithm, campaign operating between Los Angeles, Calif. and Hawaii. but applied to MODIS joint histograms of cloud optical thickness and cloud effective radius. While these regimes will be derived His future work will involve better characterization of the ability using both Aqua and Terra retrievals, the Aqua-derived regimes of the qualitative algorithm to quantify the particles in the cloud can be better associated with numerous coincident retrievals transition zone and their radiative impact. The results of this from other Aqua and A-Train instruments, such as temperature/ work will be published or added to a paper that is in progress humidity profi les (AIRS), cloud type and vertical structure (Cloud- describing the qualitative approach. Also, the cloud absorption Sat radar and CALIPSO lidar), column or profi le precipitation estimates will be further characterized to better specify the cloud (CloudSat radar), and aerosol loading profi les (CALIPSO lidar). The conditions that are valid for applying this technique. It is known regime relationship with dynamics (especially for the fi rst class that the method fails for very thin and very thick clouds, but of regimes) can also be gleaned by compositing reanalysis data quantifying this range it is still a work in progress. Upon receiv- (such as MERRA) that describe atmospheric circulation features. ing calibrated data, McBride will retrieve cloud properties for the Both regime classes are expected to have different radiative RACORO campaign. RACORO was a Department of Energy-funded and precipitation characteristics, and these can be discerned by fi eld campaign focused on optically thin clouds. The next step in compositing radiative fl ux and surface precipitation products. The this project’s overall objective will be to select cloud scenes to be outcome of this work will strengthen the researchers’ insights on included in a database for study. These cases will serve as a data- how clouds and associated processes are viewed from different base of fully 3D cloud scenes to be analyzed in a long-term effort observational platforms, and on how the rich and diverse infor- of closing the gap between shortwave hyperspectral observations mation about remotely-sensed hydrometeor properties can be and radiative transfer models. McBride, along with Dr. Marshak, organized in a manner that will lead to innovative atmospheric will submit a proposal to the DOE to continue their work on using model validation methods. A paper of which Lee is lead-author surface hyperspectral observations to further their understanding has been published, and this paper was selected for a Code 610 of fully 3D cloud scenes. science highlight. Dr. Kerry Meyer (sponsor S. Platnick) works toward improving Dr. Patrick McBride’s (sponsor A. Marshak) role in this study is current MODIS cloud retrieval (MOD06) capabilities for thin cir- to analyze and understand the response of surface hyperspec- rus optical property retrievals using the 1.38 micron channel. In tral observations under 3D cloud scenes, as well as identify addition, the effects on MOD06 of absorbing aerosols overlying and explain cases that span the range of 3D cloud scenes and marine boundary layer clouds are investigated. Over the past understanding the cloud structure in the transition region from year, Dr. Meyer has provided science and data analysis support cloud to clear sky. This past year, Dr. McBride developed a new al- for the ongoing MODIS Collection 6 cloud optical property retrieval gorithm to qualitatively study the cloud transition zone, the region reprocessing effort. He created new Quality Assurance tables, between cloudy and cloudless skies. An optically thin regime, this modifi ed the clear sky restoral algorithm to allow for additional cannot be studied with concurrent remote sensing algorithms. thin cirrus retrievals, checked for consistency in the retrieval prod- As a step in quantifying fully 3D cloud scenes, the algorithm can ucts and QA assignments, and resolved the previously incorrect determine the variability of the cloud thickness and the particles implementation of the Rayleigh scattering correction algorithm for

32 | GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 Figure: Relationship between (a) transmission of water vapor in MODIS bands and water vapor content (b) transmission of ozone in MO- DIS bands and ozone content for a given set of air masses (G). Different colors are related to relationships in each of MODIS band 1-10 and 15, as is indicated by legend in the fi gures. This relationship is used to apply gas corrections to the L1B data from MODIS sensor on Terra and Aqua satellites. (F. Patadia) the 0.66 micron channel. evaluated the accuracy of aerosol retrievals from MISR in detail and provided recommendations to improve the current standard Using CALIPSO aerosol retrievals and MODIS cloud retrievals, aerosol retrieval algorithm. The assessment was done using Meyer estimated the direct radiative effect of absorbing aerosols a host of in situ observations from the INTEX-B fi eld campaign overlying marine boundary layer clouds in the southeast Atlantic over the Mexico City region. The scientifi c results from this task Ocean. The MODIS cloud retrievals were adjusted to account for were drafted into a research paper that is online in Atmospheric biases resulting from the above-cloud aerosol absorption in the Physics and Chemistry Discussions. She also presented research cloud optical property retrieval wavelengths. A paper detailing this results at the AGU 2012 Fall Meeting. (This task was completed work has been accepted for publication in Journal of Geophysi- in October 2012.) cal Research, and this work was highlighted by the Climate and Radiation Lab as the November 2012 Science Highlight. Dr. Falguni Patadia (sponsor C. Ichoku) recently began work on a new task. She uses the Line-by-Line radiative transfer code to Meyer implemented the 1.38 micron cirrus optical property generate the atmospheric gas [water vapor, ozone and dry gas] retrieval algorithm within the MOD06, and created and imple- correction factors for MODIS channels that are used in aerosol re- mented new look-up tables (LUTs) assuming ice crystals with trievals over land and ocean. The new correction factors are now roughened surfaces. For selected case studies, he compared new adapted into the forthcoming MODIS Collection 6 aerosol product. retrieval results with those using previous LUTs, and he began Results were presented at the MODIS science team meeting held testing the retrieval method for multilayer cloud detection and during mid-April 2013 in Silver Spring, Md. retrievals (i.e., cirrus overlying low-level liquid water clouds). The accompanying fi gure shows the relationship between (1a) Ongoing work will involve investigating the application of the transmission of water vapor in MODIS bands and water vapor 1.38 micron cirrus retrieval for multilayer cloud retrievals, and content and (1b) transmission of ozone in MODIS bands and investigating the radiative effects of absorbing aerosols overlying ozone content for a given set of air masses (G). Different colors boundary layer liquid water cloud. He will continue assisting the are related to relationships in each MODIS band 1 - 10 and 15, MODIS Collection 6 reprocessing effort. A ROSES 2012 Cloudsat/ as indicated by the legend. This relationship is used to apply gas CALIPSO Science Team Recompete proposal was submitted, and corrections to the L1B data from MODIS sensor on Terra and is currently under review. Meyer will also submit a proposal to the Aqua satellites. NASA ROSES Terra/Aqua call. The LBLRTM also has been used to derive gas correction rela- Dr. Falguni (sponsor R. Kahn) used the MISR aerosol data to tions for those channels of the VIIRS instrument used in aero- map the aerosol optical thickness (AOT) gradients and the aerosol sol retrievals. This gas correction will be used for performing air mass types over the urban region of Mexico City. She also

GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 | 33 MODIS-like retrievals from the VIIRS instrument on Soumi NPP. as inputs to these satellite aerosol retrieval algorithms, as well as Further, Dr. Patadia has been generating new look up tables for for other climate and health-related applications. He continues performing aerosol retrievals from observations made by VIIRS to collaborate nationally and internationally, and these studies instrument. She also has estimated the uncertainty in MODIS have led to several publications and presentations at conferences aerosol optical depths (AOD) from a test case over the African and workshops over the past year. Finally, in recognition of his continent. For this, the MODIS aerosol retrieval algorithm was contributions to the fi eld of aerosol remote sensing, Sayer was used to retrieve AOD for different refl ectance scenarios. This presented with an award for outstanding performance in science exercise was also performed over select AERONET sites from the by the NASA Earth Science Division Laboratory for Atmospheres 2011 DRAGON campaign in the Baltimore - Washington area. For in September 2012. His efforts will continue to focus on the im- these test cases, the results suggest that uncertainty in MODIS provement of remote sensing as a tool to understand the Earth’s AOD is within the MODIS estimated error of 0.15*AOD +/- 0.05 atmospheric aerosol loading. Following the release of MODIS over land. Collection 6 data products, he will help familiarize users with this new resource, and will leverage the strengths of different datasets Patadia will work to identify the sources of uncertainty in the gas for scientifi c applications. correction procedure and estimate the error budget due to these uncertainties and its impact on aerosol retrievals. Additionally, Dr. Guoyong Wen (sponsor R. Cahalan) studies Sun-Climate another major task is to quantify the uncertainty in the MODIS relations with a focus on understanding climate responses to aerosol optical depth retrievals. For this, sensitivity studies will solar variability on decadal, centennial and longer time scales be done to test the assumptions in the aerosol retrievals and to using observations from NASA’s SORCE satellite, and studying the quantify the errors. 3D cloud radiative effects on aerosol retrievals in the vicinity of clouds for MODIS aerosol retrievals. This past year, Dr. Wen gave Dr. Andrew Sayer (sponsor N. C. Hsu) has been working on the three fi rst-author presentations, one each at the AGU 2012 Fall continual evaluation and improvement of methods to determine Meeting, SORCE Science Meeting, and the MODIS Science Meet- the amount and properties of atmospheric aerosols from satellite ing. He also had two fi rst-author publications in the Journal of instruments. Aerosols are small solid and liquid particles in the Geophysical Research. Wen will continue working with scientists atmosphere (such as desert dust, sea salt and soot), which affect at NASA Goddard and GISS to study how climate responds to climate, human health, solar energy generation and ecology. He spectral solar forcing using GISS GCM. He will further investigate has been working with three main satellite instruments. First, issues on correcting 3D cloud radiative effects, and improve tech- following on from the release last year of a 13-year aerosol data niques for correcting the effects on aerosol retrieval. record from the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) for which he was the lead on the over-ocean algorithm, evaluation Dr. Weidong Yang (sponsor A. Marshak) researches aerosol-cloud and improvement exercises have resulted in peer-reviewed journal interaction, one of the major sources of uncertainties in accurate- publications as well as the preparation of a new version of the ly estimating the radiative budget. From the aspect of aerosols, SeaWiFS dataset, which is expected to be released to the public near-cloud aerosol property may be different when compared to in the coming months. The second is the well-used “Deep Blue” aerosols far from cloud due to the interactions. Dr. Yang’s work aerosol dataset derived from MODIS measurements. As part of supports the understanding and retrieval of the aerosol property Dr. Hsu’s group, Dr. Sayer has taken the lead in validation studies variations near cloud by using optical imaging and laser lidar for the development of the new version of MODIS06 data prod- instrumental measurements onboard MODIS, CALIPSO and other ucts. Various limitations in the previous Collection 5 algorithm satellites. have been identifi ed and improved upon, such that Deep Blue data from Collection 6 will have an improved spatial coverage and Due to their different hygroscopicities, different aerosol species lower uncertainty than Collection 5. The third instrument is the may have different behavior variation features in relatively humid Visible and Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS), launched environment near the cloud. Yang and his colleagues investi- upon the Suomi NPP satellite in late 2011. NOAA produces gated near-cloud behaviors of aerosols at the different oceanic aerosol data products for operational users, and a major NASA areas near west coasts of North and South Atlantic as well as the product has been to evaluate these data products with respect to east coast of North America, etc. using CALIPSO nighttime data. their ability to fi ll NASA’s scientifi c needs. Sayer has been part of Primary results have shown the different features in transport and the team performing these evaluation exercises, reporting back to near-cloud behaviors of their optical properties, which are likely both NASA and NOAA to help improve the quality of the data prod- refl ecting the different property variations of dust, smoke and ucts and the quality of the applications for which they are used. other species.

Additionally, Sayer has continued to research improved methods Yang was a lead author or co-author on two manuscripts this past to describe the microphysical (i.e., size, shape, and scattering/ year published and submitted to Atmos. Chem. Phys. and he led absorption properties) of atmospheric aerosols, which are needed or participated in several conference and meeting presentations.

34 | GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 Upcoming plans include further research on species-dependent detection. Unlike ICESat, which used a 1064 nm laser, ICESat-2 near-cloud aerosol behaviors over land and ocean and research adopts a 532 nm photon counting system for its laser altimeter. on comparing with measurements from other space-borne and With both modeling studies and results from MODIS, they can ground-based instruments. In addition, he will continue to explore demonstrate that the ASR variability is much smaller for the 532 methods to mitigate the 3-D effects from nearby cloud in AOD nm channel than that for the 1064 nm channel. Hence, the 532 retrieval using MODIS data. nm channel is better suited for cloud screening than the 1064 nm channel. Dr. Yuekui Yang (sponsor A. Marshak) uses a synergistic method to study blowing snow properties over the polar ice sheets, and He and his colleagues will continue cloud height retrieval studies applies his expertise in radiative transfer in understanding the with O2 A- and B-band data extracted from observations made by impact of clouds and blowing snow on the surface altimetry from the Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment-2 (GOME-2) instrument space-borne lidars. He developed an algorithm for retrieving onboard the European satellite MetOp. Also, work will continue cloud top height and cloud geometrical thickness with Oxygen on the study of blowing snow radiative effects using MODIS, A- and B- bands that can retrieve cloud top height and cloud geo- CALIPSO and CERES data. metrical thickness simultaneously with satellite observations. He presented the results at the International Radiation Symposium In a new task, Dr. Yuekui Yang (sponsor D. Wu) studies blowing (August 2012, Berlin, Germany) and gave two seminars at the snow and cloud properties with the Multi-angle Imaging Spectro- Royal Meteorological Research Institute in the Netherlands and at Radiometer (MISR). He analyzed global cloud amount as seen the Freie Universität Berlin. by the MISR cameras. The cloud amount derived from different cameras contains cloud structure information. Results of this He published a related paper in Journal of Quantitative Spec- analysis show that cloud fraction increases with view angle. The troscopy and Radiative Transfer, which presents the radiative differences between cloud fractions derived from MISR forward transfer analysis pertinent to retrieving cloud top height and cloud looking and backward looking cameras are sensitive to fac- geometrical thickness with EPIC A- and B-band observations. tors such as sun glint and cloud detection thresholds. He also

Due to photon cloud penetration, retrievals from either O2 A- or conducted studies on blowing snow properties with MISR obser- B-band channels alone gives the corresponding cloud centroid vations, comparing the MISR retrievals with CALIPSO data. Good height, which is lower than the cloud top. However, they show agreement is found between the MISR retrievals and the CALIPSO that the sum and the difference between the retrieved cloud retrievals. His work will continue on case studies of MISR blowing centroid heights in the A and B bands are both functions of cloud snow height retrievals. top height and cloud geometrical thickness. Based on this fact, the paper develops a new method to retrieve cloud top height Dr. Jiansong Zhou (sponsor D. Wu) is working on two projects: and cloud geometrical thickness simultaneously for fully cloudy 1) studying the impacts of the 11-year solar cycle on the strato- scenes over ocean surface. First, cloud centroid heights are calcu- spheric and mesospheric water vapor (H2O), and 2) studying the lated for both A- and B- bands using the ratios between the refl ec- ozone (O3) changes associated with the 27-day solar rotation tances of the absorbing and reference channels; then, the cloud cycle. Dr. Zhou developed sophisticated data analysis methods top height and the cloud geometrical thickness are retrieved from aimed at extracting the small solar signals in the satellite data the two-dimensional LUT that relate the sum and the difference consisting of other variabilities of much larger amplitudes. He between the retrieved centroid heights for A- and B- bands to the plans to further justify the employed methods and improve the cloud top height and the cloud geometrical thickness. resulting solar responses in H2O and O3. Over the past year, he has established a new approach to extract a clean 11-year solar

Another paper was published in IEEE Transaction on Geoscience cycle signal in the monthly H2O data with the data length being as and Remote Sensing, which proposes a new method for cloud short as 8.5 years. This requires using the method of Ensemble screening in support of the ICESat-2 mission with a focus on the Empirical Mode Decomposition (EEMD) to remove irrelevant high polar ice sheet regions. The method utilizes the apparent surface frequencies, and then applying the Principle Component Analysis refl ectance (ASR) at the backscattering direction as the cloud (PCA) to the residual low-frequency component to obtain the solar screening test. The basis of this method is that clouds produce signal. One advantage of this method is that it is completely adap- a strong signal by signifi cantly decreasing the ASR. Yang and col- tive. No a priori assumption needs to be made about the features leagues show that, depending on the height and microphysics of of the targeting solar signal (as a contrast, for example, the linear the cloud, the ASR decreases 8% - 17% for clouds with an optical regression analysis assumes that the temporal behavior of the depth of 0.1 and 57% - 85% for clouds with an optical depth of signal follows an adopted forcing index). The new hybrid method 1.0. Data from ICESat’s 1064 nm channel is used to demonstrate proved to be successful as the resulting PC time-series of the sec- the feasibility of the method. It is shown that cloud detectability is ond mode is highly correlated with the solar forcing index (the cor- a function of surface refl ectance variability; generally, the smaller relation is above 0.8). The fi rst PCA mode is likely a trend which the surface refl ectance variability, the more accurate is cloud also makes sense. When the method is applied to the HALOE

GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 | 35 data that has already been analyzed by many other researchers, algorithms. The fi rst step in the retrieval of trace gas vertical

Zhou’s solar response is similar to the earlier reports, which also columns (e.g. NO2) is the calculation of the slant column densi- validates his method. Before this approach many other methods ties from the measured radiances and irradiances. Signifi cant were tested and none could identify an unambiguous solar signal differences (in suitably stratifi ed means) between slant columns in such a short data record. derived from similar or identical input data led him and his team to search for the causes of these differences. In collaboration Zhou examined the solar spectral irradiance (SSI) data in the UV with his colleagues, he is developing a new algorithm, which has range, and confi rmed that during the solar maximum years (e.g., enabled them to breadboard many ideas concerning the slant 2004-2006) there are obvious oscillations with a period of about column retrievals, and try to understand the origins of substantial 27 days. The amplitude of the 27-day cycle is only about 1/10 differences between slant columns retrieved by the various algo- that of the 11-year solar cycle; however, the 27-day cycle almost rithms, some of which are only black-boxes to them. Celarier has disappears when the Sun is in its quiet phase (e.g., in 2007- pursued several ideas concerning the mathematics of the calcula- 2009). Further, through use of the SABER O3 data for 2004-2005 tion itself, and found some possible sources of discrepancy that when the Sun is in its active phase, several but not all cycles in O3 are not differences in the retrieval models, per se. changes have been found to match the ~27-day solar UV varia- tions. However, during the solar minimum years such as 2008- Additional work this past year involved implementing the new

2009, no 27-day solar cycle response in the SABER O3 data can Version 2.1 algorithm through promotion to forward processing. be found at all. This may imply that the 27-day solar O3 response He tested the improved stratosphere-troposphere separation is too small in magnitude and can be so easily disturbed by other algorithm, and guided it through testing, operational testing, factors, like the temperature change and dynamical processes and fi nally to forward processing in the SIPS. He also produced even in solar peak years. the supporting user documentation (Readme fi le, Data Product Description document) for the data product. Celarier’s work also Zhou will continue to perform the useful new approach (EEMD + involved writing an application to produce orbital predictions for PCA) to multiple H2O datasets (EMLS, HALOE and ODIN) and add OMI at the fi eld-of-view level, and producing color graphics to sup- statistical tests to the results. A manuscript is in preparation on port fl ight planning for the DC-3 mission. He delivered a complete fi ndings on the water vapor responses to the 11-year solar cycle in set of mapped orbital predictions for the entire period of the DC-3 multiple satellite data records. Work will continue on the 27-day fi eld campaign, and worked with Tom Kucsera (GESTAR) to imple- solar response in SABER O3 data. He will try to determine why dur- ment automatic generation and distribution of a special-purpose ing certain periods a 27-day solar O response can be identifi ed 3 Expedited Processing OMNO2 data set, tailored for the detection while during other periods this kind of signal is missing. Results of lightning-produced NO2 in the DC-3 study region. Also, mem- will be written up in a manuscript. bers of the algorithm development team wrote an article describ-

ing the Version 2.1 OMI NO2 Standard Data Product, and Celarier was a key part of writing, reviewing, and editing this article. CODE 614: Atmospheric Chemistry and Dynamics Laboratory He will work on implementing new uncertainty estimate calcula- tions in the OMNO algorithm, and release a new data product. Dr. Edward Celarier (sponsor N. Krotkov) primarily works on 2 updating and modifying operational algorithm code to implement The implementation and evaluation of a new slant column retriev- al algorithm for OMNO will be completed, and a new data product algorithm enhancements developed by other members on the 2 released. Also, changes will be implemented to the OMNO2d code OMI NO2 team, and reviews and examines test data from the op- to enable the production of high-resolution (0.05 deg) level-3 NO2 erational OMI NO2 algorithm. Additionally, he writes documenta- tion of the algorithm and software, communicates with members product, and monthly data products (0.25 and 0.05 deg). of the OMI NO team, and develops new code for operational pro- 2 Dr. Richard Damoah (sponsor A. Douglass) supports the ACMAP duction of NO data from OMI. Over the past year, the OMNO d 2 2 research project through analysis of ozone and water vapor from algorithm was completed and data product promoted to forward 3D models and observations, will support the ACCRI (Aviation processing. The standard Level-3 OMI NO data product is pro- 2 Climate Change Research Initiative) research program (Henry duced from the level-2 OMI NO data. The algorithm was written 2 Selkirk, PI), and will be involved in NASA’s fi eld fl ight measure- anew, implemented in IDL, and extensive testing of the data ment, Airborne Tropical TRopopause EXperiment (ATTREX). In product was completed in the SIPS and GES-DISC. Production of August 2013 - September 2013, Dr. Damoah (Co-I) and Dr. Selkirk the OMNO d data product was promoted to forward processing in 2 (PI, GESTAR) will launch balloon sondes to profi le water vapor and the SIPS, and the data are now available to the public through the ozone as well as winds and temperature as part of the SEAC4RS GES-DISC, and through the Aura Validation Data Center (AVDC). (Southeast Asia Composition, Cloud, Climate Coupling Regional Dr. Celarier analyzed the OMNO A algorithm and other candidate Study) mission. For these missions, Damoah participated in 2 several meetings for ATTREX and ACCRI. He was also a member 36 | GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 of the fl ight planning team that participated in the ATTREX Field use these fi elds to evaluate the impact of future climate and fi re- Experiment that took place at Edwards Air Force Base in Califor- induced vegetation changes on aerosols and radiative fl uxes in nia from January 2013 - March 2013. He was among the team Northern Eurasia. Diehl performed a test run with this version of providing daily forecasts and fl ight planning for the science fl ights GOCART, assuming the IPCC A1B and A2 emission scenarios. He using a forecast system he constructed. For ACCRI, he initiated also created code to compute the future albedo components over and completed a 26-year simulation of the effect of 2006 aircraft Northern Eurasia, based on the albedo parameterization and land emissions on atmospheric constituents using a new version of the cover types used in the Mosaic model, and taking into account GEOSCCM (Fortune 2.5), and initiated and completed two similar the effect of snow. simulations, this time using two projected (2050) aircraft emis- sion inventories. Damoah contributed to the ACCRI fi nal report by Diehl gave an invited overview presentation on aerosol emis- conducting radiative forcing calculations due to changes in ozone, sion inventories at the 4th ICAP meeting at the European Space methane and water vapor resulting from 2006 and 2050 aircraft Agency in Frascati, gave an update on the emissions for the Aero- emissions. He achieved this using an off-line radiative transfer Com initiative at the 11th AeroCom workshop, and presented the model. Finally, Damoah presented a poster on the Atmospheric current status of his work at the NASA Interdisciplinary Research Water Vapor and its Implications on Contrails Formation during and Team Meeting. He submitted a manuscript to ACPD, and has the ACCRI symposium at Virginia Beach, Va., in Nov. 2012. responded to reviewers, and he co-authored four other refereed papers. Further, he contributed to three proposals. Damoah will continue with his analysis for his paper on radia- tive forcing due to aircraft emissions. He will also contribute to a Upcoming work will involve performing GOCART runs to assess paper in preparation by one of the ACCRI Co-Is (Dr. Liang, GE- the impact of future changes of vegetation types and biomass burning in Northern Eurasia on aerosols, as well as extending the STAR) on the Impact of Aviation on Tropospheric O3 and OH. As a member of the forecast team, he will participate in the upcoming volcano database to years beyond 2009. Diehl will submit the SEAC4RS fi eld experiment. revised version of the emissions paper.

Dr. Thomas Diehl (sponsor M. Chin) investigates the role of Dr. Melanie Follette-Cook’s work (sponsor K. Pickering) is pri- aerosols in climate change and air quality through global/regional marily with the DISCOVER-AQ campaign and data analysis. She modeling studies and data analysis. This past year, he calculated also contributes to spatial and temporal variability analyses in the forcing impact of the fossil fuel components for the direct support of planning activities for NASA’s GEO-CAPE satellite and forcing AeroCom experiment, based on meteorological data from participates in activities under NASA’s Air Quality Applied Sci- GEOS-4. In several discussions, it was concluded that the cause ence Team. In January 2013, Dr. Follette-Cook participated in of the TOA albedo in GOCART being low-biased at mid-latitudes is the second deployment of the DISCOVER-AQ Earth Venture fi eld most likely due to an incorrect representation of the cloud cover campaign, which involves concurrent measurements of trace in GEOS-4. In a next step, Dr. Diehl modifi ed a code for the deter- gases and aerosols by an aircraft equipped with remote sensing mination of radiative fl uxes so that it can process GEOS-5/MERRA instruments, an aircraft equipped with in situ instruments, ground input data. The major focus was to ensure that the computation lidars, balloon soundings, sondes, ground spectrometers, and of the total 3-D cloud fraction from the cloud fraction of anvil and several ground monitoring stations operated by the Maryland De- large-scale clouds, and the re-gridding of the cloud optical depth partment of the Environment. She issued campaign forecasts for are conducted in a consistent manner with the radiation calcula- meteorology (cloud cover, humidity, chance of precipitation, etc.) tion in GEOS-5. Diehl performed several runs with this version of as well as air quality forecasts to assist the principle investigators the radiative transfer code, using aerosol input from GOCART ex- in deciding whether fl ight conditions were optimal for a particular periments and MERRA meteorology. Radiative fl uxes and associ- day. Ten fl ights were performed during January 2013 over Califor- ated radiative forcing due to the direct aerosol effect in the period nia’s San Joaquin Valley. 1980 to 2009 were calculated and compared with results based on GEOS-4 meteorology and several aerosol models participat- She completed a 1.5 month simulation of the Baltimore/Wash- ing in the AeroCom initiative. He detected and corrected several ington region over the July 2011 DISCOVER-AQ period using the issues in the new version of the radiative transfer code, including Weather Research and Forecasting model with online chemistry a bug in the re-gridding procedure of the cloud optical depth. In (WRF/Chem). This nested simulation has three domains, a 36 addition, the anvil cloud fraction was modifi ed in order to calcu- km horizontal resolution domain covering the continental U.S., a late a consistent total 3-D cloud fraction. These corrections now 12 km domain covering the eastern half of the U.S., and a 4 km provide an overall better agreement with the CERES retrievals of domain covering the Northeast U.S. Anthropogenic emissions for the TOA albedo. this simulation were generated using projected 2012 emissions based on the 2005 National Emissions Inventory (NEI) processed The GOCART model was also modifi ed to process specially pre- with Sparse Matrix Operator Kernel Emissions (SMOKE) model. pared meteorological fi elds from the GEOS-5 system. GOCART will Additional inputs include area sources, point sources, and mobile GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 | 37 sources. Biogenic emissions were generated using the Model of The comparison of Aerosol Optical Depths (AODs) derived from Emission of Gases and Aerosols from Nature (MEGAN) modeling OMI and the OMI-MODIS algorithm with the ground truth from system. In addition, biomass burning emissions were created Aeronet indicated that OMI retrievals over the ocean when high using Fire Inventory from NCAR version 1.0 (FINNv1), which esti- dust loading are present tend to underestimate AODs signifi cantly. mates biomass burning emissions with a resolution 1 km2 based Aeronet size distribution retrievals show aerosol distributions are on fi re hot spots, area burned, land cover maps, and biomass very different than the ones assumed in the OMAERUV algorithm. consumption estimates from MODIS products. Results from this Thus, radiative transfer computations with aerosol models based simulation are being used by various groups. on Aeronet retrievals were carried out and compared to OMI radi- ances for the selected cases, and these computations success- Follette-Cook has contributed spatial and temporal variability fully reproduced the OMI measurements for the cases where the analyses in support of planning activities for NASA’s GEO-CAPE OMAERUV retrievals underestimated the AOD. The results suggest satellite. She used a WRF/Chem simulation she previously that the current OMAERUV dust models need to be changed in performed in order to quantify trace gas and aerosol variability. the next version of the algorithm. The trace gases O3, NO2, CO, SO2, and HCHO, as well as PM2.5, were analyzed over the Eastern US for a high ozone episode Dr. Gassó also evaluated combined OMI-MODIS retrievals’ individ- that occurred on July 9, 2007. Results from this analysis will be ual pixels near over marine Aeronet sites and over large oceanic compared with a similar analysis using the DISCOVER-AQ MD/DC regions (North Atlantic, Arabian Sea and NE Pacifi c ocean). The simulation described above. She also has provided high-resolu- performance of the overlap algorithm was conducted over marine tion trace gas and aerosol profi les from the DISCOVER-AQ MD/DC Aeronet sites. The comparison showed that the magnitude of the simulation to the GEO-CAPE sensitivity team. These profi les will be retrieved AOD by the OMAERUV AOD algorithm compares well used to create averaging kernels for various wavelength regions. with Aeronet retrieval when no or very few clouds are present. It Further work on the GEO-CAPE task involves demonstrating the was demonstrated that OMERUV pixels with QA fl ag = 1 tend to collaborative work that will be attainable by combining the GOES- be cloud contaminated and those with QA fl ag =0 are clear sky R Geostationary Lightning Mapper and GEO-CAPE. Follette-Cook pixels most of the time. Thus, pixels with QA = 0 are the most modifi ed a version of WRF/Chem to incorporate interactive ozone reliable AOD retrievals. The single scattering retrievals (SSA) are within the radiation scheme. Using this version, simulations were more robust and do not seem to be impacted by cloud contami- completed with and without lightning in order to compute upper nation. Pixels with QA=1 compare well with Aeronet SSAs and no tropospheric enhancements of O3 and NOx due to lightning. particular impact of cloud contamination is noted in the retrieved SSA. The assessment of the cloud contamination level of the pixel In the coming year, Follette-Cook will participate in several was done by overlapping MODIS pixels with OMI, and MODIS high DISCOVER-AQ activities, including completing a WRF/Chem spatial resolution was used to detect cloud presence in the OMI simulation for the September 2013 DISCOVER-AQ deployment in pixel. A similar study was initiated comparing the AOD and SSA Houston, Texas, and comparing WRF/Chem output to DISCOVER- derived by the standard operating OMI with the same parameters AQ measurements. She will be involved in several GEO-CAPE derived by the overlap OMI-MODIS algorithm. In this case, the activities, such as completing structure function analysis and retrievals were considered over large basing such as the North submitting a related manuscript. She also will complete the Atlantic Ocean. Initial results indicate that cloud contamination Lightning NOx Analysis, assessing the improvement in the ability is more pervasive towards the east coast of the U.S., where the of GEO-CAPE to detect the NO2 from lightning over that of OMI and presence of small (less than 1km long) cumulus is very common evaluating the ability of GEO-CAPE to detect the enhanced O3 due and clearly contaminate the OMI pixel. During the analysis, a new to lightning NOx by applying averaging kernels from the GEO-CAPE anomaly in the 499.5 OMI channel was found. It was determined retrieval sensitivity work to the WRF/Chem output. that the anomaly was in the Level 1b data and traced back to the beginning of the mission. Dr. Santiago Gassó (sponsor O. Torres) works on deriving the spectral slope of aerosol absorption characteristics of different Gassó will continue to monitor dust activity in the Gulf of Alaska aerosols using a combination of space-based and ground-based area. He plans to submit proposals to the following NASA remote sensing. His research activities this past year have fo- programs: The Science of Terra and Aqua (May 2013) and Aura cused on routine surveillance of dust activity in the Gulf of Alaska, Science Team (September 2013) re-competitions. an ongoing part of this project. Tasks included the recording of the dust events, monitoring of MODIS and GOES satellite images, Dr. Pawan Gupta (sponsor J. Joiner) performs research and de- comparison of with surface aerosol measurement at Middleton velopment on using data from various satellites to estimate cloud Island and Copper River Delta meteorological station. For one and aerosol properties, and analyzes data from the NASA Aura case study, he collaborated with Professor Jun Wang (University of Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI). OMI, an ultraviolet and visible Alaska) to produce GOES aerosol optical depths. wavelength spectrometer, is used primarily to retrieve informa-

38 | GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 Dr. Pawan Gupta conducts training workshops and seminars through his Applied Remote Sensing Training task (image credit: P. Gupta)

tion about absorbing aerosol and trace-gases such as ozone and applied professionals by creating and making available educa- nitrogen dioxide and provides information about cloud vertical tional and training materials, and providing training workshops structure. Other work involves evaluating estimates of surface and seminars. Specifi cally, his work involves developing training particulate matter (a criteria pollutant) from the NASA GEOS-5 materials on utilization of data products relevant to air quality ap- data assimilation system. Also, he works with NASA’s air quality plications from the OMI, MISR and MODIS instruments. training team and support in developing materials and conduct- ing online and hands-on training at national and international Dr. Gupta joined NASA’s Applied Science program Applied Remote venues. Sensing Training (ARSET) team member Yang Liu and CMAS research coordinator Uma Shankar to conduct a two-day training Dr. Gupta developed and employed automated scripts to pro- workshop on remote sensing data usage in air quality assess- cess the entire OMI records using newly developed method. The ment in Chapel Hill, NC after the 11th Annual US EPA CMAS shortwave fl ux is estimated and stored in HDF fi les similar to meeting in October 2012. The training provided an overview of existing OMI fi les. This data is available on request. He presented remote sensing capabilities for air quality applications through his results on fl ux estimation from OMI observations at the tutorials and hands-on exercises. Training covered access and International Radiation Symposium 2012, Berlin, Germany, the interpretation of satellite imagery, satellite data structure and or- AURA Science Team Meeting 2012, and the AGU 2012 Fall Meet- ganization, and the use of aerosol, trace gas and fi re-related data ing. Gupta also served as convener and chair to a session on products from MODIS, OMI, MISR and CALIPSO and ground-based “Aerosols and Air Quality in South Asia: Observations, Modeling, instruments in air quality studies. Two important AQ topics were Impacts” during the AGU 2012 Fall Meeting. emphasized in the lectures and hand-on exercises: (1) how to use satellite-retrieved aerosol data together with ancillary data to de- Gupta developed a new method to estimate TOA-shortwave fl ux rive ground-level PM2.5 concentrations, and (2) basic techniques using OMI observations of clouds, aerosols and ozone. The empir- for comparing satellite data with CMAQ model outputs. Eighteen ical method utilized artifi cial neural network models to estimate people from U.S. and Canadian government agencies, U.S. and TOA fl uxes. Inter-comparisons with CERES instrument show a high European universities, as well as private sectors attended the degree of correlations over global oceans. A manuscript discuss- training. ing the method and results has been submitted to IEEE TGRS for peer review. He served as lead author on one paper published In July and August 2012, ARSET hosted its fi rst advanced online in Atmospheric Pollution Research and as co-author on a paper course on analyzing an air quality event. Gupta participated in published in Advances in Meteorology. (Note, this task concluded planning, developing presentations, and delivering lectures for February 28, 2013.) the fi ve-week course. This course was focused on recent fi res in the Midwestern U.S. He also participated in the planning, pre- Through another task, Dr. Pawan Gupta (sponsor J. Joiner) sentation development, and delivery of lectures for these courses increases the utilization of NASA remote sensing data sets among conducted by ARSET: a fi ve-week webinar for CMAS and Environ- GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 | 39 Figure: a) A true color visible composite made from multiple 5-min MODIS L1 granules over North America for Jan 03, 2012. b) Spatial coverage of the cloud-free refl ectance at 470 nm that would be observed by future mission GEO-CAPE after applying MODIS-like cloud mask to 1-km MODIS measurements. c) Spatial coverage of the cloud-free refl ectance at 470 nm that would be observed by near-future sensor TEMPO after applying MODIS-like cloud mask to 4x2 km2 observations derived from MODIS 1-km measurements. d) Same as in c) but the spatial coverage with relaxed cloud mask. (H. Jethva) ment Canada, September-October 2012, and a six-week webinar participate in three online webinars and two in-person trainings. for in-person training in Utah, March-April 2013. Material development and planning for different training with end users is an important part of this task. NASA’s ARSET also conducted a 3.5-day training on remote sensing data usage in air quality assessment in Salt Lake City, Dr. Hiren Jethva (sponsor O. Torres) works on a variety of tasks, Utah during April 2013. Gupta and other ARSET team members studying the spectral aerosol absorption optical depth (AAOD) provided an overview of remote sensing capabilities for air quality above cloud, conducting above-cloud aerosols analyses, con- applications through tutorials and hands-on exercises. Training ducting OMI Refl ectivity Analysis, conducting TEMPO/GEO-CAPE covered access and interpretation of satellite imagery, satellite analyses, and to prepare related manuscripts based on research data structure and organization, and the use of aerosol data results. His work this past year involved a sensitivity analysis to products from MODIS, MISR, and CALIPSO and ground-based validate the hypothesis of Beer’s Law application to estimate the instruments in air quality studies. Two important AQ topics were spectral aerosol absorption optical depth (AAOD). Based on these emphasized in the lectures and hand-on exercises: how to use results, Dr. Jethva proposed a correction scheme which needs satellite-retrieved aerosol data together with ancillary data to to be applied prior to the direct application of the Beer’s Law derive ground-level PM2.5 concentrations, and dust and fi re detec- method. The Beer’s Law was applied to the TOA measurements tion in satellite imagery and its applications in assessing an air made by OMI to deduce the spectral AAOD and its wavelength quality event. Twenty-one people from federal and state agencies, dependence for selected case studies. Jethva represented the students from universities, and people from the private sector OMI aerosol group at the OMI science team meeting held in attended the training. Pasadena, Calif., where he gave a brief talk on the current status and future prospectus of the OMI’s two-channel aerosol retrieval Gupta attended many meetings to learn more about NASA Air algorithm. This presentation was part of the OMI senior review Quality Products and Science, such as the NASA Applied Science report prepared later. Air Quality Team Meeting and the MODIS Science Team Meet- ing. He also participated in two NASA Applied Science Program He also conducted an above-cloud aerosols analysis. The ‘color proposals, one funded, one submitted. In the coming year, he will ratio’ technique was applied separately to the OMI and MODIS

40 | GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 TOA measurements for the entire month of August 2006 to obtain for the UV- and VIS-MFRSR instruments currently under opera- the monthly mean maps of the above-cloud AOT over the south- tion at Goddard. This was an important step towards accurate eastern Atlantic Ocean. Next, above retrievals were used to com- calibration of the instrument measurements that will be used pute the TOA radiative forcing under ‘no cloud’ and ‘with cloud’ for the retrieval of aerosol single-scattering albedo. Also, Jethva conditions by invoking the SBDART radiative transfer model. Re- prepared the monthly mean database as well as maps of the sults were presented at the AGU 2012 Fall Meeting. The ACAOD current OMAERUV aerosol product, which now will be supplied to retrieval from different A-train sensors, i.e., OMI, MODIS, CALIOP, the GIOVANNI team for its online display/download. He derived and POLDER, were inter-compared for selected case study events. a global database of the single-scattering albedo retrieved by This work involved collaborations from the CALIOP and POLDER the OMI’s two-channel algorithm (OMAERUV); this database will group who have also developed the capabilities to detect and re- form an a priori for the global above-cloud aerosol optical depth trieve above-cloud aerosols. A manuscript was written describing retrieval from OMI. He has conducted a near-UV ‘color ratio’ the results of the color ratio method implemented on the MODIS analysis using the radiative transfer calculations as well as OMI observations, and is now available online at IEEE Transactions on observations in order to understand the behavior of color ratio Geoscience and Remote Sensing. He presented his work on the measurements under varying cloudy conditions. This is the fi rst above-cloud aerosols retrieval from MODIS at the OMI meeting step towards identifying the calibration target and developing a held at SESDS-2 facility, at the AEROCENTER seminar series, at common calibration method for deriving the long-term aerosol the AURA science team meeting held in Pasadena, Calif., and at record from multiple sensors. the AGU 2012 Fall Meeting in December 2012. This work was selected as the monthly science highlight on NASA Goddard’s Work ahead will involve continuing his TEMPO/GEOCAPE analysis Atmospheric Chemistry and Dynamics Laboratory web portal. of the refl ectance to aerosol retrieval for the selected case studies over the Northern America, as well as estimating the optimum Jethva created a database of minimum Lambert-Equivalent cloud mask for both future sensors to yield desire retrieval ac- Refl ectivities (LER) and other concurrent parameters that were ex- curacy with greater spatial coverage. He will extend further and tracted from the multi-year OMI measurements (2005-2011). The improve the accuracy of the Beer’s Law retrieval of spectral AAOD minimum LER maps were then compared with the surface albedo by exchanging the feedback iteratively between the color ratio database created using long-term TOMS measurements. This was based retrieval and Beer’s Law method. Additionally, necessary the fi rst step towards estimating the surface albedo in the near- steps will be taken towards developing an operational above- UV and visible region from OMI. Later, he also brought the MODIS cloud aerosol algorithm for OMI, which includes a priori informa- cloud retrieval information on the concurrent time and space grid tion on global distribution of single-scattering albedo, database in order to understand the cloud effects on the minimum LER. on aerosol-cloud separation and radiative transfer calculations for the global retrieval. TEMPO is a future sensor designed to monitor pollution across North America from a geostationary orbit. A GEO-CAPE-based Dr. Dongchul Kim (sponsor M. Chin) aims to improve the under- ocean color imager will be capable of remote sensing of aerosols standing of aerosol optical property, long range transport, aerosol at higher spatial resolutions. Jethva has carried out an analysis in impact on climate using global and regional scale models and which the availability of aerosol retrievals from these two sensors observation data. He and colleagues developed the dynamic dust as a function of the pixel resolution has been estimated. For this source function for the NASA GOCART model, and utilized the purpose, the current higher spatial resolution measurements AVHRR NDVI composite from the NASA Global Inventory Monitor- made by MODIS have been utilized. Given the identical cloud ing and Modeling Systems (GIMMS) (Tucker et al., 2005; Brown mask, the fraction of the clear sky availability from both would-be et al., 2006). This NDVI-based surface bareness map is used, sensors has been estimated for four representative days over the along with the soil and topographic characteristics, to construct North America region. The next step will be to compare the AOD a dynamic dust source function for simulating dust emissions retrieval from two different spatial resolution measurements. with the GOCART model. Twenty-two studied dust source regions fall into three groups: permanent desert, seasonally changing Other work completed over the past year involved database work bareness that regulates dust emissions and seasonally changing and collaborative work. Jethva completed the manuscript on the bareness that has little effect on dust emission. Compared to the assessment of the OMAERUV aerosol product, which is being GOCART results with the previously employed static dust source reviewed by co-authors and will soon be submitted. He also co- function, the simulation with the new dynamic source function authored a paper (led by T. Eck, GESTAR), which is under review, shows signifi cant improvements in category (II) regions. This work on the seasonal variability of the aerosol single-scattering albedo was featured as a monthly science highlight: http://neptune.gsfc. over the southern Africa monitored by ground-based AERONET nasa.gov/science/slides.php?sciid=127, and research results sunphotometer and space-borne OMI sensor. were published in an article in JGR. He prepared software to compute the diffuse correction factors GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 | 41 An inter-model comparison was conducted over the North and diffuse sky radiance observations from remote locations. Africa and North Atlantic Ocean regions where dust is the most Kowalewski performed assembly, maintenance and calibra- dominant aerosol. The comparison confi rms previously reported tion testing for the NASA Goddard PANDORA instruments to be diversity, which is greater by a factor of a few differences between deployed in the fi eld as part of the DISCOVER-AQ January 2013 - models depending on variable type, location and season. More February 2013 campaign. Pre- and post-deployment support was importantly, the comparison suggests that satellite observations provided for a total of 14 instruments. and some diagnostics parameters are useful in reducing model diversity, which can be useful for future model development. The Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) OMPS Flight Model 2 Preliminary results were presented at the AeroCom workshop (FM2) Nadir instrument completed the offi cial Acceptance Test meeting in 2012. Program (ATP) and integration into the Integrated Sensor Suite (ISS) in the 2012-2013 period. Kowalewski supported the NASA Dr. Kim and colleagues also studied modeling the Sahelian dust Flight Project Offi ce as a representative of the instrument science with the NDVI-based area map to estimate emissions of Sahelian team during all phases of the OMPS FM2 development. He is also dust. They used a global aerosol model with an explicit area map serving on an independent anomaly review team in support of the and the surface bareness determined from the NDVI from satellite JPSS Clouds and Earth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES) instru- observations. This method successfully reproduces the area of ment. He attended multiple OMPS reviews (such as the Calibra- the Sahel and the year-by-year variation of the Saharan surface tion Test Review, Pre-Environmental Review, Test Anomaly Reviews area; more importantly, it successfully separates the Sahel from and fl ight diffuser Failure Review Board), and completed the cali- the Sahara desert, e.g., the Bodélé depression. Modeling experi- bration and characterization and shipment of test equipment to ments were conducted using the NASA Goddard Chemistry Aero- the OMPS vendor, performed independent analysis on instrument sol Radiation and Transport (GOCART) model. Preliminary results irradiance calibration, goniometry and diffuser fi ne structure. of this research were presented at the AGU 2012 Fall Meeting. Kowalewski also is involved in design and feasibility studies for the OMPS Limb instrument that will be manifested on the upcom- Other work involves writing a book chapter, reviewing journal ing JPSS2 satellite. Discussions with the instrument vendor were papers, and mentoring an intern student. Kim will continue with used to convey the science team’s performance goals for the J2 his current research, work on the inter-model comparison on the Limb instrument and formed the basis for establishing project- transatlantic dust, study the Sahelian dust estimation, and work level requirements prior to the release of the RFP. on writing a proposal for ROSES-2013. The Radiometric Calibration and Development Laboratory (RCDL) Mr. Matthew Kowalewski (sponsor S. Janz) provides scientifi c develops and maintains prototype instrumentation and com- and engineering support to the Radiometric Calibration and De- ponents for use in solar backscatter research. Kowalewski has velopment Laboratory (RCDL) at NASA Goddard. He was involved ensured that the technical activities of the lab are performed with the DISCOVER-AQ Field Deployment of ACAM. The winter of and meet the goals and direction of the lab’s Principal Investiga- 2012-2013 was very active over California’s San Joaquin Valley tor. The primary focus of RCDL efforts in the past year has been area with the arrival of the NASA DISCOVER-AQ fi eld campaign. the continued development of the Geo-CAPE Airborne Simulator Airborne science instrumentation like the Airborne Compact Atmo- (GCAS). Serving as the lead systems engineer, Kowalewski directs spheric Mapper (ACAM) instrument was used for measurements a diverse team of mechanical and electrical engineers, techni- of NO2, Ozone and other pollutants. cians and analysts in the development of the instrument hard- ware and preparations for its integration and checkout aboard Mr. Kowalewski led the instrument team in day-to-day prepara- the aircraft. Kowalewski coordinates the in-house mechanical and tions and operations during ACAM’s participation in DISCOVER-AQ electrical design with the part vendors, aircraft crew and scien- 2013. As part of these activities, he completed fi nal instrument tists to ensure science requirements are met. He also manages calibration tests and closeouts of the instrument prior to ship- the integration and hazards sell-off of the new instrument with ment to NASA Langley, led the instrument integration to the the aircraft payload managers and safety board at NASA Langley. aircraft with RCDF staff and aircraft fl ight personnel, participated The goal of these efforts is to have the instrument ready in time in Langley aircraft Engineering Safety Readiness Reviews and for its use during the DISCOVER-AQ mission in Houston, Texas in supported the instrument checkout and science fl ights. ACAM September 2013. successfully completed deployment and operations in the San Joaquin Valley, fl ying in all ten science fl ights and two additional Kowalewski’s support for the JPSS OMPS will continue as the fl ights coordinated with the Polarimeter Defi nition Experiment (PO- instrument progresses through its test and integration schedule. DEX). The instrument team dealt with a “sticky” scan mirror that This includes participation in the Integrated Sensor Suite (ISS) limited observations during approximately 10% of the fl ight hours. reviews (such as the Pre-Environmental Review and Pre-Shipment Review), on-site monitoring of test activities, independent test The Pandora instrument is a ground-based atmospheric pollution analysis and Failure Review Board (FRB) activities. Additional monitoring device capable of conducting automated direct sun activities supporting the NASA Project Offi ce also are anticipated

42 | GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 in the form of Contract Deliverable evaluations, instrument on certain required desktops that he is responsible for within his performance requirements sell-off and Contract Performance research group. Going forward, work will continue regarding the Evaluation Board for OMPS Cal/Val and Flight Software/Opera- retrieval of OSIRIS satellite data, and he will retrieve and locally tions tasks. The next deployment for the DISCOVER-AQ mission archive SCIAMACHY satellite data. He also plans to assist/work will occur in late summer 2013 in Houston, Texas. Kowalewski will with two or three summer students on projects. coordinate team efforts to complete development of the GCAS instrument, prepare for aircraft integration and test, and prepare Dr. Michael Kurylo (sponsor J. Rodriguez) provides support for the ACAM instrument as a potential backup. These preparations several national and international activities important to NASA’s include developing ground processing software for science data Atmospheric Composition Focus Area in Earth Science, including analysis in support of these upcoming fl ights. Additionally, in participation in the programmatic leadership of the Network for the coming year, instrument development activities will include the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change (NDACC), and support for the Ball Aerospace GeoTASO and TEMPO instruments. consultancy to the SPARC Project of the World Climate Research Field calibration of GeoTASO and data intercomparisons with Programme, to the International Ozone Commission (IO3C), to GCAS will be performed during the September 2013 DISCOVER- United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World AQ fi eld campaign. TEMPO support includes design, ground Meteorological Organization (WMO) on activities associated with calibration and test plan reviews with the instrument vendor in the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and support of the NASA Science Team. the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, and to the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) Refer- Mr. Tom Kucsera (sponsor M. Chin) supports global and regional ence Upper Air Network (GRUAN). As a co-author for Chapter modeling and analysis of atmospheric aerosols and trace gases 3 (“Evaluation of Atmospheric Loss Processes”) of the SPARC and supports NASA-sponsored observational programs. Mr. Kuc- Study on Ozone-Depleting Substances, Their Replacements, and sera generated data sets from satellite measurements for input Related Species, Dr. Kurylo has played a key role in analyzing and into the GOCART model. The results from the GOCART modeling providing recommendations for the kinetic and photolytic param- simulations were ported from the NCCS data system to locally eters associated with the chemicals of interest. He has worked maintained workstations and disk storage systems for post- with the lead and co-authors in fi nalizing chapter recommenda- processing and analysis. Archived results were made available to tions and the supporting supplemental material, and on making global scientists and colleagues via a locally maintained website revisions to both in response to comments from the international interface. Recommended CMIP5 RCP emission products and reviewers. He also served as a reviewer of the Introduction to the historical aerosol concentrations data products were processed SPARC Report stemming from the study. for use in the GOCART model by Kucsera. He processed SAGE II aerosol data products; generated associated graphical images; As an Emeritus Member of the NDACC Steering Committee, follow- and archived products and results. During the past year, Kuc- ing more than 20 years as elected Chair or Co-Chair of the Com- sera provided support to the DC-3 and DISCOVER-AQ California mittee, Kurylo assists the current Co-Chairs and other Committee fi eld campaigns. He generated time-critical and near real-time members in guiding future NDACC activities. To this end, he re- daily products for these campaigns. These products were used cently updated the 70-page NDACC Measurements and Analyses to assist in the mission critical daily planning of aircraft fl ights Directory, which will enable the Committee to assess new and to meet mission objectives. He prepared laptops for use in the existing gaps in Network coverage. He serves as the NDACC fi eld during the campaigns, and continued to generate products interface to the SPARC/IO3C/IGACO/NDACC (SI2N) Initiative to for the AERONET research project. The number of daily products understand past changes in the vertical distribution of ozone, produced for the AERONET project was expanded to encompass a and he has teamed with NDACC Working Group representatives total of nearly 450 AERONET globally distributed sites. At each of to encourage NDACC measurements and analysis contributions these sites, twice-a-day products are generated. The results are to the Initiative. He presented a progress report on these activi- archived and made available to the global research community ties at the May 2012 NOAA Annual Global Monitoring Conference through a website that he maintains. and recently fi nalized an NDACC Newsletter article summarizing these contributions. Based on his NDACC experience, he serves As System Administrator he performed responsibilities on several as an adviser to the GRUAN Working Group on Atmospheric Refer- devices and operating systems, including maintenance on Linux, ence Observations, and was the lead author of a white paper Windows, and Macintosh machines. Cluster workstations, data on “GRUAN Design and Expansion Criteria to Meet the Needs of servers and associated hardware equipment were moved to the Atmospheric Process Studies”. As the NDACC representative on Building 32 computing facility (a move required by Goddard Labo- the SPARC Scientifi c Steering Group, Kurylo provides recommen- ratory management). The entire process from pre-move planning, dations to this group in the area of systematic measurements as disassembly, reconstruction and systems reconfi guration was they pertain to the data needs of various SPARC projects. successfully completed. As required by NASA directives, Kucsera completed the whole disk encryption on all group laptops and In 2012, Kurylo completed his second (and fi nal) four-year term as

GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 | 43 an elected member As requested of the IO3C. In this by the Assess- capacity he helped ment Co-Chairs, organize and co-chair Kurylo will a session on “Obser- continue to aid vations and Budgets in developing of Trace Constituents plans for the Related to Atmo- 2014 WMO/ spheric Ozone” at UNEP Ozone As- the 2012 Quadren- sessment; this nial Ozone Sympo- may expand to sium. In addition, he assistance in assisted in drafting the develop- the IO3C position ment and/or statement on geo- review of the engineering for the actual Assess- reduction of climate ment chapters. change (i.e., solar Also, his col- Figure: Annual mean OMI tropospheric NO2 at 0.1° × 0.1° grids over East Asia. Tropospheric radiation manage- laboration with NO2 is rapidly changing due to economic growth in China and reduction policy implementations ment by the injection in Japan. (L. Lamsal) NIST scientists of aerosols into the will continue stratosphere). The in atmospheric statement has been submitted to the International Association of kinetic and photochemical data evaluation and in laboratory Meteorology and Atmospheric Science (IAMAS) for fi nal approval. studies to determine the atmospheric lifetimes and degradation The IO3C is a commission under IAMAS, which is a constituent mechanisms of ozone- and climate-related trace gases. part of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics. Dr. Lok Lamsal (sponsor N. Krotkov) reviews the existing code For the Planning Process for the 2014 WMO/UNEP Scientifi c created by other developers, develops improved algorithms and

Assessment of Ozone Depletion, Kurylo was asked by the Co- software for improved NO2 retrievals from OMI, reviews and exam- Chairs to provide detailed comments on and suggestions for the ines test data from the operational NO2 algorithm, and validates structure and contents of this assessment, of which drafting will retrievals using ground-based and in situ measurements. The soon commence. He has submitted extensive input to the draft operational OMI NO2 product, version 2.0, released in fall 2011 planning document as well as authorship suggestions for the vari- had some minor known issues. Dr. Lamsal made changes to ous chapters. Additionally, his collaboration continues with NIST address those issues. One major limitation of this version was scientists in evaluating kinetic and photochemical data for atmo- that several data fi elds were no longer needed, plus metadata spheric assessment activities, and he is working with members of information needed to be updated. He and other team members the NASA/JPL Data Panel to improve the Panel’s recommendation implemented those changes, and then the NO2 data was evalu- procedures and communications with the user community based ated before reprocessing the entire mission data. The currently on experience gained from the SPARC Study on ODS. He has available OMNO2 version 2.1 was released in summer 2012. He also collaborated with NIST scientists on studies of the reactivity also contributed to the preparation of “OMNO2 README File”, a between OH radicals and several atmospherically important ha- product specifi cation document, and an algorithm paper, which logenated trace gases, and is a co-author on two journal articles has been published in Atmos. Meas. Tech. Disc. Lamsal evalu- stemming from this work. ated the new version using independent ground-based and in situ measurements. The new product represents a large improvement Kurylo will continue to support the fi nalization of Chapter 3 in the from its predecessors, versions 1.0 and 2.0, and generally agrees SPARC Report on Ozone-Depleting Substances, Their Replace- within 20% with independent measurements. A manuscript ments, and Related Species, and work with chapter authors to evaluating OMI tropospheric NO2 product with Colorado University identify components suitable for expanding into one or more peer airborne MAX-DOAS (Multi-Axis Differential Optical Absorption reviewable journal articles. He will continue to serve as an Emeri- Spectroscopy) measurements is currently in review in J. Geophys. tus Member of the International Steering Committee for NDACC Res., and a comprehensive validation paper is in preparation. and will draft a summary of NDACC measurement and analysis In addition, he implemented a new algorithm for lightning NO2 activities that have been lost or diminished over the past several retrieval, evaluated the retrievals, and provided support for the years, thereby helping to set priorities for new or repositioned DC3 fi eld campaign. measurement capabilities. He will continue to serve as an atmo- spheric observations liaison for SPARC, GRUAN, and SI2N. Lamsal developed software to generate the level 3 product of

44 | GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 which several users are interested. He evaluated the product, minimum and maximum convection conditions. The simulations made data available to several users, including the Education- are to be done with GEOSCCM using MERRA Replay fi elds. Public Outreach team, and contributed to document preparation. She has coordinated an international modeling effort as a lead Airborne Compact Atmospheric Mapper (ACAM) onboard the NASA author of Chapter 5 of the SPARC ODS Lifetime Assessment Ef- UC-12 aircraft measures solar backscatter over UV and visible fort. During this past year, she has completed three peer-reviewed range that allows NO2 retrievals at unprecedented ground resolu- draft versions of Chapter 5 of the Lifetime Assessment Effort; has tion. Lamsal developed an algorithm to calculate air mass factor submitted the fi nal version of Chapter 5 for the SPARC organiza- (AMF) using VLIDORT radiative transfer code. AMF is needed to tion on March 28, 2013, which is currently in press; has served as convert the slant column density obtained from spectral fi t to a co-author on Chapter 6; and has been working on two papers, vertical column density. The AMF calculation uses high-resolution one as fi rst-author and one as second-author, based on results

CMAQ/GMI NO2 and temperature profi les, high-resolution MO- from Chapters 5 and 6 of the Lifetime Assessment Effort. These DIS albedo and ACAM measurement conditions. It also includes papers will be submitted to peer-reviewed journals. aerosol information together with the aerosol optical depth mea- surements from MODIS. Preliminary comparison of ACAM with Along with fi nalizing these two papers, Liang plans to present these results at the IGAC/SPARC CCMI science workshop in May OMI tropospheric NO2 retrievals shows great promise. Extensive analysis and evaluation of the product is ongoing. 2013. She will incorporate co-author comments into the ACCRI manuscript and submit it to JGR. For her work on the ACMAP Additionally, Lamsal examined the relationship between popula- Bromocarbon project, she plans to fi nish model data analysis of tion and various NO2 pollution parameters, such as ground-level the impact of very-short-lived bromine on stratospheric ozone and NO2, tropospheric NO2 column, and bottom-up NOx emissions. He submit the results to peer-reviewed journals. Model analyses will found that urban NO2, like other urban properties, is a power law be conducted to quantify the impact of changing atmospheric scaling function of the population size. The manuscript submitted lifetimes on future projection of ODS concentrations and strato- to Environ. Sci & Technol. is currently under review. In addition, spheric ozone recovery. Finally, she will submit one PI-proposal he contributed to three recently submitted manuscripts. Ongo- to ROSES-2013 Aura Science Team and another to ROSES-2013 ing work will involve analyzing and evaluating ACAM NO2 obser- Atmospheric Composition Campaign Data Analysis and Modeling. vations, developing an NO2 slant column fi tting algorithm, and examining the roles of aerosols and other retrieval parameters for Dr. Mark Olsen (sponsor A. Douglass) has been instrumental in analyzing and advancing the OMI/MLS trajectory tropospheric future improvement of the NO2 product. ozone residual (TOR) product and the GMAO ozone assimilation Dr. Qing Liang (sponsor A. Douglass) utilizes a combined strato- system. The TOR fi elds have been evaluated extensively relative to sphere-troposphere chemistry model (the GMI Combo) to investi- ozonesonde observations and compared with GMI model output. gate issues related to the role of ozone in the upper troposphere In general, the TOR is low biased with respect to the sondes, due and lower stratosphere on climate. Dr. Liang has run four 30-year to biases present in the satellite observations. The product is to 50-year model simulations to examine the impact of convec- being readied for release to the community. Comparisons of the tive strength on the contribution of bromocarbons to the strato- ozone assimilation analyses to sondes, HIRDLS and model output spheric bromine, and presented the results at the IGAC 2012 have shown the fi elds are consistent with meteorological trans- Science Conference: atmospheric chemistry in the anthropocene port and dynamics. In addition, Dr. Olsen has demonstrated the in September 2012. As of April 2013, the model data analyses capability of the assimilation system to reproduce lower strato- are fi nalized and a fi rst-author manuscript will be submitted to spheric structure that is unresolved by MLS while still retaining Geophysical Research Letters. the correct separation of tropospheric and stratospheric ozone.

Her work continued on analyzing GEOSCCM full chemistry simula- Olsen has investigated the impact of stratosphere troposphere ex- tions to use NASA aircraft measurements to evaluate model simu- change (STE) on the tropospheric ozone burden. The ozone analy- lations, to examine the impact of aviation of tropospheric compo- ses demonstrate a signifi cant signature of the STE in the north- sition, and regarding the future projection of aviation impact in ern hemisphere upper tropospheric ozone mass, although the 2050. In addition to being presented in the third ACCRI Sympo- system is highly buffered. A 10% difference in ozone STE tends to sium in November 2012, the analysis results were written up in produce about a 1.5% difference of ozone mass in the upper tro- a draft paper that will be submitted to Journal of Geophysical Re- posphere. The impacts of other processes are at least equally im- search. Liang also conducted model simulations using GEOSCCM portant to the tropospheric ozone variability as the stratospheric to examine the impact of deep convection and model evaluation. input. He also has examined the relative impacts of factors that This includes two sets of GEOSCCM full chemistry simulations contribute to ozone STE using models and the ozone assimilation. with MERRA Replay fi elds to simulate the NASA INTEX-A (summer Model simulations show that the sea surface temperatures (SST) 2004) and TC4 aircraft missions (summer 2007). Each set con- are signifi cantly correlated with the lower stratospheric ozone mix- tains one standard simulation and two sensitivity simulations for ing ratios, but the simulations do not show a clear relationship to

GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 | 45 the magnitude of the down-welling mass fl ux. Thus, the SST may Pan published two papers in ACPD and presented a poster at the infl uence the lower stratospheric ozone through modifi cation of 11th AeroCom meeting in September 2012, which discussed the the amount of net horizontal transport between the tropics and sensitivity of a model to different anthropogenic and biomass higher latitudes in the lower stratosphere. Multiple linear regres- burning emissions (the AeroCom phase II inventories A2-ACCMIP sion analysis of the relative contributions of the QBO, ENSO, solar and A2-MAP) as examined by one model, GEOS5-GOCART. Future fl ux, and mass fl ux to the net ozone fl ux in the assimilation fi elds work will involve investigating possible causes for the model support this model result. discrepancy found in South Asia with GEOS-5, and studying the impact of nitrate aerosol deposits on ecosystems (as a co-PI in Dr. A quantitative analysis of the relative contributions of factors that H. Bian’s MAP proposal). impact the ozone STE variability will be completed. In addition, examining the impact of STE on the tropospheric ozone burden Dr. Cynthia Randles (sponsor P. Colarco) examines aerosol- will continue on global and regional scales. Particular focus will be climate interactions in the GEOS-5 atmospheric general circula- on the observed low anomaly of tropospheric ozone following the tion model (AGCM) coupled to the GOCART aerosol module. She signifi cant stratospheric ozone depletion in 2011. investigated the present-day climate response to aerosol direct and semi-direct effects using the GEOS-5 AGCM. Her investiga- Dr. Xiaohua Pan (sponsor M. Chin) investigates the role of aero- tion is focused on aerosol-climate interactions by using either sols in climate change and air quality through global/regional prognostic aerosols from an online aerosol module or aerosols modeling studies and data analysis. This past year, she evaluated from a climatology based on the prognostic aerosols. As found in the aerosol distribution over South Asia using various multi-mod- previous studies, forcing from all aerosols cools the land surface, els. South Asia (India) is known as one of the hot spots of anthro- warms the troposphere, and impacts global mean circulation, pogenic emission and aerosol optical depth in the world. Dr. Pan affecting both the strength of the Hadley cell and the zonal mean led a study titled “Aerosol distribution over South Asia: Satellite wind. Less absorbing natural aerosol alone tends to have weaker Observations and AeroCom Multi-model Simulations”, and pre- impacts on global climate. The removal of the feedback of meteo- sented her results at the AGU 2012 Fall Meeting. In this study, rology on aerosol distributions can signifi cantly impact the climate a comprehensive comparison (in terms of horizontal and vertical response depending on the parameter, region and season con- aerosol distribution and seasonal evolution) was done among the sidered. Much of the differing climate response to prognostic and simulations from AeroCom multi-models and NASA GEOS-5 along prescribed aerosols occurs in regions remote from direct aerosol with observations from satellites (MODIS, MISR, SeaWiFS and forcing, such as the stratosphere and the northern and southern CALIPSO) and in situ measurements (e.g., AERONET) carried over high latitudes. This suggests that aerosol-climate interactions may South Asia. This is the fi rst project in which GEOS-5 is compared induce remote dynamical responses to aerosol forcing in global with other AeroCom models. The outcomes of this study will models. The largest effect of removing coupling is to enhance signifi cantly contribute to understanding the aerosol distribution the aerosol optical depth globally over the oceans. This enhance- over South Asia and highlight the common drawbacks existing in ment is due to the removal of the co-variability between aerosol multi-model simulations, as well as provide suggestions for future mass and relative humidity on sub-monthly timescales in the high model improvement. A manuscript based on this study has been humidity oceanic environment. A paper was published in JGR- developed. Atmos. on aerosol-climate interactions with Dr. Randles as fi rst author. Pan has worked with the GOCART group on integrating the offl ine- GOCART towards the online-GOCART (i.e., GEOS-5). She mainly In the upcoming period, this work will be done via funding from migrated/remapped all the inputs associated with emissions from NASA SEAC4RS and funding from NASA ACMAP. Randles and col- offl ine-GOCART to online-GOCART. A series of experiments were leagues will participate in the upcoming SEAC4RS fi eld mission, conducted using GEOS-5 with the updated emissions mentioned where their duties will include providing aerosol forecast support above, and she compared each process with the offl ine GOCART for the fl ight missions. They will investigate the sensitivity of the in detail including emission, deposition removal and aerosol GEOS-5 incremental analysis update (IAU) to biomass burning optical depth. As a result of this work, an important discrepancy forcing and investigate the sensitivity of the aerosol direct radia- was identifi ed that exists in the two models: the wet deposition tive effect to changes in aerosol constituents. through convective scavenging. Her study facilitated the transition from offl ine GOCART to online GOCART for her group and bridged Dr. Henry Selkirk (sponsor A. Douglass) works on a task that has the “gap”. Thorughout this work, she developed several useful three subtasks: he characterizes the vertical structure and vari- programs and tools to calculate the aerosol budget diagnosis for ability of water vapor and ozone in the tropical upper troposphere the group, and gave a GEOS-5 model training to the group in order and lower stratosphere using balloon sondes; he analyzes trans- to facilitate the replacement of the GOCART model with GEOS-5. port and moisture processes in observations and models; and he provides scientifi c support of NASA airborne missions, including

46 | GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 the Airborne Tropi- Observations call, cal Tropopause Ex- they will continue periment (ATTREX) balloon sonde and the Southeast profi ling of water Asia Composition, vapor and ozone Cloud Climate for the next four Coupling Regional years. This work Study (SEAC4RS). will be done in collaboration with From balloon Co-Investigator Dr. sonde measure- Morris of Val- ments, the growing paraiso University, archive of water Dr. Vömel of the vapor and ozone Deutscher Wet- measurements terdienst, Dr. Diaz in the tropics has of the Universidad been extended. de Costa Rica, This past year, Dr. Figure: Scatter diagrams of Ticosonde balloon soundings of water vapor vs. ozone mixing ratios and other col- Selkirk’s team at in Costa Rica: (left) December-February 2005-2011; (right) June-August 2005-2011. (H. Selkirk) leagues in NASA the University of and NOAA. He Costa Rica in San and his colleagues also expect to receive funding for their ROSES José made 50 weekly balloon sonde launches of Electrochemical proposal in order to continue balloons sonde measurements of Concentration Cell (ECC) ozone sondes. On fi ve of these launch- water vapor and ozone at Costa Rica. This project is being carried es, water vapor profi les were made with the Cryogenic Frostpoint out in tandem with the SO2 sonde observations at Costa Rica, and Hygrometer. Going back to 2005, this is the longest continuing Selkirk will travel to Costa Rica later this spring along with his Co- series of water vapor/ozone profi les in the tropics. Work also Investigator Dr. Morris. continued on the characterization of the vertical structure and seasonal variability of water vapor and ozone in the upper tropical Dr. Henry Selkirk’s new task (sponsor J. Joiner) will make dual troposphere using the sounding data at Costa Rica. Selkirk’s ozonesonde measurements of SO2 in Costa Rica over a two- fi gure shows scatter diagrams of water vapor mixing ratio versus year period. This is a collaborative effort with Dr. Gary Morris of ozone in the two opposing seasons: December-February and Valaparaiso University and Dr. Jorge Andres Diaz of the University June-August. While the former season shows a relatively compact of Costa Rica. With funding to a subcontract to Dr. Morris, dual relationship between the water vapor and ozone, with very little ozone sondes have been purchased and shipped to Costa Rica. variability in water vapor at ozone mixing ratios of 100 ppbv and Twice-monthly profi ling of sulfur dioxide plumes from the nearby above, the summer season scatter is large, even to 200 ppbv volcano Turrialba is now set to commence. A total of 50 sound- in ozone. This is evidence of a great deal more mixing between ings will be taken over a two-year period, which will be used to stratosphere and troposphere in the summer season. This work validate satellite remote sensing measurements of sulfur dioxide. will be reported in a paper currently in preparation. The soundings will be augmented with continuous surface mea- surements of sulfur dioxide and ozone. Drs. Selkirk and Morris From January 2013 - February 2013, Selkirk provided fl ight plan- will visit the launch team in Costa Rica at the end of May 2013 ning and meteorological support to the ATTREX fi eld mission at to organize the measurement campaigns and to work on a joint NASA Dryden Flight Research Center. ATTREX 2013 was a rousing publication on the sulfur dioxide profi ling. success: during the fi nal two of six science fl ights, the remotely piloted Global Hawk aircraft was able to make extended mea- The major development work by Mr. Stephen Steenrod (sponsor surements in the deep tropics of thin cirrus at the tropopause J. Rodriguez) this year involved the coupling of the GMI strato- level. Other work related to the tropopause was in Selkirk’s, Dr. sphere-troposphere chemical mechanism with the GMI aerosol Morris’s and other colleagues’ organization of and participation mechanism, an effort that brought the two separate model in the US-Japan Bilateral Workshop on the Tropical Tropopuase mechanisms together into a new comprehensive chemistry. This Layer at the University of Hawaii. He also co-authored a report on capability was then used to simulate the POLARCAT aircraft mis- the workshop submitted to the SPARC newsletter, an infl uential sion period, and the results were post-processed and submitted publication in the stratospheric science community. to the POLARCAT model inter-comparison group (POLMIP) by Mr. Steenrod. Also included in these POLMIP fi les were output from Due to funding being awarded to Selkirk’s and collaborators’ several separate GMI tracer runs for the same period. Steenrod proposal to the NASA ROSES Upper Atmospheric Composition GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 | 47 Figure: This fi gure shows observed (top row) and simulated (middle row) stratospheric column ozone (O3) for dates before and after the period of large ozone loss during winter 2011. The observations are from the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) on the NASA Aura satellite and the simulation is from the NASA Global Modeling Initiative (GMI) chemistry and transport model. The white contour in each panel identifi es the vortex edge. The vortex is a region of strong circumpolar winds that isolate the polar air mass. The low temperatures inside the vortex allow the formation of polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs). Chemical reactions that take place on the PSCs unleash chlorine-catalyzed reactions that cause ozone loss. The accuracy of the model’s chemistry and transport are demonstrated by the excel- lent agreement with the observations both before and after the period of large PSC-driven losses. The lower left panel shows that the percentage difference between observed and simulated vortex mean column O3. The mean difference is 2.6%, which is less than the 95% uncertainty of the measurements (dashed lines). The total chemical O3 loss on Mar. 23 is shown at the bottom right by taking the difference between two GMI simulations: one with PSCs and the other without PSCs (i.e., no anthropogenic chlorine losses). The results showed that although column O3 was ~120 Dobson Units (DU) lower than what is typical for late March, the chemical loss accounts for only 80 DU of the decrease. Unusual meteorology in the winter of 2011 resulted in reduced O3 transport to high latitudes during winter, accounting for ~40 DU of the low O3 observed. (S. Strahan) discovered and fi xed bugs in the GMI model and ran sensitivity discovered. He also plans to rerun the heterogeneous chemistry tests and production simulations. Most of the bug issues re- sensitivity tests at a fi ner resolution. His computer cluster group solved had been introduced into the model by efforts of others leader activities will also continue, especially the OS security to modernize the coding style of the GMI model. Steenrod also updates and installation of new and replacement hardware. discovered and corrected errors in some input fi les. He created new input fi les of the aerosol surface area density from IGAC and Dr. Susan Strahan (sponsor J. Rodriguez) conducts analyses new dust, sea salt and sulfate aerosol number densities from of stratospheric and tropospheric observations to improve the GOCART for input of boundary conditions for the GMI standard representation of transport and chemical processes in models. stratosphere-troposphere chemical mechanism. Atmospheric trace gas data sets are analyzed to empirically assess processes such as inter-hemispheric transport, tropical as- The use of the GMI model for sensitivity tests achieved by Steen- cent and horizontal mixing. Results from observational analyses rod included simulations to review the importance of heteroge- are used to evaluate NASA Goddard models, such as the Global neous chemistry in polar ozone depletion, a clear-sky calculation, Modeling Initiative (GMI) chemistry transport model and the GEOS numerous tracer simulations and the effects of the new coupled CCM, as well as CCMs participating in international assessments. aerosol-stratospheric-tropospheric chemical mechanism, among She is also involved in the management of GMI model simulations other runs. Steenrod provided support answering inquiries about and output, including quality control and evaluation. all aspects of the model, helped outside users of the model, and assisted with the production of analytic output from many differ- One year ago, this task produced an analysis of NASA Aura Mi- ent runs for several different users of the GMI model. crowave Limb Sounder (MLS) O3 data that showed that reduced stratospheric transport was responsible for a signifi cant portion He provided system administration support by updating and of the low springtime Arctic ozone measured in 2011. This year, securing the OS and updating or maintaining the hardware on 20 a GMI chemistry and transport model simulation using high- of the code 614 cluster computers in a timely and as unobtrusive resolution meteorological fi elds (1o latitude x 1.25o longitude) manner as possible. Steenrod provided advice about the pur- was shown to reproduce the observed evolution of ozone and chase of new and replacement hardware, and moved rack-mount- other trace species throughout the winter of 2010-2011. The ed computer equipment from Building 33 to Building 32 in a success of this simulation indicated that chemistry and transport consolidation of computer machine rooms. He will continue work processes were realistically represented in this model, offering on the improvement of the GMI model and fi x issues as they are the opportunity to quantify the contributions of heterogeneous chemical loss and transport to the unusually low ozone observed 48 | GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 in March 2011. By integrating a simulation with all heterogeneous logical Organization (WMO) Scientifi c Assessment of Ozone. chemical reactions turned off, then differencing that simulation to one using complete chemistry, ozone loss due to heterogeneous Strahan was invited to write an article on middle atmospheric chemistry on polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) was calculated. transport circulation for the Encyclopedia of Atmospheric Science (Elsevier Press). The article discusses how upward propagating While other studies claimed chemical O3 losses of more than 120 DU inside the vortex, this analysis showed that about one-third of tropospheric waves break in the stratosphere and mesosphere, depositing energy and momentum to drive the transport circula- that defi cit was caused by ‘missing’ transport of O3, while two- thirds of the defi cit (~80 DU) resulted from chemical loss on PSCs. tion, and emphasizes the role played by observations of long-lived The results of the study were published in Journal of Geophysical trace gases in the elucidation of the details of stratospheric trans- Research - Atmospheres. In addition, the NASA Goddard Public port processes. Transport plays a central role in stratospheric Affairs and Outreach Offi ce wrote a feature article on this study composition through control of the distribution of long-lived gases (http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/2011-ozone-hole. such as N2O, CH4, and chlorofl uorocarbons. Their distributions html). impact stratospheric ozone and climate. The article will be pub- lished in the coming year. Several 20-year simulations of the recent past, known as hind- casts, have been integrated into the GMI chemistry and transport In the coming year, GMI simulations using different stratospheric model using MERRA-assimilated meteorology and various tropo- aerosols and odd-nitrogen chemistry will be evaluated using spheric emissions scenarios. The purpose of multiple simulations stratospheric measurements of NO2, NO, HNO3, and O3 with is to study the effects of fossil fuel emissions, biomass burning the goal of improving the credibility of odd nitrogen and ozone and interannual variations in stratospheric ozone on tropospheric chemistry in the GMI model. Realistic odd nitrogen chemistry will composition. The GMI hindcast simulations are used by scientists improve their ability to conduct long-term simulations of polar at NASA Goddard, the University of Maryland, Johns Hopkins ozone loss and will provide improved a priori profi les for the Aura University, and Harvard University. Strahan’s role with GMI is not OMI data retrievals. Strahan’s collaboration will continue with Dr. only as a scientist evaluating GMI simulations with observations Darryn Waugh (Johns Hopkins University) on the evaluation of but also as the Project Manager. This role entails monitoring new tropospheric transport in the GMI hindcasts. Additionally, using a simulations to identify chemistry, transport, and coding errors nine-year high spatial resolution hindcast, Strahan and colleagues that may affect the quality of the output. Careful evaluation of will run a series of GMI experiments to quantify heterogeneous the hindcast simulations has led to the discovery of a handful of chemical polar ozone loss in the Antarctic and Arctic. These simu- errors in the run productions. To correctly identify the cause of a lations will not only quantify stratospheric loss but also the impact problem, as well as implement the solution, is time-consuming of stratospheric ozone loss on the troposphere. and requires thorough testing. An intensive monitoring effort has led to the production of credible and useful simulations for the Dr. Sarah Strode (sponsor J. Rodriguez) contributes to the three- GMI Science community. As Project Manager, she also acts as dimensional modeling efforts in the Atmospheric Chemistry the liaison between the model output and its users, providing and Dynamics branch, both for Chemical Transport Models and information on simulations and computer codes for reading and Chemistry Climate Models. Over the past year, Dr. Strode con- processing the output. ducted simulations with the GEOS-5 Chemistry Climate Model (GEOSCCM) as part of the Atmospheric Chemistry Climate Model Strahan fulfi lled her role as a member of the executive committee Intercomparison Project (ACCMIP), an effort to examine the inter- in the second and fi nal year of the project “Lifetimes of Strato- actions between atmospheric chemistry and climate across mul- spheric Ozone-Depleting Substances, Their Replacements, and tiple models. GEOSCCM results are available now for simulations Related Species”. Efforts included organizing two review meet- of the past, present and future atmosphere, and are included in ings for the report’s Lead Authors and Principal Reviewers (one at ACCMIP-based papers. Analysis is underway of the GEOSCCM re- Goddard, the other in Zurich), co-authoring two report chapters, sults for carbon monoxide, using models with simplifi ed chemistry and reviewing four other chapters. The executive committee cur- to understand the sensitivity of carbon monoxide to other atmo- rently is fi nalizing the report’s summary chapter that provides new spheric constituents. She submitted an abstract and will present recommended lifetimes for ODS. The report will be completed in results from this analysis at the upcoming CCMI workshop. time for distribution of the results at the Chemistry-Climate Model Initiative meeting in Boulder, Colo., in May 2013. The fi nal report Strode is developing trace gas emission inputs for the GEOSCCM will be published this spring by SPARC, a WCRP project. The newly and GMI chemical transport model. She updated the GMI emis- recommended lifetimes for ODS will serve as inputs in the genera- sions to include interannual variability in fossil fuel emissions, tion of source gas boundary conditions for chemistry climate mod- and the new emissions were used in a GMI Hindcast simula- els that will be used for projections of 21st century stratospheric tion. The inclusion of year-to-year variability in fossil fuels in this ozone. These simulations will be part of the 2015 World Meteoro- simulation makes it possible to examine the role of trends in anthropogenic emissions in altering the level of atmospheric pol-

GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 | 49 lutants. She also processed emission fi les from the CCMI model page and systems. He will perform a validation analysis of OMPS intercomparison project for input into the GEOSCCM. Addition- LP ozone and aerosol profi les release 2.0, and continue to ana- ally, she is evaluating the GMI chemical transport model against lyze OMPS LP radiances and investigate potential improvements. observations of ozone and other trace gases. She modifi ed computer programs developed at Harvard to operate on local GMI Dr. Zhining Tao (M. Chin) investigates the role of aerosols and model output, providing a user-friendly tool for evaluating new trace gases in climate change and air quality through global/re- GMI model simulations against ozonesonde and aircraft measure- gional modeling studies and data analysis. He contributed to the ments. Her research is focused on how well the GMI hindcast NU-WRF development on several fronts; in-line coupling of LIS and simulations capture the observed variability and trends in surface dust emissions; in-line coupling of aerosol and radiation/cloud ozone over the United States. microphysics schemes; and, the addition of a secondary organic aerosol algorithm in biogenic emissions schemes. He conducted Another focus of her research is on the interannual variability of a NU-WRF experiment to investigate the effect of land cover on carbon monoxide. Year-to-year variability in the concentrations of atmospheric processes and chemistry. The results show profound atmospheric constituents affects how many years of observations interactions of land surface with atmospheric processes, such as are needed to detect an anthropogenic trend. Strode is using a energy balance, precipitation, advection/convection, and emis- model simulation of carbon monoxide with interannually varying sions. In turn, this affects the atmospheric chemistry and the dis- meteorology and biomass burning emissions to quantify how well tributions of trace gases/aerosols. These research results were the model reproduces the observed variability. She then uses the presented at the 11th annual CMAS conference in October 2012. model results to estimate how much time would be necessary in different regions of the atmosphere to detect a given trend in fos- Working with Drs. Pickering and Follette-Cook (NASA Goddard) sil fuel emissions, and to identify regions where trend detection and Dr. Robert Chatfi eld (ARC), Dr. Tao analyzed the gas and aero- would be possible in a relatively short time. A manuscript on this sol data collected from the DISCOVER-AQ fi eld campaign, AURA topic is in preparation. OMI, WRF-Chem regional model, and GEOS-5 global model, and compiled a suite of gas and aerosol vertical profi les to provide to Dr. Ghassan Taha (sponsor R. McPeters) leads the Aura Validation a scientifi c team at NASA’s JPL as part of the effort of GEO-CAPE Data Center (AVDC) activities, including the maintenance of web mission preparation. The preliminary results were presented at content and related system hardware management activities, as the IGAC conference in September 2012. well as administration of the center databases. He also supports OMPS limb level-1 and -2 development activities. He maintained Tao was a Co-I on six proposals submitted to various NASA ROSES the AVDC computer hardware, added extra storage capacity, main- calls (three to MAP, one to ACMAP, and two to IDS). As part of tained the AVDC database and webpage and complied with NASA the USAID-sponsored project to deal with regional chemistry and IT security rules. He added and confi gured a new RAID system to climate modeling and use of NASA satellite products, he tutored expand the AVDC storage capacity, which required the rebuild- a young scientist and PhD candidate from the Al-Azhar University ing of the AVDC2 operating system, software and users accounts of Egypt on the usage of WRF-Chem, and gave a training class on after an OS crash. NU-WRF to a group of ten scientists in January 2013.

He supported various Aura and NPP validation and data users For the upcoming year, Tao will study the effect of Asian dust on with satellite fi eld-of-view predictions and ground station over- the U.S. aerosol and air quality using NU-WRF and GEOS-5 model- passes, collecting and harmonizing correlative measurements, ing systems, as well as satellite measurements (e.g., MODIS and expanding and updating satellites as well as ground-based and MISR). He will start work on the two newly funded proposals, fo- ozone sonde data archives. The AVDC role was expanded to cusing on CO2 fl ux and continuing NU-WRF development. Tao will provide validation support to NPP and OMPS by adding OMPS present and publish the research results in appropriate venues, FOV predictions and overpass. Further, he performed a validation and he will contribute to and submit proposals to the ROSES calls. analysis of OMPS limb ozone profi le versus MLS, GOMOS, ozon- esondes and lidars, as well as characterizing the accuracy of its Dr. James Wang (sponsor S. Kawa) studies the inverse modeling tangent height. Dr. Taha presented a poster at the Quadrennial of the global carbon cycle. Dr. Wang is a PI on a submitted NASA Ozone Symposium 2012. ROSES proposal titled “Inferring Terrestrial Carbon Dynamics and Response to Global Change from Atmospheric CO2 Observations”. Taha performed a tangent height offset analysis and estimate He is a collaborator on another 2013 NASA ROSES proposal (PI: of zonal mean time-series. He also calculated OMPS LP Radi- Dr. J. Mao), and a Co-I on a submitted NASA ACMAP proposal (PI: ances High Gain-Low Gain tangent height offset time and location Dr. B. Duncan). Wang also contributed as a Co-I and Collaborator dependence, and analyzed OMPS LP radiances and its gridding to two 2012 NASA ROSES MAP proposals, which were selected for and consolidation scheme. Taha will continue AVDC support for funding. various AURA and NPP users, and maintenance of the AVDC web- 50 | GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 Over this past year, he presented posters at the AGU 2012 Fall maintenance and improvements to the trajectory mapped ozone Meeting and the IWGGMS-8 meeting. Wang also presented a products; and write journal papers relating to the research of the poster on his research at the 8th International Workshop on measurements and models. Greenhouse Gas Measurements from Space. Around 150 scien- tists attended this workshop, which was held in June 2012. He This past year the main goals were met with a small exception also had a paper published in Geophysical Research Letters; regarding the v9 processed ozone, which is currently being fi nal- while this paper was based primarily on work that Wang con- ized by the Goddard OMI ozone algorithm team under primary ducted prior to joining GESTAR/USRA, he completed the research direction by Dr. P. K. Bhartia (also a collaborator on this proposal). and writing while at GESTAR/USRA and he included that affi liation Once the v9 ozone products are fi nalized, they then can reprocess in the paper. their data products. The trajectory mapped ozone was antici- pated to be released to the science community via the Code 614 In the year ahead, Wang will conduct observing system simulation website and anonymous ftp site during the third year; this now experiments in support of EV-Suborbital 2013 proposal on Arctic has been stepped up, and they anticipate these products will be trace gas measurements. He will conduct regional CO2 modeling released within the next several months. During this fi rst year, work funded by the 2012 NASA ROSES MAP grant. Also planned the trajectory ozone products have undergone signifi cant rewrit- is the writing and submission of proposals to the 2013 NASA ing of source code including several corrections to the algorithm. ROSES Carbon Cycle Science call and the 2013 NASA ROSES The Goddard trajectory model was revised so that it now can use Terra/Aqua call. MERRA data products to trace parcel trajectories.

Part of the research of Dr. Yan Zhang (sponsor M. Chin) involves analyzing aerosol diurnal variations, comparing model simula- CODE 615: Cryospheric Sciences Laboratory tions with CARSNET and AERONET AODs in China, and integrating Dr. Ludovic Brucker (sponsor T. Markus) conducts research to multiple satellite measurements to characterize aerosol type and advance and validate satellite-derived properties on sea ice such intercontinental transport. This past year, she was a co-author as snow depth, sea-ice concentration and surface temperature. on three publications, one each in Rem. Sens. Environ., Science, For his work on assessing satellite passive microwave derived and Atmos. Res. She also presented research results at two snow depth on sea ice, the snow thickness on sea ice is a key conferences: IGAC (International Global Atmospheric Chemistry) geophysical variable, knowledge of which is critical for calculating and the 93rd AMS Meeting. At the MODIS Meeting, she gave both the energy and mass balance budgets. Moreover, accurate two poster presentations, and she was a Co-I on a NASA ROSES knowledge of the snow-depth-on-sea-ice distribution is important proposal. Zhang will continue with the project of characterizing to retrieve accurate sea-ice thickness from altimetry data. To smoke and dust by comparing WRF-Chem model outputs with date, only space-based microwave radiometers provide opera- satellite measurements. Multi-sensor satellite analysis shows two tional large-scale snow-depth-on-seasonal-sea-ice retrievals. A locations infl uenced by two different aerosols transported from thorough assessment of these passive microwave snow-depth two source regions; however, where WRF-Chem outputs show the retrievals is needed on a large scale and on a variety of sea-ice similar path of transport of aerosols, the magnitude of aerosol types. Dr. Brucker carried out such an assessment on Arctic sea compositions are different from satellite measurements analysis. ice using OIB snow depths, retrieved from microwave snow radar Data from longer time-periods need to be applied to investigate measurements. The difference between the Advanced Microwave such differences. Scanning Radiometer for the Earth Observing System (AMSR-E) The research of Dr. Jerry Ziemke (sponsor P. Newman) is almost product and the averaged OIB snow-radar derived snow depths is tenfold. The major emphasis of his research is to develop a long- 0.00±0.07 m. The root-mean-square error (RMSE) between these record (1979-current) of tropospheric and stratospheric column two products ranges between 0.03 and 0.15 m. To further assess ozone by combining v9 measurements from TOMS and OMI; the quality of the satellite snow-depth retrievals, the products reprocess OMI/MLS trajectory mapped global ozone measure- were compared for different classes of snow depth, surface ments and validate these fi elds using ozonesondes and other roughness, and ice thickness. The RMSE is less than 0.06 m over satellite ozone measurements; evaluate the GMI model and a shallow snow cover (<0.20 m), in areas where satellite-retrieved free-running CCM using ozone datasets to study ozone features in sea-ice concentrations are higher than 90%, surface smooth, and these models from short to decadal time scales; invoke calcula- ice thicker than ~0.5 m. tions of the infl uence of stratosphere-troposphere exchange (STE) Satellite microwave radiometers are also widely used to estimate using the trajectory mapped tropospheric and stratospheric ozone sea ice cover properties (concentration, extent and area) through data; quantify the strengths and weaknesses of four global ozone the use of sea ice concentration algorithms. Rare are the algo- products; evaluate ENSO and the MJO, and mid-latitude baroclinic rithms providing associated sea ice concentration (IC) uncertainty wave forcing for their effects on tropospheric and stratospheric estimates; algorithm uncertainty estimates are, however, needed ozone in the measurements and models; perform algorithm GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 | 51 to assess accurately global and regional trends in IC (and thus interdisciplinary group to investigate earth analogs (ice shelves) extent and area), and to improve sea ice predictions on seasonal for icy moons (specifi cally, Europa and Enceladus). She also to interannual timescales using data assimilation approaches. continues to work on two SIF 2013 investigations: “Tidal Loading Brucker worked on a method to provide IC uncertainty estimates and Surface Deformation along Ice Fractures: Insights from Earth using the enhanced NASA Team (NT2) IC algorithm. The proposed Analogs for Icy Satellite Processes” (PI: T. Hurford); and “Con- approach takes advantage of the NT2 calculations and solely straining Arctic ice sheet and sea ice melt by detecting seasonal relies on the AMSR-E brightness temperatures used as input. NT2 ocean freshening” (PI: L. Koenig). IC and its associated uncertainty were obtained daily for both the Northern and Southern hemispheres. For both hemispheres, the During the 2012-2013 year, Brunt presented seminars on ice NT2 uncertainty is low (<3%) in winter in the interior ice pack, and shelves and the remote sensing of the coastal polar regions at increases in the marginal ice zone up to 5%. Seasonal variation the University of New Hampshire and the University of Maryland. in the uncertainty exists, with a larger extent in summer when She also gave a talk on ICESat-2 at the American Meteorological melt occurs. Brucker also examined the natural daily IC variability Society Annual Meeting, and presented a poster at the AGU 2012 dominated by sea ice drift and ice formation/melt. Daily IC vari- Fall Meeting. In support of the scientifi c community, Brunt was on ability is the highest, year round, in the marginal ice zone (often an NSF committee; provided peer review for various journals; and up to 20%, locally 30%). The temporal and spatial variations of reviewed proposals for the NSF and the NASA NESSF program. these uncertainty and daily ice concentration variability values provide the needed fi elds for algorithm intercomparison, climate Brunt will continue to support the ICESat-2 mission, coordinate trend assessment and IC assimilation. the ICESat-2 calibration and validation team, plan for the ICESat-2 MABEL deployments, scheduled to occur in July/August 2013, Brucker also participated in fi eld work with a deployment to and continue her SIF work. southeast Greenland for the Greenland Aquifer expedition jointly funded by NSF and NASA, and led by Dr. Forster (Univ. of Utah) Dr. Paolo de Matthaeis’ work (sponsor D. Le Vine) is done in and Dr. Koenig (NASA Goddard). Brucker was responsible for support of the Aquarius/SAC-D mission, whose goal is to provide characterizing the fi rn layer above the aquifer that was recently global sea surface salinity maps from space for study of large- discovered in the Greenland Ice Sheet. He also was responsible scale ocean processes and climate change. The Aquarius science for drilling fi rn cores and operating a down-hole video logging sys- instruments include an L-band radiometer, whose received signal tem. This Early-concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER) is sensitive to salinity, and a radar scatterometer that helps cor- project was successful with deep and shallow ice cores drilled rect for the effect of the sea surface roughness. After its success- and processed, radar data collected, and temperature strings ful launch in June 2011, calibration/validation (CAL/VAL) activi- installed for ~15 months. ties are now taking place.

Brucker was involved with four proposals. During the coming year, Dr. de Matthaeis has been leading the Aquarius RFI Working pending proposal awards, he will pursue his efforts to develop an Group since July 2012. In January 2013, he reported on his ongo- algorithm for retrieving snow depth on multi-year ice. He also will ing Aquarius Radiometer RFI Detection and Mitigation work at the investigate the potential of low (L band) passive and active micro- Aquarius Calibration/Validation Webex Workshop, and again at wave measurements to monitor the cryosphere. the Goddard Space Flight Center Aquarius Calibration/Validation Workshop in March 2013. He has also gave a presentation titled Dr. Kelly Brunt (sponsor T. Markus) provides continued support “First Year Performance Assessment of Aquarius Radiometer RFI to the ICESat-2 mission, specifi cally by coordinating the post- Detection and Mitigation” at the URSI Commission F Triennial launch ICESat-2 calibration and validation effort. To that end, she Open Symposium 2013 on Radiowave Propagation and Remote participated in a kinematic GPS survey of the largest salt fl at in Sensing, held April 29 - May 3, 2013. De Matthaeis explored the the world, Salar de Uyuni, in Bolivia in September 2012, which will potential use of Aquarius data for cryospheric applications. This create a high-resolution ground surface for ICESat-2 calibration initial work was presented at the SMOS and Aquarius Science purposes. She also participated in the late Summer 2012 deploy- Workshop in April 2013. Future plans include continuing his work ment for MABEL to Wallops, Va. MABEL collected airborne laser on the RFI detection and mitigation in the Aquarius radiometer altimetry data over deciduous trees on the eastern seaboard for data, while also covering the Aquarius scatterometer data. De ICESat-2 algorithm development. She worked with ICESat-2 team Matthaeis will continue to analyze Aquarius data for cryospheric members on generating fl ight plans for two upcoming campaigns applications. in Thule, Greenland and Langley, Va., where MABEL will collect sea ice and ice-sheet data for ICESat-2 algorithm development. Dr. Cuneyt Utku (sponsor D. LeVine) conducts research on the de- For the NASA Science Innovation Fund (SIF) 2012 investigation tection of topographic signatures in the co-polarized channels of “Surface Deformation of Icy Moons: Insights from Earth Analogs both Aquarius microwave radiometer and scatterometer, retrieval and Modeling” (PI: J. Sauber, Code 698), Dr. Brunt worked with an of salinity near land/sea boundaries, and the third Stokes param- 52 | GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 eter of the polarimetric microwave radiometer onboard Aquarius. salinity retrieval near land with 0.5 psu accuracy appears to be The goal of the Aquarius mission is to map the surface salinity possible with only a prior estimate of the average land emission. fi eld of the global oceans with spatial resolution of 150 km and a After the initial success with the one-dimensional problem, the monthly RMS accuracy of 0.2 psu. However, Aquarius also collects two-dimensional is now under consideration. data over land and, despite the large footprints, it is possible to observe large scale surface features for applications over land. Utku also collaborates with Prof. Roger Lang at the Electrical and The presence of the L-band scatterometer onboard Aquarius pro- Computer Engineering Department of George Washington Uni- vides additional information that can aid in identifying the sources versity on microwave measurements of the dielectric constant of of various signatures in the Aquarius radiometer signals. seawater in support of the Aquarius mission and also on micro- wave modeling of vegetation canopies. New measurements made The potential effect of topographic scale roughness on microwave for seawater of 33 psu salinity. This type of measurement was not radiometry has drawn attention over the past several years. Al- made previously and fi lls an important gap in the measurements, though theoretic predictions have been proposed in the literature, and a study on multiple scattering effects in tree canopies at mi- no observations from space-borne microwave radiometers are crowave frequencies is underway. Future research will continue to reported. Dr. Utku has examined potential topographic signatures focus on Aquarius salinity retrieval near land/ocean boundaries. in the Aquarius radiometer and scatterometer signals. Initial Work will be conducted on the effect of topography on Aquarius results over North Africa and Australia indicate the existence of radiometer and scatterometer signals, and Utku plans to perform correlation between the co-polarized brightness temperatures a Faraday rotation angle retrieval using the SMOS third Stokes pa- and topographic scale roughness and also correlation between rameter and conduct comparisons with retrievals using Aquarius. backscattered power and topographic scale roughness in line with their theoretic predictions. These initial fi ndings were presented at IGARSS 2012. CODE 617: Hydrological Sciences Laboratory Through her work with NEWS, Ms. Debbie Belvedere (sponsor D. Microwave emission at L-band is sensitive to soil moisture and Toll) supports scientifi c collaboration and coordination for NASA’s vegetation. Consequently, it may be diffi cult to isolate the effect of global water and energy cycle research that answers to the emer- topography from other effects in the radiometric signals. On the gence of cross-cutting water-cycle research initiatives brought other hand, radar backscattering is sensitive to roughness (both forth by inter-agency and government-administrative science small and large scale) and the presence of the scatterometer panels. In 2003, NASA established the NASA Energy and Water- onboard Aquarius provides a unique opportunity to isolate the cycle Study (NEWS), whose long-term grand challenge is to docu- effect of topography on the Aquarius L-band radiometer signals. ment and enable improved, observationally based, predictions of The topography affects both the Aquarius scatterometer and water and energy cycle consequences of Earth system variability radiometer signals for the outer beam. Monte-Carlo simulations and change. However, the broad objectives of energy and water for backscatter and brightness temperature were also performed cycling-related climate research extend well beyond the purview using topography slope models previously proposed by Dr. Utku et of any single agency or program, and call for the support of many al. and are compared with the observations. An article discussing activities that are matched to each agency’s respective roles this research has been submitted to IEEE Transactions on Geosci- and missions. Therefore, to achieve the ultimate goal of credible ence and Remote Sensing. These results constitute the fi rst re- global change predictions and applications across all signifi cant port of simultaneous radiometer and scatterometer observations scales, NASA continues to seek collaborations with other federal of the effect of topography at L-band from space. and international agencies, the scientifi c community-at-large and Research was done concerning salinity retrieval near land/ocean private industry. To these ends, the project created NEWS working boundaries. In the open ocean, the contribution of land emission groups that identify integration needs and make the needed con- in the Aquarius fi eld of view coming from the antenna side lobes nections to partner and coordinate with water and energy cycle is very small; as the spacecraft comes closer to land, this contri- research and application activities going on at other organizations bution grows substantially. Consequently, the goal of 0.2 psu RMS within NASA, nationally, and internationally. The four working accuracy in salinity is restricted to ocean several hundred kilome- groups are Extremes, Evaporation & Latent Heating, Water and ters away from land. With the current retrieval algorithm, retrieval Energy Cycle Climatology, and Modeling & Water Cycle Prediction. of salinity near land/ocean boundaries with an acceptable level Building on the fi rst Earth Science Decadal Survey, NASA’s Plan of accuracy requires accurate land emission modeling. Utku is for a Climate-Centric Architecture for Earth Observations and conducting research using an integral equation approach similar Applications from Space, and the 2012 Chapman Conference on to deconvolution techniques in order to facilitate salinity retrieval Remote Sensing of the Terrestrial Water Cycle, the objective of the near land ocean boundaries with reasonable accuracy without the workshop “Water Cycle Missions for the Next Decade” is to gather accurate modeling of land emission. For a simplifi ed one-dimen- wisdom and determine how to prepare for the next generation sional problem, using a two-parameter regularization technique, GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 | 53 of water cycle missions in support of the second Earth Science Hydrologic Science and Engineering; and the NAWP Forum. Belve- Decadal Survey. The workshop will begin with a short plenary to dere also gathers publications from all sectors across the NASA provide the historical context, review lessons learned from the Water and Energy Cycle Focus Area over the course of the year in post-2002 Easton workshop, the fi rst Decadal Survey, results and preparation for the annual Government Performance and Results gap analysis from a water cycle observations synthesis project, Act (GPRA) HQ Report, which is important in refl ecting NASA’s ac- and present an overview of relevant technology advancements complishments. and readiness. Following the plenary, discussions will be held on the intersection between science questions, technology readiness Mr. Rick Lawford (sponsor D. Toll) is involved with developing and and satellite design optimization in a series of breakout group coordinating water resource applications and Water Cycle activi- discussions designed to form the seeds of a set of water cycle ties within the Group on Earth Observations and, in the wider mission formulation groups. The workshop will formulate next- community, a broad-based activity that requires substantial coor- generation water cycle mission working groups and white papers, dination and nurturing. Opportunities are developed for training designed to identify capacity gaps and inform future NASA solici- and capacity building, including analyzing and providing guidance tations (e.g. ESTO, NEWS, THP, etc.). This workshop was originally on the international context within which NASA water cycle efforts suggested at a NEWS Investigators workshop in 2010; since then, are conducted, identifying opportunities where NASA activities the need for this workshop has been highlighted by signifi cant could be benefi cial and have an impact, and developing activities gaps in the water cycle observational capabilities identifi ed by the and advising NASA on ways to address these opportunities. The NEWS team. In 2012, a steering committee for this workshop was GEO is developing the Global Earth Observing System of Systems formed, consisting of C. Peters-Lidard (NASA/GSFC), P. Houser (GEOSS) by carrying out activities to achieve targets and activities (CREW and GMU), D. Toll (NASA/GSFC), R. Schiffer (GESTAR/ set out in its ten-year implementation plan. In addition to leading USRA) and D. Belvedere (GESTAR/MSU); since February 2012, the development of the GEOSS Water Strategy, Mr. Lawford chairs they have met several times to gauge the interest in this type of the writing team and serves as chief editor; contributes to and workshop and to plan the workshop (to date, 129 people have monitors progress in Water Task activities, ensuring that NASA registered). contributions are represented; chairs the Integrated Global Water Cycle Observations (IGWCO) Community of Practice (CoP), which At Goddard in October 2012, Ms. Belvedere and team presented coordinates plans for the GOESS Water Task; and represents the new water documentary “Last Call at the Oasis”; the view- water interests on the Societal Benefi ts Implementation Board ing was followed by a productive discussion. This fi lm presents (SBIB). During the year, Lawford organized and conducted a con- a powerful argument for why the global water crisis will be the sultation process with experts all over the world; specifi cally, he central issue facing our world this century. Hydrologists often helmed the logistics and program planning for a North American discuss water as a technical, sustainability, or even security issue GEO Water Strategy workshop, a workshop with European experts, in their fi elds, but this documentary allows for these challenges and a session with Asian experts at the Asian-Pacifi c GEOSS Sym- and research to be shared with a broad audience. The future of posium. A major milestone for this initiative was a CEOS–Strategic water is in the public’s hands and there is a need to convince the Implementation Team meeting held in Virginia in February 2013, world that sustainable, science-based management is imperative. where Lawford prepared a presentation and a review paper on the Belvedere has also been involved with the water cycle community, water strategy report. He also gave presentations on the GEOSS preparing a prospectus for the North American Water Program Water Strategy at the AGU 2012 Fall Meeting, the EGU meeting (NAWP). On November 9, 2012, the fi rst NAWP Forum was held and the WATGLOBS symposium. at Goddard where good suggestions and feedback were received. Plans are underway for additional forums in the U.S., along with As part of his support for NASA activities and as the GEO Water one-on-one meetings at agencies, starting with NOAA. A NAWP ab- Task Coordinator, he prepared mid-year and end-of-year work stract was submitted to the upcoming “Meeting of the Americas”, plan inputs, reviewing inputs to the Water Task of the work plan a Joint Assembly that covers topics in all areas of the geophysical to ensure that NASA interests were documented. He presented sciences; this meeting will be held in May 2013. There are also the status of the Water Task at the GEO Work Planning session in plans to host at least two more “Let’s Talk About Water” events. Geneva, Switzerland. The IGWCO COP is a mechanism for engag- ing academics and users in the GEO Water Task; currently the Belvedere attended the NEWS Science Team Meeting, where she COP has 75 members. Lawford chaired the annual meeting and and her team engaged 18 newly awarded projects into NEWS, four teleconference calls and led a number of IGWCO actions. He including mapping projects to science priorities, determining made presentations on the IGWCO CoP and the GEO Water Task how best to measure the progress of NEWS, and defi ning work- at the ISRSE Conference, and organized and chaired the annual ing groups and leads. At a NEWS meeting in May 2013, they IGWCO meeting in Barcelona. The major objective of this meeting will discuss how NEWS might play a role in the North American (to obtain more European participation in the GEO Water Task) Water Program (NAWP). Other meetings she attended include the was achieved. HyspIRI Products Symposium, GSFC; Networking for the Science Sector (online meeting); the CUAHSI 3rd Biennial Colloquium on In the context of the water-energy-food security nexus, the water security issue is particularly important, and gained political atten- 54 | GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 tion when the 2011 Economic Forum identifi ed it as one of the 2013. In terms of capacity building and decision support at the three greatest threats to the world economy. Lawford coordinated national level, Lawford participated in the Red River Basin Com- the preparations for a joint Global Water System Project (GWSP)/ mission meeting, where he held discussions with water resource International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) confer- information suppliers from USGS, NOAA and several states on ence, which featured a special session chaired by NASA’s Dr. how information is used in decision making. Bradley Doorn that dealt with Earth Observations and the W-E-F Security nexus. Lawford led the preparation of preliminary confer- Dr. Chen-Hsuan (Joseph) Lyu (sponsor E. Kim) supports JPSS ence proceedings and a statement of priority recommendations (including Suomi-NPP) ATMS pre-launch and post-launch sensor on water security for distribution at Rio+20. These recommenda- testing, characterization, calibration and validation and algorithm tions were included in his presentation at the ICSU Forum on development. Dr. Lyu developed codes to process and display Science, Technology and Innovation for Sustainable Development S-NPP/VIIRS true color images, especially to display clouds, dust held in Rio de Janeiro in June 2012. Along with the GWSP Project and snow storms, and some types of hurricanes (cyclone) and Offi ce staff, he analyzed survey results from experts regarding Day-Night Band (DNB) radiance images. Lyu found ways to remove large transboundary river basins; this survey provided signifi cant VIIRS bow-tie redundant data so that it will not show striping in insights into water, energy and food security issues from approxi- VIIRS true-color images, which are used to compare with ATMS mately ten basins around the world and the potential contribu- SDR image products to understand more about the visible physi- tions of better informed water management in addressing W-E-F cal conditions of the observed Earth scenes. nexus issues. Lyu supported NPP weekly tag-up meetings as well as several Drought was a major issue for the U.S. as more than 50% of the reviews: JPSS ATMS J1 Spectral Response Function review, JPSS contimerous U.S. was in the grip of water shortages and crop DPA program review and review of all NPP sensors’ EDR products, degradation by June 2012. This drought provided an opportunity reviews of ATMS waiver 002, JPSS DRAT and Algorithm Engineer- to demonstrate the value of information derived from NASA satel- ing Review Board (AERB) reviews, reviews of ATMS J1 Perfor- lites and models in monitoring drought. A multi-authored paper mance Review Document (PRD), Lyu supported JPSS 1 ATMS entitled “Using NASA Earth Observations to characterize the 2012 Pre-Environmental Review (PER) Dry Run review. He sent review US Drought” has been prepared and submitted to the GEWEX reports to NASA management team and sponsor, plus he was Newsletter for publication. Further, Lawford provided assistance also involved with G-band imbalance CCR, ATMS SDR bi-weekly to Dr. Andrea Hernandez (LSSU) on the analysis of crop data from teleconferences, Interface Control Document (ICD), Statement of the central U.S. and western Canada for correlation with indices Work (SOW), Flight Model (FM) Test Procedure, ATMS G shelf Test derived from satellite data. Some of this information was included Report, ATMS J2 PRD, etc. in a paper by Hernandez and Lawford presented at the AGU 2012 Fall Meeting in December. He also led the development of a His sponsor presented a collaborative poster at the IGARSS con- proposal from Morgan State University to the NOAA 2012 Climate ference in Munich, Germany. A collaborated report of the S-NPP/ and Societal Interactions - Sectoral Applications Research Pro- ATMS fi rst 10 months on-orbit was presented at the CALCON Tech- gram (SARP) program regarding an assessment of the impacts of nical Conference in Utah, and Lyu presented NASA assessment 2012 drought in agricultural and urban areas in the central U.S. reports of S-NPP ATMS on-orbit performance at a NPP sensors using high-resolution drought indices. maturity provisional review at the NOAA Center. Other assessment reports were submitted to his sponsor and at ATMS SDR bi-weekly Other work involves capacity building in developing and in- teleconferences. Further, Lyu requested, downloaded and pro- transition countries. NASA has several assets that could benefi t cessed S-NPP ATMS daily RDR data products and presented ATMS developing countries by providing information to make their NEdT monthly performance reports to JPSS ATMS instrument decision-making more effective. NASA has launched many proj- manager (O. Bruegman) as well as his NASA sponsor (E. Kim). ects and initiatives designed to enable programs and institutions in the developing world to take advantage of these assets. Law- Lyu will continue coordinating with all ATMS science support ford works with international programs raise awareness of NASA teams, including NASA Goddard, MIT-LL, NOAA/STAR, Space capabilities and provides feedback to NASA program managers Dynamics Lab., NRL, NGAS, Raytheon and other weather forecast on user needs and international activities. Work continued with team to support NPP/ATMS calibration and validation activities. NOAA’s Dr. Angelica Gutierrez-Magness and with Centre of Hydro- He will also apply satellite tool kits for assisting in this cal/val and logic and Spatial Information for Latin America and the Caribbean sensor performance studies. Lyu will continue to support review- (CIEHLYC), and discussions were held about implementing a NASA ing next generation JPSS/ATMS sensor documents and test data. project to support the African Water Cycle Coordination Initiative Dr. Ally Mounirou Toure (sponsor M. Rodell) is involved in devel- (AfWCCI). He represents NASA interests in the AfWCCI, and partici- oping an optimized approach for merging satellite observations pated in planning and conducting its workshop held in February of the MODIS snow cover, the Advanced Microwave Scanning

GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 | 55 Radiometer for Earth Observing System (AMSR-E) brightness of the CLM4 snow model output estimates. The coupling of the temperature (Tb), and the GRACE terrestrial water storage change CLM4 with the RTM will be tested and validated using AMSR-E Tb to generate spatially and temporally continuous global snow observations, and he will write and submit a paper on the results water equivalent fi elds, at high resolutions (~1/8 degree). Over of the coupling. He plans to implement, test, and validate the radi- the past year, Dr. Mounirou Toure developed and implemented ance assimilation using independent snow observations, and will an algorithm to assimilate MODIS/Terra daily snow cover fraction design and implement an algorithm to assimilate simultaneously (SCF) into the NASA GEOS-5 land data assimilation system using MODIS SCF, AMSR-E radiance, and GRACE change observations an empirical function rather than direct insertion on a continen- into the CLM4. tal scale. He tested and validated the assimilation using various independent snow data, including the NOAA/NESDIS Interactive Dr. Robert Schiffer (sponsor D. Toll) supports the Earth Science Multisensor Snow and Ice Mapping System (IMS) daily snow cover Division (ESD) at NASA HQ by covering management and over- product and the Canadian Meteorological Centre (CMC) snow sight of the operations of the International Project offi ce for the analysis data. The assimilation improved estimates of SCF and Global Energy and Water Cycle Exchanges Project (GEWEX). As snow depth compared to the control run, especially in areas with PI, Dr. Schiffer is responsible for representing NASA HQ oversight ephemeral snow cover. of resources and management of this major component of the World Climate Research Program (WCRP). GEWEX is intended to The Community Land Model version 4 (CLM4) is the land model marshal international science com- munity efforts to measure and for the Community Earth System Model (CESM1.0.4) developed predict global and regional energy and water variations, trends, at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). CLM4, a and extremes (such as heat waves, fl oods and droughts), through spatially distributed one-dimensional vertical model, provides the improved observations and modeling of land, atmosphere, and lower boundary condition for the Community Atmosphere Model. their interactions, thereby providing the scientifi c underpinnings Mounirou Toure used various independent data sources to assess of climate services. CLM4 snow outputs in preparations for multi-sensor data assimi- lation into the land model. The data include the MODIS/Terra dai- In operating the International GEWEX Project Offi ce (IGPO), the ly SCF; the IMS snow cover data; the CMC daily snow depth and Science and Technology Corporation (STC) provided the support SWE estimates; the snowpack telemetry (SNOTEL) SWE, and the required to meet the obligations and responsibilities of IGPO and Cooperative Station snow depth. The results showed agreement its Director. These included several activities, such as support- between the CLM4 and MODIS SCF observations and CLM4 with ing the GEWEX SSG, its Chair and Vice-Chair; assisting with the IMS snow cover product, especially in February when snow cover coordination and implementation of the Second Phase of GEWEX extent is at its maximum. Generally, false alarms and misses oc- and plans for the Third Phase (post-2013) through GEWEX Panels, cur in the U.S. Rocky Mountains, in southwestern Russia and on Working Groups, and the SSG; and coordinating the formation of the Tibetan plateau, especially during the melting season. CLM4 new Working Groups, Panels, and related activities in areas of agrees reasonably well with the CMC snow depth and SWE in the GEWEX requiring further support. Other activities involved report- areas of shallow snow and moderately deep. CLM4 shows a large ing on and assisting others in reporting on GEWEX activities to bias compared to SNOTEL and COOP in situ snow data. These international bodies and government agencies; providing direct fi ndings indicate the possibility of improving the model through support to WCRP on all aspects of GEWEX and its implementa- the multi-sensor data assimilation (DA). Mounirou Toure also im- tion; initiating an outreach program for GEWEX consisting of news- plemented a coupling of the CLM4 with the Microwave Emission letters, a website, and other publications as appropriate; repre- Model of Layered Snowpacks (MEMLS) to simulate snow Tb. The senting GEWEX at scientifi c conferences and other international coupling constitutes the fi rst step toward the assimilation of the forums through scientifi c presentations and exhibitions, as well as Tb into CLM4 using the Data Assimilation Research Testbed devel- preparing and publishing meeting reports and other documents oped at NCAR. Additionally, he and collaborators at the University relevant to GEWEX. The STC operations also supported facilitat- of Texas at Austin, Department of Geological Sciences Jackson ing the development of cross-cutting issues and linking GEWEX School of Geosciences, worked on the assimilation of MODIS daily with other programs, such as the Earth System Science Partner- SCF in CLM4, and found the DA SCF improved compared to the ship (ESSP) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change control run. The assimilation improved the SCF estimates, espe- (IPCC), and reviewing plans from WCRP and other environmental cially in areas such as northeastern China, eastern Russia, along programs, providing inputs to planning documents for WCRP and the Canadian western coast, and the Tibetan plateau where the other programs, and responding to numerous requests for infor- model overestimated the SCF as well as the southwestern Russia mation about the GEWEX program and data sets. Additionally, and central and southeastern Canada where the model underes- WCRP is represented in the Integrated Global Observing Strategy timated the SCF. Partnership (IGOS-P) by participating in the IGOS Global Water Cycle Observations (IGWCO) theme and Science Advisory Group Mounirou Toure plans to submit the paper on the assessment through the provision of secretariat services and contributions to

56 | GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 the Group on Earth Observations (GEO), where appropriate. Applications from Space, and the 2012 Chapman Conference on Remote Sensing of the Terrestrial Water Cycle, a workshop The WCRP has reorganized itself with a particular view toward on Water Cycle Missions for the Next Decade is planned for April the role of climate research in support of climate services. The 2013 to gather wisdom and determine how to prepare for the next timeline is to transition the current projects in 2013, guided generation of water cycle missions, in support of the second Earth by the JSC. The JSC has indicated that the core projects, such Science Decadal Survey. The workshop is intended to discuss the as GEWEX, will be retained, but with revised responsibilities to intersection between science questions, technology readiness facilitate climate system research at the interface of the physical and satellite design optimization in a series of breakout group dis- Earth system components. The IGPO is assisting the Chair of the cussions designed to lead to a set of water cycle mission formula- GEWEX SSG with this planning. Several GEWEX Meetings/ Work- tion groups. The workshop will lead to formulating next-generation shops have been planned to be held in local, national and interna- water cycle mission working groups and white papers, designed to tional locations. Additionally, the IGPO is tracking actions from the identify capacity gaps and inform NASA. 2011 Scientifi c Steering Group meeting and organized the 25th Session of the GEWEX SSG held in October 2012 at the University In April 2013, Schiffer presented the keynote address at the 30- of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. Planning is underway for year anniversary conference of the International Satellite Cloud the October 2013 SSG meeting at NCAR. Climatology (ISCCP) held in New York. ISCCP is the culmination of research community planning that addresses a key obstacle Under a separate task, Dr. Robert Schiffer (sponsor D. Toll) to understanding climate—determining cloud-climate feedbacks. provides scientifi c planning, coordination and assessment of The ISCCP global cloud data sets, which began in 1982, are now research programs focusing on studies of the global water and being used to determine cloud effects on the Earth’s radiation energy cycles and their role in the climate system, specifi cally balance. supporting the NASA Energy and Water Cycle Study (NEWS) and TRACE (renamed the North American Water Project (NAWP)). A growing consensus exists on the importance of reliable regional CODE 618: Biospheric Sciences Laboratory scale climate predictions and assessments regarding the avail- Dr. Assaf Anyamba (sponsor C. Tucker) conducts research us- ability and stresses on water supplies. Reliable water resources ing time-series satellite vegetation index measurements from are central to supporting a sustainable society, healthy environ- various satellite instruments including MODIS, SPOT Vegetation, ment, and vibrant economy. However, changes in climate trends and NOAA’s Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR), and extremes combined with changes in water use are impacting plus Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) and associated water resource sustainability. A new North American continental ground-based rain gauge measurements. In addition to work to regional scale hydro-climate experiment has been formulated involving land surface response to interannual climate variability to address the contemporary broad water and energy issues associated with El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and drought of scientifi c importance to the land-surface and atmospheric pattern analysis, he studies long-term trends and dynamics of scientifi c communities. The NAWP represents an interdisciplinary, vegetation patterns, development of long-term data records international and interagency effort that makes signifi cant con- (LTDRs) of the biosphere, and links between climate variability tributions to continental to decision-scale hydro-climate science and vector-borne disease outbreaks. Dr. Anyamba leads and and solutions. By entraining, integrating and coordinating the vast develops research analysis and applications development for array of interdisciplinary observational and prediction resources, global agricultural and drought monitoring for the USDA/Foreign the program aims to advance skill in predicting, assessing and Agricultural Service (USDA/FAS), climate variability and vector- managing variability and changes in North American water re- borne disease prediction mapping in support of the Department sources. NAWP would build on previous North American contribu- of Defense Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response tions to the Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment (GEWEX), System (DoD/GEIS), the USDA/Center for Medical, Agricultural & but will include the broader climate, carbon, ecology, and decision Veterinary Entomology (USDA/CMAVE), and in the geospatial risk communities. As such, it will address more than just the physical assessment of plant pathogens in support of the FDA. Earth System and include human impacts and infrastructure. A drafting committee has developed a prospectus which is being Signifi cant worldwide weather anomalies that affected agriculture shared with key federal agency potential partners, including NOAA and public health in the 2010-2012 period were documented and DoE, as well as with the US Global Change Research Program using data from MODIS to map the magnitude and extent of these Offi ce. A NAWP Science Steering Group (SSG) will be formed in anomalies. The analysis of the MODIS vegetation index and land the 2013-2014 timeframe to develop and promote a comprehen- surface temperature provided a standard for quantifying extreme sive planning strategy. weather events including severe drought and excessive rainfall/ fl ood especially in the 2010-2012 period. Weather extremes af- Building on the fi rst Earth Science Decadal Survey, NASA’s Plan fected agricultural production, with an episodic ~50% variation for for a Climate-Centric Architecture for Earth Observations and GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 | 57 major commodities, and created favorable conditions for vector- borne disease outbreaks of dengue, Rift Valley fever, Murray Valley encephalitis and West Nile fever. Anyamba and colleagues demonstrated that signifi cant shifts in temperature and/or precipitation had major consequences for agriculture and public health. Results were written up in a submitted manuscript.

Anyamba attended the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Symposium, “Monitoring Global Threats: The Contribution of Satellite Technologies”, held in Oc- tober 2012, where he gave a presentation titled “Food Security: The View from Space”. The symposium had approximately 130 attendees, with about 60 from the space community, 20 from the emergency/disaster management community, and more than 40 from a wide range of non-space ministries and departments: science, technology, research, innovation, education, energy, en- vironment and industry. There was also good representation from Permanent Delegations to OECD, including fi ve Ambassadors. He also attended the Offi ce International des Epizooties/World Orga- nization for Animal Health (OIE) Inter-Regional Conference on Rift Valley fever. This meeting highlighted recent progress in describ- ing, detecting, mapping, prediction, diagnosing and preventing the disease. Anyamba spoke about “Rift Valley fever: Monitoring and Prediction” with a focus on East Africa and the Arabian Pen- insula. During the same trip, he represented the USDA/FAS at the Drought Monitoring and Early Warning in the Horn of Africa Expert Workshop – II, in Nairobi, Kenya, where he presented on “Drought Monitoring in East Africa in the context of the new MODIS-based Global Agricultural Monitoring System (GLAM). In January 2013, Anyamba attended the Long Term Vegetation Index and Phenol- ogy Workshop at the University of Arizona, Tucson. This workshop brought together a select group of experts to evaluate vegetation phenology and vegetation index products from multiple long-term satellite data records data produced by the Vegetation Phenology Group at the University of Arizona. A special issue journal and special AGU session may be proposed for this activity.

During the past year, Anyamba was a PI, Co-PI or Co-I on fi ve proposals, three submitted to NIH, one submitted to USDA, and one submitted to FAZD/DHS. Work will continue on his manu- script titled “30 years of growing season NDVI patterns and trends Figure: MODIS normalized difference vegetation index and land sur- over the Sahel”, due in June 2013. The FDA-NASA Interagency face temperature anomalies for selected growing seasons and re- Proposal on Geospatial Risk Assessment Model of environmental gions during 2010-2012. The NDVI quantifi es photosynthetic poten- contamination of produce by Enteric Pathogens for FY14 will be tial of vegetation using satellite-measured refl ected radiances in the completed and submitted. Anyamba also plans to complete the infrared and red wavelengths. We calculated monthly and seasonal content for the new Rift Valley Monitor website. Work will begin NDVI and LST anomalies by expressing differences between current on rainfall and environmental indications of pathogen contamina- and mean 2000-2011 NDVI values. NDVI anomalies are expressed tion of produce. as percentage departures, and LST anomalies are absolute depar- tures from long-term means. (A) Texas, U.S. June, July, August (JJA) Mr. Thomas Eck’s work (sponsor B. Holben) is primarily centered 2011, (B) SW Russia (Volga District) JJA 2010, (C) East Africa (Soma- on the analysis of measurements made by automatic sun-sky lia/Kenya) DJF 2010/11, (D) SW Australia (Western Australia) SON scanning radiometers that are globally distributed as a part of 2010, (E) South Africa (Free State/North West) DJF 2010/11, (F) SE the NASA-managed Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET). The Australia (New South Wales) SON 2010. (A. Anyamba) measurements of spectral direct sun intensity and sky radiance 58 | GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 distributions are utilized to infer a complete description of the col- the team to study how much improvement of estimates of carbon umn integrated optical properties of the aerosols. These ground- and ecosystem feedbacks will be achieved when using fAPARchl based remote sensing retrievals of aerosol optical properties are to replace the traditional fAPARcanopy. Further, Zhang leads the analyzed to better understand the dynamics of aerosol properties team as PI to conduct research for the project “Carbon Monitor- as a function of source region, transport, aging processes, and ing and Ecosystem Feedbacks Assessment Using fAPARchl and interaction with clouds. Mr. Eck traveled to the Philippines in the Community Land Model (CLM)”. This is the fi rst year of this July 2012 to establish a new AERONET sun/sky radiometer site project, of which Drs. Middleton (GSFC/618), Huemmrich (UMBC), at El Nido airport on Palawan Island, for the 7 Southeast Asian Cheng (ERT, Inc.) and Wei (UT) are Co-Is. Studies (7-SEAS) aerosol characterization campaign in Southeast Asia. Sites were also visited in Manila (Manila Observatory) and A paper of which Zhang was fi rst author was published in IEEE on Mindanao Island (Notre Dame Marbel University) to make TGRS. A concept proof paper, it will help carbon researchers improvements to the weather hardiness of the AERONET systems understand that fAPARchl is superior to fAPARcanopy and that the located there and to advise on instrument operational issues. He algorithm can also retrieve LWC well. Another paper was pub- also participated in the DISCOVER-AQ fi eld campaign in the San lished in Remote Sensing of Environment. Zhang gave presenta- Joaquin Valley, Calif., in early 2013. Additional sun-sky radiometer tions at both the AGU 2012 Fall Meeting and the 2013 NASA Ter- data scans were acquired during aircraft over-fl ights of this air restrial Ecology program science meeting. He plans to continue to quality investigation campaign, and sites were visited to exchange seek funding for further studies of fAPARchl and lead activities for AERONET instrumentation and to troubleshoot problems. Eck had the project that will be entering its second year. two papers published, as a co-author on both, one in Journal of Geophysical Research – Atmospheres and one in Geophysical Research Letters. CODE 695: Planetary Magnetospheres Laboratory In this new task, Dr. Matthew Burger (sponsor R. Killen) focuses Upcoming work includes the continued analysis of the DISCOVER- his research on Io’s ultraviolet auroral and airglow emissions that AQ and DRAGON-USA campaign data from Maryland in July 2011, were observed by New Horizons/Alice in 2007 during the space- including the climatology of diurnal AOD cycles for the Goddard craft’s Jupiter encounter. Additional observations were obtained (GSFC) site and analysis of high-resolution satellite retrievals of with Alice while Io was in sunlight at various solar phase angles AOD in the vicinity of cumulus clouds. He plans to write up the and locations within the Io plasma torus. Neutral oxygen and neu- data analysis results in a journal paper. Eck will be traveling to tral and ionized sulfur emission brightness were determined after Seoul, South Korea during June 2013 to participate in the 12th subtraction of the background Io plasma torus emission features International Conference on Atmospheric Sciences and Applica- also present in the Alice data (Retherford, et al., 2011). The neu- tions to Air Quality (ASAAQ), where he will give an oral presenta- tral oxygen was detected up to 75 Io radii (1.9 Jupiter radii) from tion. Additionally an invited talk will be given at the Institute of Io, extending previous measurements of the Iogenic oxygen cloud. Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, Dr. Burger used his previously developed Monte Carlo model of either before or after this conference. He will participate in the neutral clouds and exospheres to understand the loss of oxygen upcoming DISCOVER-AQ fi eld campaign to be conducted in the and sulfur from Io’s atmosphere (i.e., the source rate and energy region surrounding Houston, Texas. Additional measurements will distribution), and the spatial distribution of mass loading in the Io be planned during aircraft profi le fl ights over AERONET sun-sky plasma torus. radiometer sites. The Mercury Atmospheric and Surface Composition Spectrom- Dr. Qingyuan Zhang (sponsor E. Middleton) provides scientifi c eter (MASCS) on the MESSENGER spacecraft has made the fi rst support to the two NASA missions: the Earth Observing One (EO- high-spatial-resolution observations of exospheric calcium at 1) satellite mission and the Hyperspectral Infrared Imaging (HyspI- Mercury. A Monte Carlo model of the exosphere was used to track RI) satellite mission. Atmospheric correction is one of the key sci- the trajectories of calcium atoms ejected from the surface until entifi c processes and results in surface refl ectance, which will be they were photo-ionized, escaped from the system, or stuck to the utilized by many following scientifi c products as input. He is Co-I surface. This model permits an exploration of exospheric source of a NASA-funded fi eld research project, Spectral Bio-Indicators of processes and interactions among neutral atoms, solar radiation, Photosynthetic Light Use Effi ciency (E.M. Middleton, PI). For the and the planetary surface. The MASCS data have suggested that fi eld project, spectral and biophysical measurements were collect- a persistent, high-energy source of calcium that was enhanced in ed as part of the campaigns; for the fl uorescence emissions and the dawn, equatorial region of Mercury was active during MES- related measurements, he collected laboratory measurements. SENGER’s three fl ybys of Mercury and during the fi rst seven orbits Dr. Zhang is also PI of another NASA-funded project, carbon for which MASCS obtained data. The total Ca source rate from monitoring and ecosystem feedbacks estimation using fAPARchl the surface varied between 1.2 × 10^23 and 2.6 × 10^23 Ca and CLM4, and Dr. Middleton is Co-I of this project. Zhang leads atoms/s, if its temperature was 50,000 K. The origin of this high-

GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 | 59 energy asymmetric source is unknown, although from this lim- SAM: Sample Analysis at ited data set it does not appear to be consistent with microme- teoroid impact vaporization, ion sputtering, electron-stimulated Mars desorption or vaporization at dawn of material trapped on the cold nightside. A related paper of which Burger was fi rst author was published in JGR in 2012. Charles Malespin (Code 699) works on the detection of trace atmospheric noble gases and atmospheric methane using the Burger gave an oral presentation at COSPAR 2012 in July SAM Hydrocarbon Trap. These gases of interest are separat- 2012, titled “Mercury’s exosphere as revealed by MESSEN- ed and enriched from the other Martian atmospheric gases GER”. He also gave an oral presentation at DPS 2012 in which allows for better measurements and analysis. October 2012, titled “Seasonal Variability in Mercury’s Calcium Exosphere”, and he gave a presentation as part of Morgan SAM is a suite of instruments inside Mars Science Labora- State University’s Interdisciplinary Seminar Series. He will be tory’s rover Curiosity that assesses the present and past envi- attending an upcoming conference, Magnetospheres of the ronments of Mars and whether Mars can support life. Curios- Outer Planets in Athens, Greece, in July 2013, where he will ity landed on Mars on August 6, 2012. Updates on the MSL give a presentation also focused on MASCS on the MESSEN- are available here: http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/. GER spacecraft.

CODE 698: Planetary Geodynamics Laboratory View the video here: http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/ a011000/a011018/index.html, edited by Chris Smith (HTSI), Dr. Zhibin Sun’s (sponsor W. Kuang) work involves the devel- Dan Gallagher (USRA), Michael Randazzo (AIMM), and pro- opment of a framework for geomagnetic data assimilation duced by Chris Smith (HTSI) and Dan Gallagher (USRA). Visit using ensemble methods and development of an assimilation SAM’s offi cial site at http://ssed.gsfc.nasa.gov/sam/. module for MoSST. Dr. Sun completed the development of the modulated framework, which can generate a gain matrix using ensemble methods for any dynamo model by only modifying the interface between the model and framework. He tested an assimilation module for MoSST dynamo model with real and synthetic geomagnetic observations, and compared the model’s results with that of other assimilation algorithms; the results comply with each other. The new assimilation module will undergo more tests, and the results will be written up into a journal paper.

CODE 699: Planetary Environments Laboratory Dr. Charles Malespin (sponsor P. Mahaffy) works on the development and testing of experimental procedures for the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument suite. He is the lead testbed operator for the SAM testbed at NASA Goddard. He is also part of the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Science and Tactical team. The MSL, named Curiosity, was launched in (image credit: NASA/GSFC) November 2011. SAM completed a major milestone by analyzing its fi rst solid sam- Curiosity landed in Gale Crater on August 6, 2012, carrying the ple on Mars on Sol 93. The sample was scooped by Curiosity from SAM instrument suite. MSL is scheduled for a two-year nominal an area named Rocknest, and delivered to SAM for subsequent mission to help determine if Mars was ever once habitable. SAM analysis. While the sample was chemically similar to previous was built and tested at GSFC, along with the high-fi delity Mars Martian samples, it did provide a full end-to-end test of the SAM Chamber used to house the identical SAM testbed. Malespin is a instrument suite. SAM completed four solid sample experiments payload downlink lead for mission operations at JPL in Pasadena, before the rover continued on to another sampling location for Calif., and has been actively involved in the daily operations of its fi rst drill hole. This fi rst drilled sample from Mars’ surface was MSL since its landing. taken by Curiosity and analyzed by SAM. The drill hole, named

60 | GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 “John Klein”, was divided into portions; SAM analyzed four of the installation of a larger ion detector and implemented electron them using different pyrolysis temperature cuts to isolate and ex- beam gating to vastly improve signal to background ratio in the amine the various volatiles released from the sample. This was a recorded mass spectrums though mass resolution was never milestone for Curiosity, as well as for SAM, completing one of the higher than 277. Further improvements were identifi ed that could major mission objectives. Results are still being analyzed; under enable the mass resolution to be increased by an order of magni- MSL guidelines, they cannot be discussed in detail at this time. tude, but funding ran out prior to this implementation. Southard improved the signal to background ratio of several new peaks in SAM recently completed its fi rst atmospheric enrichment activity the mass spectrums acquired by the VAPoR TOFMS during testing of Ar and N2 on Mars. This experiment was written, developed, of background gasses present in the vacuum chamber housing and tested by Malespin and others on the SAM testbed. It is the VAPoR. These peaks were associated with hydrogen atomic and fi rst in a series of enrichment experiments that he has been work- molecular ions as well as isotopes of oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, ing on. Since the science team is still analyzing the data, he can- and argon. The ratio of carbon and argon isotopes to their parent not discuss the results, other than to report that the experiment atom can be used for geochronology. At both the International was very successful and returned very promising science data. Materials Research Conference 2012 and American Physical So- ciety meeting in 2013, Southard gave presentations on his work MSL will soon leave the Yellowknife Bay area and begin its trek to developing the electron gun of the VAPoR mass spectrometer. He Mount Sharp. SAM will perform many atmospheric experiments is currently addressing reviews of a related paper on this work. along the way, and Malespin will be assisting in the development and testing of these before running them on Mars. The SAM at- Dr. Stephanie Getty (NASA Goddard) received the 2012 IRAD Inno- mospheric noble gas enrichment experiment will complete testing vator of the Year Award on account of winning two major propos- and validation on the testbed at NASA Goddard. Malespin will be als. One of these was for the development of the OASIS instru- involved in all aspects in the development, verifi cation, and execu- ment. Southard represented a key contributor to this proposal, tion of this experiment from testbed to Mars. and he received the Innovator of the year TEAM Award for these efforts. He also co-authored a proceeding paper with Dr. Getty as Dr. Adrian Southard (sponsor S. Getty) works on the integration fi rst author, titled “Organics Analyzer for Sampling Icy Surfaces: a of a new fl ight-like high temperature pyrolysis oven and high mass Liquid Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometer for Future in situ Small resolution refl ectron TOFMS (Time of Flight Mass Spectrometer) Body missions”. to the existing VAPoR fi eld unit to make evolved gas measure- ments of regolith samples during upcoming science and resource Regarding the development of the Oribtrap mass spectrometer, exploration fi eld campaigns. Other tasks are also in progress: he has integrated several sections of Lua code to develop a work- the OASIS task, in which he supports the micro-fabrication, mass ing model of this spectrometer that accounts for charge repul- spectrometer simulation and testing of the OASIS instrument; sion, collisions with neutral gas molecules, and changes in the the Orbitrap task, in which he aids in the modeling and develop- axial frequency due to geometrical perturbations in the orbitrap ment of a custom-injected orbitrap mass spectrometer in order structure. Southard will submit a paper on electron gun develop- to develop a fl ight version of such an instrument; and, the Mars ment associated with the VAPoR mass spectrometer and then Organic Molecule Analyzer (MOMA) task, in which he aids in the begin work on a paper on the VAPoR mass spectrometer itself. calibration and optimization of a micro Pirani pressure gauge that Regarding the Orbitrap project, he plans to incorporate a beam will ensure that pressure has been reduced to 5E-4 torr with 95% defl ection system into the model so as to adequately model the confi dence within a minimal time period. injection process and examine ways to speed up the orbitrap simulation. With the MOMA project, he needs to determine how For the duration of the VAPoR project, the goals of mass spec- much response time is necessary for the MOMA pirani guage to trometer development were to increase sensitivity as much guarantee a safe operating pressure (<5E-4 torr) for the MOMA as possible and achieve a mass resolution of 500 or higher. mass spectrometer in Laser Desorption Ionization mode. Finally, These goals were found to be incompatible as changes made to Southard will continue to support (1) the testing and modeling of increase sensitivity made mass resolution fall considerably. While the OASIS sprayer chip and (2) the design and simulation of the the VAPoR project offi cially ended in September 2012, Southard ion interface to the TOF-MS. continued to make improvements into late October. He oversaw

GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 | 61 DELIVERING the MESSAGE

In support of NASA’s news dissemination and general public outreach, Jefferson directed the production of several new visuals to support the record-breaking minimum Arctic sea ice extent, which were reproduced extensively in the news media, and pro- duced a popular video on the Arctic sea ice maximum, which was re-posted on several websites. He also created a short video and supported the creation of a new data visualization on the relation- ship between fi res and climate, to coincide with a press confer- ence at the AGU 2012 Fall Meeting. Additionally, Jefferson served as Group Lead for a team of 18 outreach specialists, served on search committees to hire new planetary and news producers, and represented Goddard Multimedia at the annual NASA Earth E/PO retreat, leading a session on video critiques and a share-a-thon on Operation IceBridge.

Working under tight deadlines for a liveshot explaining the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM), Tyler Chase developed an anima- tion showing the launch of an Atlas V rocket. The animation was well received and saw use in all live newscast interviews regard- ing the mission. These animations were combined with work by Conceptual Image Lab animator Chris Meaney for the complete launch and deployment visualization. Tyler also worked with Chris Meaney when they took fi ve models created in various incompat- Image: From an LDCM Animation. (T. Chase) ible 3D packages, refi ned the geometry, and then converted the fi les into formats compatible with most rendering and animation The front page of GSFC’s Scientifi c Visualization Studio (SVS, programs. The updated and improved models included the LDCM, Code 606.4, sponsor H. Mitchell), http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/, LROS, OSIRIS, SOHO and TDRS spacecraft. highlights both the latest visualization and one of their most popular visualizations. To search for specifi c visualizations, the The IRIS spacecraft deployment animation illustrated the pegasus page lists Current SVS Animators as well as Current CI (Con- rocket launch system and deployment of the spectrographic instru- ceptual Image) Lab Animators. At present, of the 17 individuals ments. These animations will be used to illustrate the science listed, almost half are associated with GESTAR: four are affi liated mission and explain the spacecraft to the public as the launch with GESTAR and four are with GST, a subcontractor of GESTAR. date approaches. After receiving fi nal approval, a fi nal round of Codes 130 (Offi ce of Communications, sponsor W. Sisler) and refi nements and alterations were made regarding the satellite’s 606 (Education Programs, sponsor J. Harrington) share similar orbit. Tyler also worked on the fi nal animation in a series started goals: to engage and inform the public in and on NASA God- by previous USRA animator Rachel Kreutzinger that details the dard’s missions, events, and hands-on and virtual activities. GE- changes matter undergoes in shifting through states from solid to STAR’s team works diligently to meet these goals, collaborating plasma. Tyler’s contribution is an animation of water ice melting, on images, animations and fi lms as well as stories, interviews evaporating and transforming into plasma. There is an accompany- and interactive educational tools. ing animation focusing on atomic structure during these shifts.

CODE 130, Sponsor W. Sisler Genna Duberstein’s task has changed over the course of this reporting year. While she had been dividing her time between Jefferson Beck supports the NASA Goddard Offi ce of Communi- Heliophysics and Social Media, holding a leadership position with cations and NASA Earth science outreach efforts with a variety both, as of March 2013, she assumed the full-time role of Lead of multimedia products. This year, Jefferson produced 10 videos Multimedia Producer for Heliophysics. In this role she provides in support of Operation IceBridge (OIB), covering both Arctic and organization and oversight to a team. As Team Lead for Social Me- Antarctic campaigns, including OIB’s fi rst video on Antarctica in dia, she served as a point of contact for all social media outreach Spanish while fl ying with the mission out of Chile. Throughout the professionals at Goddard, working with NASA HQ and other team year, he has worked on mission communication plans, assisted leads to establish best practices, and consulting with missions and news media and external producers, and made more video foot- offi ces about how to use social media in a government context. In age available to other producers in Goddard Multimedia, NASA 2012, Heliophysics was selected as a theme for the NASM event. HQ, and the general public. He also has worked with the Scien- Presented to members of Congress, NASM is an opportunity to tifi c Visualization Studio to create several new data visualizations highlight the latest in NASA research. Genna was a co-producer in support of OIB. along with Scott Wiessinger; together they created the video con-

62 | GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 tent that served as the backbone of the evening’s thought-provok- Ryan continued to provide production support for the GPM ing presentations. At Goddard, the 4th Annual Best of Goddard mission, which in the last year began integration and testing at Film Festival was notable for its record-setting high attendance Goddard. Ryan documented some of the major milestones in the and for exclusively featuring online voting. Genna created all of development of the spacecraft, and produced several outreach the graphic design needs, including posters, awards, programs and educational web videos. Products included: GPM Applica- and social media handouts, and coordinated all aspects of the tions: Tropical Cyclones; GPM instrument swath visualization (pro- festival, from organizing the video submission efforts and editing duced with Trent Schindler); TRMM at 15: The Reign of Rain; GPM the festival itself to managing the event planning. Enters the SES Testing; GPM: For Good Measure; Our Wet Wide World; and, Faces of GPM (Steve Nesbitt and Dalia Kirschbaum). To celebrate the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL), Goddard joined Ryan will continue to produce outreach and educational products other NASA centers in hosting members of the social media com- for the GPM mission, including another GPM Applications short munity for a day of tours and lectures. Attendees participated that focuses on fl oods, droughts and landslides, the Anatomy of a in a multi-cast with JPL, toured the Astrobiology Lab and SAM Raindrop, a short on the mission operations of GPM, and another Cleanroom. They also learned about the James Webb Space entry in the Faces of GPM series. Telescope and the Testing and Integration facilities. The event was well received by senior staff and by event attendees. Genna As a multimedia producer with Goddard Television, Dan Gallagher coordinated the event, and USRA and ThinkGeek were sponsors. produces and edits videos that inform the public about missions In recognition of the event’s success, headquarters nominated and scientifi c research being conducted at Goddard. His work Genna and the other participating Team Leads from across the is regularly posted on nasa.gov, NASA Explorer (the Goddard agency for the Group Achievement Honor Award. Another major YouTube channel), and the NASA Visualization Explorer iPad app. event, the Transit of Venus (TOV), occurred June 5-6, 2012, and As the lead video producer for the Planetary Department at God- Genna and Scott Wiessinger worked on a full media campaign. dard, Daniel provides video support for the Lunar Reconnaissance Their efforts included two rounds of liveshot interviews with Orbiter, MAVEN, and OSIRIS-REx missions, as well as Goddard- major news networks, broadcast-ready video of the transit, and related research. He provides ongoing coverage of MAVEN’s interactive social media activities for the public. Along with the instrument packages and plans to attend the MAVEN launch in Heliophysics scientists and the Education and Public Outreach November 2013 to provide video coverage. Over the past year, he community, Scott and Genna were recipients of the 2012 Robert has been providing multimedia coverage of MAVEN instruments H. Goddard Team Honor Award for their work surrounding TOV. As and personnel, fi lming numerous MAVEN instruments across the another example of her work, Genna designed a colorful gradient U.S., including NGIMS and MAG at Goddard, the EUV at NIST HQ and applied it to footage of a particularly beautiful fi lament erup- in Maryland, the IUVS at Colorado University, Boulder, and the tion from August 2012. Gradients help scientists see structures Particles and Fields Package at the University of California, Berke- on the sun that may be harder to see in a raw image. The video ley. He has interviewed various MAVEN scientists and personnel, was featured in many prominent media outlets, including The At- including Principal Investigator Bruce Jakosky for an upcoming lantic, Gizmodo, i09, Universe Today, and space.com. WIRED U.K. interviewed Genna and Heliophysicist Alex Young about the piece for the magazine’s January/February 2013 issue.

Ryan Fitzgibbons supports both the Offi ce of Education and the Offi ce of Communications with an array of multimedia products to better serve NASA’s science, technology, engineering, and mathematics directives. Ryan also provides support to the GPM mission with an array of multimedia products over the course of the mission’s development. For Earth Science Week 2012, this year’s theme was “Discover Your Career”. Ryan produced sev- eral short video pieces for the climate.nasa.gov page as well as program promos and a TweetChat with a head of cryospheric sci- ence Thorsten Markus. Products included: Discover Your Career promo; Career Highlight webshort with Dalia Kirschbaum, a NASA Research Physical Scientist for the GPM mission; a Live Tweet- Chat with Thorsten Markus; and a blog entry for Earth Science Week titled “The Struggles and Rewards of Telling a Story” (visit http://climate2.jpl.nasa.gov/eswSite/blogs/?FuseAction=ShowBl og&NewsID=38). Image: From a video on Jupiter’s “hot spots”. (D. Gallagher)

GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 | 63 mission overview video. He recently edited and released a profi le Robert Garner works on visualizations as well as copy-editing of the MAG instrument with GSFC scientists Jack Connerney and most of the content that passes through Goddard’s Web Team for Jared Espley; this is the fi rst in a series of upcoming instrument posting on nasa.gov. This past year, Robert worked with the Tran- profi le videos. In 2012, Daniel produced, edited, and released sit of Venus team, ensuring that TOV multimedia (developed by two Spanish-language profi le videos on MAVEN personnel Sandra Scott Wiessinger) was available on NASA Goddard web and social Cauffman and Carlos Gomez-Rosa. media feeds in near-real-time throughout the overnight duration of the event in June 2012. At the time, NASA HQ reported that the Daniel produced, narrated, and edited a video about the Moon’s TOV event saw the largest amount of data ever served from the Permanently Shadowed Regions for the LRO mission. This video nasa.gov domain. Another milestone event occurred when Land- features new animations by data visualizer Ernie Wright of PSR’s sat celebrated its 40th anniversary. As part of this Landsat an- on the Moon’s south pole, using data from the LOLA, LEND, DI- niversary team, Robert received a Robert H. Goddard Exceptional VINER and LAMP instruments to see into the dark craters. Daniel Achievement Award for Outreach (March 2013) in recognition of produced this video as part of a series of LRO research-related his development of the web presence for the event on nasa.gov, videos for 2013. To date, the video has received over 47,000 which required a minor redesign of www.nasa.gov/landsat, as views on NASA Explorer and has been reposted to Space.com, well as the preparation of 24 web pages’ worth of multimedia, Fox News online, and the NASA Visualization Explorer iPad app. with assistance from Karl Hille (Vantage contract). He also produced, narrated and edited a two-minute web video coinciding with the fl yby of asteroid 2012 DA14 to educate the Robert also built the nasa.gov presence for the Suomi NPP “Black public on Near Earth Objects (NEO’s) and to promote OSIRIS-REx. Marble” content in December 2012. The material (http://1.usa. This video includes a brief overview of OSIRIS-REx’s mission to gov/TJTckW) amassed more than 650,000 views in the course of track the orbit of Near Earth asteroid 1999 RQ36 and to retrieve a week and received attention from The Washington Post, ABC, a sample for study on Earth. To date, the video has received over Mashable, BBC, Huffi ngton Post, NBC, Los Angeles Times, Time, 7,000 views on NASA Explorer and has been reposted to Space. Boston Globe, Popular Science, National Geographic, Scientifi c com and excerpted by Time. Project Scientist Joseph Nuth was American, PC Magazine, Fox News, The New York Times, Slate, interviewed by Daniel as part of an OSIRIS-REx video fi le for the Astronomy Magazine, The Wall Street Journal and others. Views fl yby, and Daniel provided support for a Goddard TV live shot on of “Black Marble” imagery afforded Goddard a 10.4% growth in the day of the fl yby. all-time views over the course of a single week. Robert’s web- site work also included the NASA Website CMS Transition. He He produced and edited a two-minute video on Saturn’s record- participated in meetings with NASA Headquarters and InfoZen setting Great White Spot storm in 2010, and interviewed Goddard to articulate needs and priorities in migrating nasa.gov from the scientist Brigette Hessman about her observations of extreme eTouch CMS to the new InfoZen system. This transition work has temperature spikes and a surge in ethylene following the erup- spanned several months. tion of the storm in Saturn’s northern hemisphere. To date, the video has received over 53,000 views on NASA Explorer and was The WESTPRIME web services contract will transition the content featured in the 2012 Best of Goddard Film Festival. Another management system for nasa.gov (and other services) beginning two-minute web video produced and edited by Daniel promoted a late spring 2013. Robert will be heavily involved in transitioning paper by NASA Fellow David Choi, in which he discusses his work Goddard (and likely also Wallops) sites to the new system. Also, on Jupiter’s “hot spots” and their connection to large-scale atmo- as Orbital’s Antares rocket ramps up in testing and moves toward spheric waves. Hot spots are holes in the clouds near Jupiter’s actual launches to the International Space Station, it is expected equator that appear bright in the infrared. In 1995, NASA’s Galileo that Robert and other Goddard staff will play a growing role in spacecraft dropped a probe directly into a Jovian hot spot, taking supporting Wallops’ multimedia needs. He will be co-chairing an the only existing in situ measurements of Jupiter’s atmosphere. instructional session for Goddard science writers on AP and NASA David Choi’s work connects hot spots to large-scale waves in Ju- styles. piter’s atmosphere for the fi rst time, waves called Rossby waves, allowing scientists to fi t the Galileo probe observations into a Michelle Handleman coordinates and produces satellite media global perspective. Daniel and Michelle Handleman sent the tours across the spectrum of science disciplines at Goddard video and a condensed script to NASA HQ for inclusion in “This Space Flight Center. Michelle produces short news videos and Week at NASA.” The video has received over 23,000 views to date b-roll material for This Week @ NASA and NASA TV, as well as God- on NASA Explorer and has been reposted to Scientifi c American dard’s website, server and social media pages. Michelle assists and Space.com. the media and documentary fi lm makers with interview and fi le video requests. This past year, much of her time was devoted to Daniel will continue to work with several Goddard editors, pro- media outreach. She submitted at least one story each week to ducers, animators and visualizers on MAVEN instrument profi le the “This Week @ NASA” segment that airs on NASA TV and nasa. videos, videos for the Lunar Reconnaissance mission, and a gov. Topics included: the new Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter ex- future OSIRIS-REx overview video for the mission confi rmation in hibit at the Visitor Center; new video of Jupiter’s hot spots; Earth May 2013. Day tree planting; and Maryland Congressman Steny Hoyer’s visit 64 | GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 to Goddard. Michelle coordinates with Goddard video producers nova. Michael also created a series of animations for a fi lm on for ideas and material to add to “This Week @ NASA” submis- an Exoplanet orbiting very close to its parent star. The star was sions. found to emit strong x-ray bursts that accelerated the loss of the planet’s atmosphere. Solar Weather animations were created Michelle conducted a media outreach campaign inviting the primarily for NASM but also served to update the current data on television networks and local broadcast media to learn more solar weather. For this coming year, his animation of the evolu- about Goddard’s important instrument, Sample Analysis at Mars tion of Mars for MAVEN will have fi nished rendering and go into (SAM), on the Mars rover Curiosity that landed on the red planet compositing and color correction for fi nal delivery. Several other in August 2012. She coordinated interviews with 16 media out- complex animation projects will begin this year, including an ani- lets, including the network affi liate service for Hearst Television. mation showing the formation of the solar system focusing on the Additionally, she booked two in-studio television interviews, one outer planets. This will be the fi rst animation to be completed in on Maryland Public Television’s “Direct Connection” public affairs ultra HD 4k resolution from the CIL. In addition, another complex show and another on WTTG FOX-5’s weekend broadcast. For the animation about solar super-storms is being created for display in Earth at Night reveal at the AGU 2012 Fall Meeting, Michelle for- dome theaters. mulated and executed a large-scale media outreach initiative by inviting media outlets to the news conference and sharing new im- Katherine Lewis provides graphic design and image editing ser- ages as they were released. FOX, CNN and APTN were among the vices for public affairs, and supports the NASA Visualization Ex- major networks to attend the conference, and ABC, CBS and NBC plorer project by creating websites, uploading media, and design- showed the images on their websites and evening broadcasts. ing interfaces. As UX Designer for the NASA Visualization Explorer iPad app, Katie redesigned many elements of the user interface. Michelle coordinated a record-breaking 60 interviews on Feb. She designed new icons, replaced thumbnails, and reskinned tool 15, 2013, for the fl yby of asteroid 2012 DA14 and the breaking bars, preserving key features with an eye toward improved user news of a meteor explosion over Russia. Going into that morning, experience. She created new looks for the Instructions and About she already had 40 television stations confi rmed for interviews screens. She provided the developers with ongoing graphic con- about the fl yby of the asteroid. As news broke about the meteor sultation, and created promotional materials for NASA Viz’s fi rst explosion over Russia, Michelle coordinated with NASA talent, the anniversary and graphics for Apple’s Featured Apps sections. Goddard studio team and Offi ce of Communications, and NASA headquarters to extend satellite interviews for an additional three Katie reimagined the interface of the NASA Viz iPad app for the hours to accommodate the media requests that fl ooded in. Some iPhone, creating user interactivity maps and mockups in Photo- of the media outlets that interviewed NASA scientists that day shop, and providing images and guidance to the developers. The include Associated Press, Weather Channel, FOX News, CNN Inter- NASA Viz team provided feedback for several rounds of design. national, ABC News radio and the Wall Street Journal. Going for- The design retains all the functionality of the original app, but for ward, she is working on live shot campaigns for the summer and a smaller screen size. Some interface elements, such as full- fall months that will span the spectrum of sciences at Goddard. screen menus, have been refaced to add visual interest. Katie created several interactive graphics that allow users to see before Michael Lentz creates a variety of animations and visuals to and after images from satellites and more, in support of breaking support NASA Goddard missions and science for the Offi ce of science stories and press releases. She also created an expanded Communication and provides creative and technical advice to slider interactive for Landsat’s 40th anniversary, showcasing the Conceptual Image Lab. This past year, he worked on several some of Landsat’s most dramatic comparisons. For the new animations. His animations for Voyager were created primarily NASA Viz website, Katie implemented an HTML5/CSS3 prototype, for an interactive web piece highlighting the various milestones of which will provide the web audience with the same visualizations Voyager 1 and 2 as they and images passed through and out available on of the Solar System. the app, with the added He created an anima- benefi t of tion to show BETTII download rising up through the options, credit clouds to altitude and information, a second animation and potential showing the instrument mobile acces- package at altitude, sibility. The and another animation website seam- was created for the lessly adapts new discovery made by to the display Swift showing an X-Ray Image: Voyager. (M. Lentz)

GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 | 65 sizes of multiple platforms and mobile devices and plays videos sat scene is comprised of information from light of many different in-window, an improvement on the current NASA Viz site, which wavelengths. These individual data points then can be combined is only available on desktop and launches separate windows for to bring out features of the land surface that would otherwise be video downloads. diffi cult to observe. The video will be of great benefi t to educators explaining remote sensing, earth science, or even just the science Katie redesigned the interface of the James Webb Space Tele- of perception. To mark the 40th anniversary of the launch of the scope 3D Interactive to accommodate the unique features of a fi rst Landsat satellite, Matthew produced a major press event touch installation. The design features updated menu items and at the Newseum in downtown Washington, DC. The event was buttons laid out in a fi xed size design, and was integrated into the broadcast live on NASA TV and covered by numerous outlets. For Visitor Center’s kiosk installation in December. Going forward, this event, Matthew created 16 sets of new visual pieces about she will be developing the Voyager Timeline Interactive, featuring Landsat and coordinated the overall direction of the show. Work clickable points along the spacecraft’s multi-decade journey. The with the LDCM will continue in the coming year as Matthew pre- interactive will be done in HTML5 and Javascript, in the hopes of pares a series of videos showing the improvement in data quality visibility on most devices and platforms. The User Experience for from the new Landsat satellite, and the benefi ts to society from the NASAViz iPhone and iPad apps will continue to evolve, as Ka- Landsat data. He also will work with NASA’s Earth Observatory to tie contributes new design elements as they become necessary, produce short videos to accompany their stories, and will develop and assist the apps’ developers in implementing them. The NASA a series of videos for NASA’s Earth Science Storytelling Team, ad- Viz responsive website will be published, with the help of Joycelyn dressing common climate change questions. Thomson-Jones (server-side developer), and Katie will develop additional page templates including a story list page and a home Kayvon Sharghi has two primary tasks: reporting on NASA Earth page, creating a new web-based NASA Viz database. Small-scale science fi ndings through digital media communication platforms interactive modules will be provided, primarily in HTML5, as they and strategic online campaigns and managing the editorial are requested by projects and missions. content and release of stories on the NASA Visualization Explorer iPad app. In his role as editor of the NASA Viz, he has successful- Among other work with the Offi ce of Communications, Matthew ly led the app toward its milestone 200th story, scheduled for re- Radcliff serves as the Video Producer for LDCM and Landsat lease in June 2013. Kayvon also managed the search, selection, projects, documenting the construction of LDCM, including its hiring and training of two interns to support the NASA Viz project. two instruments, TIRS and OLI, and collaborating with the LDCM Additionally, he produced multiple video and animation products Education and Public Outreach staff to communicate the work in support of NASA Earth Science news releases. His biggest hit of of Landsat and LDCM teams. Working with the CIL at Goddard, the year was the video he created in support of the AGU 2012 Fall Matthew produced an animation depicting the launch and deploy- Meeting titled “Earth At Night”. The video racked up more than ment of the Landsat Data Continuity Mission. This video was 1 million views on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel and was used in all of the press briefi ngs and broadcasts leading up to the featured by news agencies around the world. launch, and also used by many media outlets in their coverage of the launch (see T. Chase’s image). Matthew also was respon- Kayvon developed the SVS/CI Lab Previsualization Guide—a one- sible for producing several televised events for the launch of the page form that scientists, writers, animators and producers can LDCM satellite. In January 2013, he produced a press briefi ng use to expedite the planning phase of new animation products at NASA HQ, and in February 2013 there were two press brief- created by the Scientifi c Visualization Studio (SVS) and Concep- ings at Vandenberg AFB, Calif. The day before the launch, NASA tual Image (CI) Lab. The SVS/CI Lab Project Guide, a companion TV broadcast two hours of the LDCM “NASA Social,” produced by form currently being developed, will help producers direct the Matthew, which involved 12 speakers and more than 80 audience creation of products, and facilitate the communication of ideas members. This broadcast is now a benchmark for Goddard-led between members of the SVS, CI Lab and Goddard Multimedia. NASA Socials. He will continue to manage the editorial content and release of stories on the NASA Visualization Explorer iPad app, report on He also produced a major visualization of Landsat data on for- NASA Earth science fi ndings through digital media communication ests in Pacifi c Northwest. Working with Landsat Science Team platforms and strategic online campaigns, and continue to con- member Robert Kennedy (Boston University) and the Scientifi c tribute to enhancing the impact of the iPad Development Team Visualization Studio, Matthew created a major visualization of and the Goddard Earth Science News Team. Kennedy’s large data sets covering the Pacifi c Northwest. Ken- nedy’s data compiles Landsat data from 1984-2011 across Scott Wiessinger provides visual support for the Heliophysics California, Oregon, and Washington to give the “life history” of and Astrophysics divisions at Goddard, focusing primarily on each pixel. The data is being used by the Forest Service to track science results, and also coordinates and collaborates with sci- changes in the forests, whether timber harvest, urbanization, ence writers and scientists to produce accurate and accessible or insect infestation. The visualization was released at the AGU materials timed to coincide with press releases and other public 2012 Fall Meeting in San Francisco, Calif. Also, working with the announcements. This past year, Scott produced, co-produced, SVS, Matthew developed a video demonstrating how each Land- edited and/or animated 35 released videos, which ranged from

66 | GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 animations, to breaking news footage of solar fl ares and CMEs, much of the heliophysics breaking news, making video and stills to narrated features about science results. As of April 29, these of fl ares and CMEs as needed. Finally, Scott began producing still videos accounted for 9.7 million YouTube views. He also produced images to highlight different aspects of NASA heliophysics imag- visuals for three press conferences, and three smaller live sci- ery. Many of these have done very well online, appearing in places ence result presentations. Scott and Genna Duberstein together like CNN, The Weather Channel, and Gizmodo. This coming year, produced, created, and edited the visuals for the live presentation Scott will continue to produce videos about heliophysics and us- at Goddard’s annual National Air and Space Museum event. This ing solar imagery, and will continue his breaking news coverage of year’s theme was space weather and the peaking solar cycle. solar fl ares and CMEs. Most of this work was in support of heliophysics and astrophys- ics, although the Montana State University Science and Natural This year in astrophysics continued to have a strong focus on sci- History Filmmaking program released a video produced by Scott ence results, but there were a few more opportunities to present to highlight the link between that program and Goddard: http:// interesting material not tied to published papers or presentations sfp.montana.edu/sciencenaturefi lm/alumni.html. Scott produced of fi ndings. Of the 20 astrophysics videos that Scott released this two stories for the NASA Visualization Explorer iPad app, and cre- past year, eleven focused on a science result or observation. The ated or edited the visuals for results were primarily from two high-energy astrophysics satel- another 13. He also covered lites: the Fermi Gamma-ray Space many heliophysics breaking Telescope, and the Swift Gamma- news solar events and cre- ray Burst Telescope. The science ated many still images for he- stories included gamma rays from liophysics and astrophysics. solar fl ares, an exoplanet being Scott’s complete collection destroyed by the star it orbits, new of work can be found here: discoveries in galaxy evolution, http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi- fl aring black holes, radio signals bin/advsearch.cgi?query=wie from terrestrial gamma ray fl ashes, ssinger&req=search. or dark lightning, and confi rmation that supernova remnants do create For Heliophysics, this was a cosmic rays. All of these stories and year of some very notable visuals were well received by sci- solar events and releases. On ence reporters across the internet. the evening of June 5, Venus Some of the non-results-based passed across the disk of the videos were simulations of vari- sun for the last time in 105 ous astrophysical phenomena, like years. Scott was part of the the merging of black holes. One in Robert H. Goddard Team Hon- particular, a simulation of galaxy or Award-winning group that formation, was very successful, helped cover the event. He Image: Prominent eruption from August 31, 2012. (S. Weissinger) collecting over 300,000 YouTube produced a video of the Solar views. Other videos covered gen- Dynamics Observatory’s view eral topics like what gamma rays of the transit, which was well received, getting coverage across are, interesting events like a Fermi’s near-collision with another the internet and the national news. To date, it has accumulated satellite, and more abstract topics like a pattern traced by Fermi’s over 2.2 million YouTube views. In early September 2012, Scott movements. produced a video and stills of a particularly beautiful prominence eruption and CME on the sun. That video has become the most As in heliophysics, Scott began producing more still imagery. He successful video YouTube video ever released by Goddard, and is made an exoplanet illustration for a press release about a “super currently at 3.2 million views. One of the images that Scott cre- Jupiter” planet and illustrations of the scale of a blue supergiant ated of the event, by blending two wavelengths together, received star for another release. Comet ISON is important in astrophysics 2nd place in the Wikimedia Foundation “Picture of the Year as well. In association with a Swift image release, Scott produced 2012” contest. In mid-April 2013, Scott released a video showing a short visualization of ISON’s projected orbit around the sun. As three years of solar coverage by SDO. In only one week, the video comet ISON becomes more visible and gains attention, this visual- accumulated over 1.8 million views and is still climbing. The video ization should get increasing usage by online and possible televi- and associated still image got heavy coverage on the internet, sion media. During the closest solar approach of comet ISON on and appeared on the CBS Evening News. Another one of Scott’s November 28, 2013, Scott will do breaking news coverage and, videos, showing solar plasma, was featured on the CBS Evening as he did with the Transit of Venus, produce a fast turn-around News in March. In addition to these releases, Scott also produced video of the event using SDO and SOHO data. Scott will continue many other videos about solar features and events. He covered to focus on science results for astrophysics. Upcoming projects include interactive webpages and videos of large UV mosaics GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 | 67 of the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, a video about black Dr. Todd Gary of Fisk University and Austin Peay University and Dr. widow pulsars, a video about black hole simulations, a video Michael Ceballos of University of Minnesota-Morris. NAI-MIRS, the about a very small binary system with a black hole, and artwork faculty research sabbatical program in astrobiology for faculty at of a magnetar star. The majority of the projects for astrophysics minority institutions, has been in existence now for over a decade. are not determined yet. The NASA Viz is adding more astrophysics Scientists within MIAC and NAI-MIRS have had major accomplish- content and Scott will be involved with story selection and manag- ments in research resulting in numerous collaborations and ing the visuals. publications. The goal of the NAI-MIRS program is to strengthen the infrastructure of astrobiology research at minority institutions, CODE 606, Sponsor J. Harrington increase diversity at all levels of NAI activities, and ensure that the next generation of astrobiologists refl ects the ethnic and ra- Dr. Daniel Laughlin works on the Learning Technologies (LT) cial diversity of the U.S. and international scientifi c communities. task, whose objective is to help NASA Education accomplish its goals of inspiring more students to study science, technology, Several Hispanic-serving institutions and Native American Institu- engineering and mathematics (STEM) fi elds and graduate into tions are MIAC members as well as home to NAI-MIRS Fellows. STEM careers. That effort is supported by leading research and The fi rst Native American Research Laboratory (NARL) was estab- development in the educational uses of games and virtual worlds lished by Dr. Michael Ceballos, an NAI-MIRS Fellow, who received for NASA and leading a public/private partnership effort to match the Obama Singh 21st Century Knowledge Award. In collaboration those and other technologies with NASA content and research- with Dr. Ceballos, Bell has provided international student intern- based education methods. ships for underrepresented students. The Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) provides an excellent opportunity for Dr. Laughlin continues to lead White House Working Groups in the students to strengthen science and research literacy. In sum- role of executive secretary of the National Science and Technol- mer 2013, as part of the REU International Summer Internship ogy Council’s (NSTC) subcommittee on Digital Gaming Technology; Program, a student research team consisting of Native American, this subcommittee will shape the national agenda for games as Latino and African-American students will conduct research in tools for positive impact. He also serves as co-chair of the Federal Malaysia and Mexico with research focus on astrobiology-related Games Group, an inter-agency working group on government uses projects, climate change, and sustainable agriculture among in- of games sponsored by the White House Offi ce of Science and digenous communities. Additionally, Dr. Abel Mendez, a NAI-MIRS Technology Policy (OSTP). Additionally, Laughlin is NASA’s co-lead Fellow, established the fi rst Planetary Habitability Laboratory for the digital badging initiative that has NASA and other fed- (PHL) at the University of Puerto Rico at Arecibo, and developed eral agencies collaborating with the MacArthur Foundation and the fi rst catalog of habitable exoplanets. Through their collabora- Mozilla Foundation to develop digital badges as tools to stimulate tions, Drs. Mendez and Bell have gained signifi cant media recog- and capture online learning in STEM among a broader student nition of the research. Dr. Mendez has established international audience than NASA traditionally reaches. The NASA digital partnerships in India, Malaysia, Thailand, Germany, Mexico, Spain badging team is partnered with Project Whitecard and the Center and France; Kenya and Ghana are future potential research sites. for Educational Technology, funded through a HASTAC grant from the MacArthur Foundation. Over the past year, Bell has been heavily involved in programs, committees, and teams: she served as a recruiter for the NAI- In the coming year, Laughlin expects to help lead the inter-agency MIRS Faculty Sabbatical Program; a peer reviewer for the NAI- effort to include games and other digital media in the federal MIRS Faculty Fellowship Program; and a representative for the STEM education reorganization outlined in the President’s FY14 NASA Goddard African American Advisory Committee. She budget. Building on his work with White House teams, he expects contributed to the planning and strategy team of the NASA Astro- to expand NASA’s role in the government-wide transformation. biology Institute and United Negro College Fund Special Programs Corporation (UNCFSP), and developed ongoing framework to Dr. Benita Bell is involved with strengthening and developing expand the Minority Institute Faculty Sabbatical Program (MIRS). collaborations focused on astrobiology, a multidisciplinary science She was also co-chair/MIRS Recruiter of the Faculty Sabbatical that explores whether there are other life forms in the universe. Program in Astrobiology. MIRS potential Fellows submit a proposal This fi eld is a useful research tool to bring together students and that is aligned with NAI Lead Team research projects in astrobiol- faculty from diverse cultures and backgrounds to address key sci- ogy. Fellows conduct collaborative astrobiology research with an entifi c questions, and to stimulate student and faculty interest in NAI partner. the exciting fi eld of space science. The Minority Institution Astro- biology Collaborative (MIAC) and the NASA Astrobiology Institute One of the major events for the fi eld is the Astrobiology Science Minority Research Support Program (NAI-MIRS) have been two Conference, this year’s theme being “AbSciCon: Exploring Life: pivotal programs that continue to lead a national minority effort Past, Present and Future”. AbSciCon was sponsored by the NASA in astrobiology. Dr. Bell serves as Co-Director of MIAC along with Astrobiology Program and hosted by the Georgia Institute of 68 | GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 Technology Ribo Evo Center for Ribosomal Origins Evolution. Bell After making many small improvements to camera motions and served as a Workshop Co-Chair (MIAC and NAI-MIRS), a Session completing the satellite orbit visual, Tom delivered the fi rst visual- Chair, and a Presenter, “The NASA Astrobiology Institute Minor- ization of Van Allen Probes (formerly Radiation Belt Storm Probes) ity Institution Research Support (NAI-MIRS) Program: 10 years of data, and performed a number of experiments to improve the High Return on NASA’s Investment”. Additionally, there were 13 look of the volumetric radiation belts. After launch, Tom gener- oral and poster presentations from faculty and students from mi- ated a version of the radiation belts using new data and a better nority serving institutions (MSI’s), refl ecting the largest presence volumetric rendering technique. Final results appeared at: http:// of MSI’s and presentations in 10 years of MSI involvement in the svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/goto?4048. News release content is available fi eld of astrobiology. at: http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov /goto?11212. For one of the major events of 2012, Tom generated an overview movie illustrating Bell will continue to develop and expand domestic and inter- the orbit confi guration of the Transit of Venus, which was used at national research partnerships in the fi eld of astrobiology. An the NASA booth at the DC Science & Engineering festival. He also additional core focus will be to engage the K-12 community developed a pipeline for collecting data from the Solar Dynamics (schools and organizations) in astrobiology as well as students Observatory (SDO) using the alternative spacecraft confi guration in the military. Recruitment of 6 Fellows for the NAI-MIRS Faculty for the Transit of Venus. Data was staged at different servers and Sabbatical is a target goal. Bell will develop funding initiatives to in slightly different formats for the event. Using the process, Tom generate more opportunities for students in higher education and generated composited 4Kx4K imagery and high-time cadence at the K-12 level in astrobiology. products of the transit for visualization purposes. A professor in Germany expressed interest in using the transit imagery and SDO CODE 606.4, Sponsor H. Mitchell position information to develop a student exercise in determining the solar parallax. Tom delivered a table of spacecraft time and Tom Bridgman generates model runs, develops visualizations positions suitable for his effort. and generates content for the hyperwall. One of his goals this past year was to develop a media-friendly look and quick-turn- Tom worked on the content of the SDO Jewelbox (The Many Eyes around product for CCMC visualizations. He and his collaborators of SDO). Many discussions occurred about enhancing the content addressed a number of issues, and eventually the bottleneck on the NCCS hyperwall that presents 15 different views of the Sun of generating a model run of a specifi c event, and transferring it possible from SDO. The plan was established to redo this as a to the SVS, has been solved. They conducted a test of this on a set of synchronized movies. The fi rst iteration of the synchronized 2012 CME, submitting an initial test through the web run request product, “SDO Jewelbox: The Many Eyes of SDO” was completed feature and generating a model run out to 10AU (beyond the orbit and available for play on hyperwalls. See http://svs.gsfc.nasa. of Saturn). Initial testing with this worked very well. Successful gov/goto?4008. Additional layouts focusing on the various solar tests using the media-friendly version of the CCMC CME run led to structures are under development. Further, many additional visu- the fi rst live use of this capability for the CME of March 15, 2013. als generated for the SDO mission were integrated into the SDO After some initial hiccups in the pipeline run at the CCMC, Tom re- Year 3 Video; see http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/goto?11203. Two SDO ceived a complete data set of the event that was released on the “Coronal Rain” visualizations appeared on CBS Evening News, NASA portal that weekend at http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pag- Feb 21, 2013. es /sunearth/news/News031513-cme.html. To illustrate the im- portance of space weather modeling for NASA assets around the For the presentations at the National Air & Space Museum Solar System, Tom (NASM) on generated a run for September a March 5, 2013, 19, 2012, Tom CME that impacted updated older NASA missions at content related Mars (see http:// to the solar mini- svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/ mum and solar goto?4058). With maximum as the data transfer well as the 2003 capability largely Halloween solar solved, he will con- storms. He also tinue to develop the completed fi ve output products to new products improve the look. Image: SDO Jewelbox (T. Bridgman). illustrating cur- rent and future

GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 | 69 missions. Tom will continue efforts for the magnetic reconnection and update their various values in the database. With the aid of visualizations for MMS using a simulation from the CCMC. The Joycelyn Jones, Leann wrote a program that will update a spe- previous effort made only very limited progress using the simula- cifi c hyperwall show automatically. The show displays all of the tion from Los Alamos. Also, a set of simple visualizations will be NASAViz cover images with their story’s title superimposed on top produced illustrating different plasma processes (Plasma Zoo). of them. Once a week, the images from the two stories that were released are automatically incorporated into the show. Leann Johnson provides software to aid the functionality and productivity of the SVS group. Software development is focused She developed the automatic process of generating a statistics on but not limited to the hyperwall and database systems. This report for Frank Reddy. The report is a CSV fi le, automatically sent past year, she developed and utilized several tools to support the once a week, that contains the website hit counts for the previous hyperwall and database systems of the Scientifi c Visualization week of animations that Frank has been involved with. Additional Studio. She designed a prototype for an addition to the existing development by Leann now has the website hit counts stored graphical user interface of the SVS database to allow users to cre- in CSV fi les and directly in the SVS database. Leann also aided ate and edit their own hyperwall shows. After the prototype was Joycelyn Jones in processing user requests to add new controlled approved, Leann developed the actual widget layout, designed values to the database, such as a data set or person, which helps and created the new database structure, and began development maintain the accuracy and non-duplication of values within the on a program that will be able to automatically add the existing database. She continued to develop a graphical user interface hyperwall content to the database. As requested, Leann created to allow users to create and edit hyperwall content, developed a hyperwall shows from animations produced by the SVS and the tool set that uses the object to store and to manipulate hyperwall- Earth Sciences Division, editing when necessary. She gathered specifi c data, and created a MySQL database to test the tool set together most of the to make inte- content that was gration into the presented on the existing SVS da- hyperwall in Doha, tabase system Qatar at the Confer- is as seamless ence of Parties, un- as possible. der the direction of A group from Eric Sokolowsky. She the Earth Sci- also created a series ences Division, of presentations to who regularly be displayed on the produce hyper- hyperwall for sev- wall content, eral speakers at the expressed a LDCM launch in Cali- desire to add fornia, as directed hyperwall by Matthew Radcliff. presentation She also aided Eric documents to in the conversion the SVS anima- the hyperwall frame tion web pages. sets from traditional Image: National Climate Assessment (NCA) Annual Arctic Minimum Sea Ice Extents (1979– Leann cre- image formats (PNG, 2012). (A. Kekesi) ated a tool that TIF, etc.) to the DDS allows them image format, which increases the quality of the shows on the to add the documents quickly, in a controlled manner, to those hyperwall systems. animations which they normally would not be able to. Leann also published the source materials of several hyperwall shows on the She was involved in the development of the NASA Viz web pages SVS web site, making them available to the general public. by creating a search bar that matched the existing style of the pages and by fi xing formatting bugs that caused the bottom of the Alex Kekesi is Task Lead for the NASA Goddard SVS and lead pages to display incorrectly. She also developed an initial mobile animator for NASA’s Landsat 8 project, and provides visualization version of the NASAViz web pages to compliment the iPhone support for NASA’s other Earth science missions as the task re- version of the app. She developed and enhanced software quires. Alex was part of the team that won NASA’s Group Achieve- tools to support internal functionality of the SVS designing and ment Award for outstanding efforts in developing the Science implementing a series of web-based CGI scripts to allow users to Mission Directorate’s presentation hyperwall. Alex played a key search for a subset of data sets or series based on some criteria, role in supporting the National Climate Assessment (NCA) report;

70 | GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 the visualization developed for the NCA report is an important end May 30, 2013. In its released stories, NASA Viz managed to contribution to the future of environmental policies for the United cover all NASA science themes (Earth, Heliophysics, Astrophys- States. As part of his responsibilities under the Landsat 8 project, ics, Planetary). Also, NASA Viz partnered with the following: the he created several new visualizations showing urban sprawl, James Webb Space Telescope project to feature stories, and the mountain top removal, agricultural zoning, and a new cornerstone Astrophysics EPO team to highlight astrophysics stories. It is im- visualization showing how Landsat bands can be combined to portant to mention that this project would not have been possible enable greater scientifi c insight. In addition, Alex supported a without the support from Ming-Ying Wei and Ruth Netting and the NASA-funded educational movie that is part of the Fulbright pro- contributions of the excellent core team members. For a complete gram. He also helped to spearhead the SVS’ migration from Linux listing of collaborators, please visit: http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/na- to Mac OSX for primary desktop environments along with integrat- saviz/credits.html. ing Pixar’s new “Tractor” distributed rendering environment. As one of the primary contacts on the SVS website (http://svs.gsfc. Helen-Nicole collaborates with the NASA Goddard Offi ce of Educa- nasa.gov), he also regularly responds to general inquiries on the tion on the implementation of the NASA Viz Teacher Project. For acquisition of SVS-created content. Requests originate from uni- the purposes of this project, NASA Viz is working with the science versity researchers, museums, government agencies, periodicals, teachers of the Maryvale Preparatory school, an all-girls school in publishers, and fi lmmakers. Baltimore County; teachers and students use iPads in the class- room. The project runs from October 2012 to May 30, 2013 (see Alex plans to complete his contribution to the Global Precipitation Student Engagement section). In the coming year, the team will Measurement (GPM) Science on a Sphere show and also contrib- evaluate and implement results of the NASA Viz Teacher Project. ute to the Adler Planetarium’s newest dome show. In addition, he will continue to support the Landsat 8 mission as lead animator, Over the past year, Helen-Nicole developed the following products and perform all other duties as SVS task lead. In conjunction with for the SVS: for “Mars Landing Sites”, she developed a visualiza- other team members, he will en- tion of all the NASA Mars Landing sites; for “Weather Satellites hance SVS capabilities by research- ing and adopting new GIS tools into the SVS infrastructure.

Helen-Nicole Kostis serves as the Project Manager for the NASA Visual- ization Explorer project and provides visualization expertise to the SVS at Goddard. The NASA Visualiza- tion Explorer (NASA Viz) is an iPad application that releases two stories per week, designed and developed as a highly interactive iPad app of visual and scientifi c storytelling. The project comprises of two teams: Software Development and User In- terface Design, and Editorial. It is a multi-disciplinary project where core team members are data visualizers, science writers, software developers, Image: Drought Anomalies (H.-N. Kostis). producers and interactive design- ers. This past year, the NASA Viz saw several highlights. They released updates 1.6 and 1.7 to the in Orbit (updated 2012)”, she updated the visualization to refl ect public via iTunes Store with major improvements and features. recent missions; for “Drought 2010-2012”, she developed a The NASAViz continues to be listed at the number-one spot in drought visualization (see image) in collaboration with scientist Education Earth Sciences iTunes app store for the second year in Martha Anderson (USDA). a row. In November 2012, NASAViz secures funding for Software Development and Editorial. An iPhone version is currently in Trent Schindler provides visualization support for earth science testing phases with a plan of release early summer 2013, and a missions and research as part of the GSFC Scientifi c Visualization new website to feature the NASAViz is currently in development. Studio. Over the last year, several of Trent’s visualizations have The NASAViz Teacher project launched October 2012 and will attained wide exposure. For example, his visualization of GRACE

GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 | 71 satellite data, which showed variations from normal in total water content can now call “hwplaylist” directly to allow a user to more storage in the Tigris and Euphrates river basin, appeared as a easily edit the play list of content. For the SVS, he also developed central piece in a televised op-ed on CNN by Fareed Zakaria. tools, such as one tool called hwtool that splits up large movies Trent created a visualization that shows how vegetation growth at for the hyperwall, and another called hwcomposite that re-creates Earth’s northern latitudes increasingly resembles lusher latitudes original source images for the hyperwall from divided-up pieces. to the south appeared multiple times across media, including in This capability is often needed to create other media with the a New York Times blog by Andrew Revkin. An animation he cre- original source images. Eric also addressed problems with the ated of the night side of the Earth as seen from orbit using VIIRS Web Map Service software he developed that generates images data appeared numerous places in web and broadcast media. based on climate model simulation runs. The software had to be A visualization showing how satellite data and NASA models are updated to use the latest version of the simulations and to cope being applied to study the hydrology of the Nile basin was used with other changes introduced in the NCCS computer system. by scientists for a presentation at a meeting of the World Bank. His animation showing a scientist’s traverse of Antarctic ice and In the coming year, Eric will enable a new type of machine to the data curtain obtained from towed ground-penetrating radar connect to hyperwall systems. This new machine will be able to was used by the scientist in a talk at the Library of Congress. And directly control the hyperwall but not display any content from a fi nally, an animation using Landsat data to show deforestation in hyperwall show. This will be most useful on systems that have the Rondonia, Brazil region was used as part of the Landsat 40th a dedicated login console such as the Building 28 hyperwall anniversary media release. system. Other hyperwall systems are now controlled by hooking a laptop to the hyperwall switch and then remotely logging in to Eric Sokolowsky develops and deploys software to run on hyper- the hyperwall machine to control it. He also plans to develop wall systems in order to showcase NASA science at meetings and a remote control capability for hyperwall presentations so that on tours. Eric also prepares hyperwall hardware systems for test- presenters can control their own presentations. ing and deployment. He was primarily responsible for developing and maintaining the software for the hyperwall, a video wall used Cynthia Starr provides visualizations for the NASA Goddard Offi ce to communicate NASA research. Several instances of the hyper- of Communications. Her work involves developing, rendering, wall are installed permanently at NASA Goddard, and several and compositing images to complete visualizations and anima- more are portable to be taken throughout the world for use at tions. This past year, she completed rendering and compositing conferences and other meetings. Hehas traveled with the hyper- the HD version of the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) wall to an astounding amount of meetings, both in the U.S. and Orbit animation, and reformatted it for the native resolution of the abroad over the past year, and will continue to travel and support hyperwall. She rendered the project in layers and composited the the hyperwall utilization in presentations this coming year. He result. However, the LDCM spacecraft was designed to be ren- also supported many other demonstrations on the hyperwalls per- dered with Mental Ray’s ray tracer, which posed a challenge since manently installed at Goddard and set up a test hyperwall system Cindy determined that only the older Linux desktops with NVIDIA in Building 28 for the SVS so visualizers can test their hyperwall graphics cards rendered the model correctly. This hardware error content. Eric represented the team that received a NASA Group limited the rendering to only three nodes and hence required an Achievement Award recognizing their work on the hyperwall and extended time to complete. its worldwide impact. Cindy assisted Dr. Josefi no Comiso and several cryospheric In addition, he developed several new features for the hyperwall: scientists in preparing graphic images for the Intergovernmental converted the hyperwall content to take up less disk space and Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report due out load much more quickly; created a visual index for all of the in 2014. For the chapter cover, she replaced the prior year’s sea hyperwall content that has been developed, in order to enable ice data with that of the 2012 sea ice minimum and replaced the scientists to look at past presentations and reuse previously cre- MODIS snow cover data with another dataset provided by Thomas ated content for future meetings; developed a new layout system Estilow (Rutgers Univ.). She revised two fi gures with additional for combining images and text on a screen to give information data and guidance provided by George Kaser (Univ. of Innsbruck) about science shown on the hyperwall; enabled the hyperwall and Alex Gardner (Univ. of Michigan), replaced the data depict- software to run on CentOS 6 and Fedora 17, in addition to the ing the locations of the global glaciers, and developed a script to older CentOS 5 and Fedora 14, and developed a method to easily process the area and mass loss data provided by the scientists, install any of them on a hyperwall machine. He is in the process of generating pie chart glyphs for each of 19 regional areas depict- upgrading older Fedora 14 machines to use Fedora 17. He devel- ing characteristics of the loss in each region. Using this script, she oped a better process for identifying and copying changes and ad- was able to quickly reprocess the data multiple times based on ditions to presentations done on traveling hyperwalls back to the several last-minute revisions by the authors. central data repository so that those changes will be available for all hyperwall installations. The tool “hwselect” to show hyperwall For the Greenland Ice Sheet Flow Animation and Petermann Glacier and Animation of Elevation Change over Greenland, Cindy 72 | GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 Image: Hyperwall at LDCM launch. (Credit: E. Sokolowsky)

provides a powerful impact of communicating scien- The hyperwall tifi c research, missions, and visualizations. Eric So- kolowsky provided support of the hyperwall at the following: the American Meteorological Society Annual Meeting, Austin, Texas.; the launch of the Landsat Data Continuity Mission satellite, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.; the Supercomputing 2012 Conference, Salt Lake City, Utah.; the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of Parties, Doha, Qatar; the 2012 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, San Francisco, Calif.; the International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, Munich, Germany; the Ameri- can Chemical Society meeting, Philadelphia, Pa.; the American Astronomical Society annual meeting, Long Beach, Calif.; the National Council for Science Education meeting, Wash- ington, DC; the American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting, Boston, Mass.; the American Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing meeting, Baltimore, Md.; the Association of American Geographers meeting, Los Angeles, Calif.; the American Chemical Society meeting, New Orleans, La.; a public display of the hyperwall at Union Station,Washington, DC for Earth Day; the Asia Oceania Geosciences Society and American Geophysical Union Joint Meeting in Singapore; the Geological Society of America meeting in Charlotte, N.C.; and, the United States Science and Engineering Festival in Washington, DC.

GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 | 73 developed two animations using satellite interferometry data Ernest Wright provides scientifi c visualization products in support provided by Eric Rignot (JPL) to show the fl ow of the motion of the of E/PO and PAO for Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and other Greenland ice sheet. The fi rst animation shows the ice motion missions. This past year, Ernie created media products that high- fl ows as the camera circles the ice sheet from the west to the lighted signifi cant Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter results. A short north and the east. The second animation shows the same ice feature on permanently shadowed regions explains where these fl ows while zooming into a close view of the Petermann Glacier. regions are on the Moon and in what ways LRO can see into them. She also worked on the animation of the historical change in Another shows where water might be found near the south pole Greenland’s ice sheet elevation between 2003 and 2011 using based on results from LRO’s neutron detector. A visualization of data from both ICESat and Operation IceBridge. She worked with lunar phases and libration for 2013 is now prominently featured Bea Csatho and Greg Babonis (Univ. of Buffalo) to accurately in both the Libration and Lunar Phase articles on Wikipedia. portray the data. She created a cloud-free 250 m MODIS mosaic of Greenland and Ellesmere Island to be used as the backdrop of He also created several media products related to the GRAIL the animation, and incorporated the DEM provided by Ian Howat (Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory) mission. These include of Ohio State University. Scientists reviewing the preliminary rough a series of animated global maps of lunar gravity and crustal cut animation determined that some artifacts at the base of thickness, an animation depicting the twin satellites’ fi nal three the Jakobshavn Glacier were due to changes in the calving front orbits and impact, a visualization of LRO’s observation of the location over time. Bea Csatho provided a series of shape fi les of impact using its LAMP (Lyman-Alpha Mapping Project) instrument, the historical calving front locations. From these, Cindy gener- and the February 8, 2013 cover of Science. The GRAIL impact ated the calving front masks, generating a sample animation for animation was featured on the December 17, 2012 NBC Nightly review with the calving front artifacts corrected. Additional work is News broadcast, which can be viewed here: needed to defi ne the camera path for this animation. cosmiclog.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/17/15973659-nasas- Cindy generated several animations and print-resolution still grail-probes-crash-on-moon-impact-site-named-after-sally-ride. images of the Arctic sea ice. She updated the animation of the annual sea ice minimum since 1979 with the graph overlay For the new LRO exhibit at the Goddard Visitor Center, Ernie pro- including the recent data on the 2012 minimum. She provided vided graphics, including the star fi eld covering the windows, and the animation with and without the graph overlay, and generated the depictions of Aristarchus crater decorating the stand-alone an animation showing the fl ow of the winds over the Arctic ice cap video kiosk. He also created Moon phase and Apollo 8 graphics during August 2012 with assistance from Greg Shirah and Horace for the Science on a Sphere (SOS) display system and gave a talk Mitchell. The resulting animation showed the effects of the Arctic in the SOS theater during International Observe the Moon Night storms on the summer sea ice melt. Finally, she generated an (InOMN) on September 22, 2012. animation of daily SSMI sea ice concentration over the Arctic from March 1, 2012 through February 28, 2013. Cindy also prepared a variety of print-resolution still images of the Arctic sea ice for various media sources.

From two datasets of the Antarctic bedrock, along with surface topography, ice thickness and Ice Bridge fl ight paths from 2009, 2010 and 2011, through the use of specifi c software, she deliv- ered four still images showing two different bedrock datasets and the 2009 and 2010 fl ight paths. Along with Charles Webb and Jefferson Beck, she determined the storyboard for the animation, and worked with Jefferson to develop the script. With assistance from Greg Shirah, she integrated a technique for cutting away the surface topography to reveal the bedrock underneath ice sheet. Work will continue to complete the animation of the Antarctic bedrock topography with Operation Ice Bridge fl ight path lines, and to complete the animation of accumulated mass loss over Greenland using ICESat and Ice Bridge data. Cindy will continue developing an animation of ECCO2/3 ocean fl ows under the ice shelves off of Pine Island, Antarctica.

74 | GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 PRODUCTS

Image: Students at Maryvale Prepatory School in Brooklandville, Md., interact with NASA Viz.

The NASA Visualization Explorer (NASA Viz) iPad app continues to This year the NASA Viz software development team released three excite, educate and engage audiences through its groundbreaking app updates that greatly enhance the user experience. A newly de- content. signed NASA Viz website and a universal version of the app that will also sync to the iPhone are scheduled for launch in summer 2013. Since the app’s launch on July 26, 2011, it has received more than 750,000 unique downloads, an iTunes Editors’ Choice commenda- In November 2012, Helen-Nicole Kostis in collaboration with NASA tion, and continuously ranks as the No. 1 Earth science app in the Goddard’s Offi ce of Education and the Institute for Global Environ- iTunes Education Store. mental Strategies (IGES) launched the NASA Viz Teacher Project: NASA Science & Technology in the Classroom. To date, 195 stories have been published. The collection of stories highlight fi ndings from all four NASA science themes—Earth, Helio- The purpose of the project is to gather data and receive feedback physics, Planetary, Astrophysics—and includes contributions from from teachers on how the app can be better customized for use in NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, NASA Earth Observatory and a classroom environment. Teachers at Maryvale Prepatory School the James Webb Space Telescope mission outreach team. in Brooklandville, Md., are working with project team members on this study, which will conclude in May 2013. Through the ongoing efforts of GESTAR team members Helen-Ni- cole Kostis (NASA Viz project manager), Katie Lewis (NASA Viz user experience designer lead), and Kayvon Sharghi (NASA Viz editor), two new stories appear in the app each week.

GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 | 75 Maniac Talks GESTAR Forums The GESTAR Maniac Talk offers the opportunity to “discuss The GESTAR Forums provided opportunities for scientists to and learn”. The Maniac Talks “… promote scientifi c interaction interact, to share ideas, to present their research, whether in between young and experienced scientists in order to learn/im- preparation for an upcoming conference or to simply impart prove/revise the knowledge of basics/fundamentals of science their discoveries, to allow scientists to discover opportunities for and scientifi c methods for research.” GESTAR members Pawan collaboration. GESTAR-related issues were also addressed at the Gupta, Falguni Patadia, Andrew Sayer, and Charles Gatebe Forum. This past year, presenters included Kayvon Sharghi and have been instrumental in maintaining this exciting series. Since Genna Duberstein, Daniel Holdaway, Juan Carlos Jusem, Freder- June 2012, speakers have included Goddard scientists Bob ick K. Wilson (MSU), and Jason Sippel. Forums have evolved from Bindschadler, Gene Carl Feldman, Mian Chin, Claire Parkinson, regular monthly meetings to periodic meetings, as required. Robert Cahalan, Piers Sellers, Gail Skofronick Jackson, and Anne Douglass. Dr. Louis W. Uccellini, Director, NWEP, and Dr. Marc Im- hoff, Deputy Directory, Joint Global Change Initiative, also visited Goddard to give a talk. Details on previous talks and upcoming speakers can be found on the Maniac Talk blog: http://maniac- talk.gestar.usra.edu/.

Image: Dr. Claire Parkinson presented a Maniac Talk on August 22, 2012 at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.

76 | GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 STUDENT ENGAGEMENTS and EDUCATION/PUBLIC OUTREACH

In addition to conducting scientifi c experiments, engaging in fi eld Jason Sippel worked with a visiting doctoral candidate from Florida State University for a week in May 2012 to set up experi- campaigns, creating and/or producing scientifi c visualizations, ments assimilating surface wind speed data in addition to radial writing manuscripts, conducting reviews, and performing the daily velocity data in a hurricane. tasks at hand, several members of the GESTAR community are in- Zhining Tao tutored a young scientist and doctoral candidate volved in providing support to students as well as participating in from Egypt’s Al-Azhar University on the usage of WRF-Chem, a regional chemical transport model. This is part of the USAID- activities related to education and public outreach (E/PO). sponsored project that focuses on regional chemistry and climate modeling and the use of NASA satellite products. Student Engagements E/PO Benita Bell served as a mentor to engineering students from the Department of Applied Engineering Technology, NC A&T State Benita Bell was involved in numerous outreach activities over the University; as a mentor to STEM Early College Students (9th -10th past year. She served as a panelist on the Congressional Black Grade); and as a mentor to STEM majors at Spelman College and Caucus STEM Panel along with STEM representatives from NASA NC A&T State University. and other agencies. CNN guest anchor Roland Martin served as moderator. Also, while attending the Ron McNair Research Charles Gatebe worked with Sreeja Nag, a doctoral student at Symposium, Bell spoke with students from area colleges and uni- MIT, on the development of a nano-satellite concept for measur- versities as well as area K-12 schools who presented their STEM ing the bidirectional refl ectance-distribution function from space. research projects. In collaboration with a Cairo University project on Aerosol-Climate Dr. Bell gave a talk on Astrobiology and NASA Technologies to Effects over North Africa, Ritesh Gautam participated (remotely STEM Early College students, STEM Early College, NC A&T State via Skype) in a USAID Project meeting at Cairo University and gave University. STEM Early College is a merger and collaboration a presentation on “Characterization of North African Aerosols between Guilford County Public Schools, NC A&T State University infl uencing Egyptian Climatology” in September 2012. Gautam and Corporate Partners. Bell was also an Invited Attendee for the also hosted a scientist from the Egyptian Meteorological Authority Media Coverage and Press Conference for the STEM Early College at GSFC during September 2012. He provided training related to Award NASA Student Spacefl ight Competition, where six STEM various satellite aerosol products as well as on radiative forcing Early College students submitted a proposal entitled “Geotropism model calculations. This collaboration is in support of the USAID in Microgravity” and won the NASA Student Spacefl ight Compe- project in which Gautam is working on aerosol and radiative forc- tition. The students will proceed to the Governor’s Cup STEM ing analysis over North Africa, focusing on the Nile basin region. competition in Washington, DC. Hiren Jethva provided requested guidance to two summer stu- Dr. Bell created, designed and implemented a STEM Scholarship dents at the Center for Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences, IISc., initiative at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The Bengaluru, India. partnership team hosted an initial launch event on February 16, Dongchul Kim co-mentored an undergraduate student intern and the event successfully raised $15,000 to support scholar- (May 2012 – January 2013) whose project was titled “Multi ships and a STEM learning laboratory. She also initiated a mentor decadal analysis of the satellite observed NDVI”. partnership project between engineering graduate students and K-12 STEM Early College students through the Early College Ap- Through the implementation of the NASAViz Teacher Project, plied School of Engineering Technology. And fi nally, Bell was an NASAViz Project Manager Helen-Nicole Kostis is working with the invited Science Fair Judge at Greenbelt Middle School, Greenbelt, science teachers of the Maryvale Preparatory school. Md.

Ally Mounirou Toure processed MODIS SCF data to be used by Tom Bridgman conducted a Hyperwall show with Alex Kekesi Yongfei Zhang, a graduate student at the University of Texas at for the visiting graphics coordinator for the University of Hawaii Austin, in MODIS snow data assimilation into CLM. Mounirou Astronomy department, Karen Teramura. Toure also worked with Yonghwan Kwon, a visiting graduate student from University of Texas at Austin, to couple CLM model At the International French High School, Bethesda, Md., Ludovic to a snow radiative transfer model to simulate snow brightness Brucker gave a talk about remote sensing of the Earth’s Polar temperature. Region and the observed climate changes. Brucker presented a

GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 | 77 seminar titled “Monitoring the Earth’s Polar Regions Using In-Situ tember 15, 2012. This all-day event was designed to pique the and Remote Measurements” as part of Morgan State University’s interest of elementary, middle, and high-school students in STEM Interdisciplinary Seminar Series. He also contributed to a talk subject matter. His presentation material included a poster, video, from Dr. Lora Koenig (GSFC) at the elementary school of Kulusuk, and giveaway posters and postcards. In addition, he presented Greenland. a lesson to SEMAA 7th-12th graders on using hurricane data on March 16, 2013. Sippel also presented a seminar as part of Mor- In early 2013, Matthew Burger presented a seminar titled gan State University’s Interdisciplinary Seminar Series in February “Spacecraft Observations of Mercury’s Atmosphere” as part of 2013. Morgan State University’s Interdisciplinary Seminar Series. Ernie Wright provided graphics for the new LRO exhibit at the Helen-Nicole Kostis served on the Media and Technology MUSE NASA Goddard Visitor Center, created Moon phase and Apollo 8 2013 Jury committee for the Animation category. The MUSE graphics for the Science on a Sphere (SOS) display system, and Awards are organized by the American Alliance of Museums. gave a 20-minute public talk featuring these in the SOS theater during International Observe the Moon Night (InOMN) on Septem- Jason Sippel is involved with the Morgan State University chap- ber 22, 2012. ter of NASA’s Science, Engineering, Mathematic, and Aerospace Academy (SEMMA). He presented information on NASA’s Hur- ricane Research Program at Morgan State’s SEMAA Day on Sep-

78 | GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 AWARDS

In August 2012, at the Earth Sciences-Atmospheres awards cer- standing Scientifi c Achievement: “For signifi cant contributions to emony, three GESTAR scientists were honored with recognition: GMAO’s efforts in climate prediction, especially in improving pre- dictions of the Madden-Julian Oscillation and in documenting re- Andrew Sayer (sponsor N. C. Hsu) was recognized for Outstanding sults from GEOS-5 decadal climate predictions.” Performance - Science: “For excellent and innovative investigations into the physical and radiative properties of marine aerosols and In May 2013, seven GESTAR members were recognized with an their impacts on enhancing satellite retrievals.” Excellence in GESTAR Mission Achievement award.

Tom Kucsera (sponsor M. Chin) was recognized for Outstanding Ritesh Gautam (sponsor N.C. Hsu): For leading the Geophysical Performance - Technical Support: “For outstanding and tireless Research Letters study titled “Satellite observations of desert support of a wide range of activities encompassing science and dust-induced Himalayan snow darkening”. This article unveils an IT security.” important effect of mineral dust aerosol in accelerating Himala- yan snow melting and provides a crucial contribution to our under- Matthew Kowalewski (sponsor S. Janz) was recognized for Out- standing of climate change over the Indian subcontinent. standing Performance - Instrumentation: “For outstanding support of the Airborne Compact Atmospheric Mapper (ACAM) Field deploy- Yoo-Geun Ham (sponsor M. Rienecker): For leading the Nature ment in support of Discover-AQ.” Geoscience article titled “Sea surface temperature in the north tropical Atlantic as a trigger for El Nino/Southern Osciallation Mircea Grecu (sponsor R. Meneghini) received the Exceptional Sci- Events”. Dr. Ham’s article explores a subtropical teleconnection entifi c Achievement award at Goddard’s Mesoscale Atmospheric between the north tropical Atlantic and the eastern Pacifi c, unveil- Processes Awards Ceremony “for completion of the GPM At-Launch ing a potential predictor of different types of ENSO event. Radar-Radiometer Algorithm, and Providing the Comprehensive Research Basis of the Algorithm.” Helen-Nicole Kostis, Kayvon Sharghi, and At Goddard’s Climate and Radiation Laboratory Awards Ceremo- Katie Lewis (spon- ny, Weidong Yang (sponsor A. Marshak) received the award for sors H. Mitchell and Best First-Authored Paper: Yang, W., A. Marshak, T. Varnai, O.V. W. Sisler): For leading Kalashnikova and A.B. Kostinski, 2012. CALIPSO observations and sustaining NASA’s of transatlantic dust properties: vertical stratifi cation and effect Visualization Explorer of clouds, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 12, 11339-11354, doi:10.5194/ application for Apple’s acp-12-11339-2012. He received this honor “for utilizing detailed iPad. Since its release analysis of large CALIPSO datasets of dust aerosols to fi nd the fi rst in July 2011, the Visu- observational evidence of gravitational dust sorting by shape dur- alization Explorer app ing Transatlantic transport.” Image: NASA’s Visualization Explorer app. has been a dynamic and stylish showcase Also at this ceremony Yan Zhang (sponsor M. Chin) received an for some of the best of Goddard science, and literally would not award in recognition of her Outstanding Science Support/Achieve- have happened without the hard work, creativity, and vision of ment: “For exceptional scientifi c support contributing to the im- these GESTAR team members. In more than 180 story releases, proved understanding of variations, long-range transport, and cli- the team has never missed a deadline, and the consistent high mate impacts of atmospheric aerosols.” quality of the product has led to attention from Wired and Gizmo- do, and the app has received an iTunes Editors’ Choice commen- At the GMAO Peer Awards ceremony in April 2013, two GESTAR dation. scientists received recognition: Jie Gong (sponsor D. Wu): For developing and improving cloud ice Cecile Rousseaux (sponsor W.W. Gregg) was recognized for Out- retrievals with multi-platform multi-sensor measurements from Mi- standing Scientifi c Contribution by a New GMAO Member: “For sig- crowave Humidity Sounder (MHS) and CloudSat. She has been nifi cant contributions to the GMAO and the wider research commu- working on a NASA project to reduce large uncertainties in satellite nity in the biological sciences and use of satellite data for biology, cloud ice measurements. She took on this challenging task with especially through publications and conference presentations.” enthusiasm and passion, developed a new set of data processing algorithms, and delivered a collection of critical analyses that help Yoo-Geun Ham (sponsor M. Rienecker) was recognized for Out- to better understand cloud measurement uncertainties. These re-

GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 | 79 search results were refl ected in her two lead author papers pub- which involved the development of the OASIS instrument, Adrian lished in 2012. Southard (sponsor D. Glavin) received the Innovator of the Year TEAM Award. Eric Sokolowsky (sponsor H. Mitchell): For his remarkable service to the NASA Science Mission Directorate as lead system program- As part of the Landsat 40th anniversary team, Robert Garner mer of SVS’s hyperwall. The hyperwall has become a signature (sponsor W. Sisler) received a Robert H. Goddard Exceptional outreach tool at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center as well as at Achievement Award for Outreach. He developed the web presence science conferences and other events around the world. Eric has for Landsat’s 40th on the nasa.gov site. been the primary developer and implementer of NASA’s traveling hyperwall show. In addition, he has traveled all over the world, tire- Along with the Heliophysics scientists and the Education and Pub- lessly supporting NASA’s outreach efforts via the hyperwall. The lic Outreach community, Scott Wiessinger and Genna Duberstein success of these efforts has not gone unnoticed by all, including (sponsor W. Sisler) were recipients of the 2012 Robert H. Goddard NASA Headquarters and world-wide, government representatives Team Honor Award for their work surrounding Transit of Venus. at international conferences. Eric Sokolowsky and Alex Kekesi (sponsor H. Mitchell), were part Additional recognition and awards include the following: of a team that won a NASA Group Achievement Award recognizing their work on the hyperwall and its worldwide impact. The citation Edward Pasolli (sponsor J. Tilton) received the Recognition of IEEE reads as follows: “For outstanding efforts in developing the Science Geoscience and Remote Sensing Letters Best Reviewers in 2012. Mission Directorate Presentation Hyperwall and using it to commu- nicate the wonder and impact of NASA scientifi c endeavors.” Stephanie Getty of NASA Goddard received the 2012 IRAD Innova- tor of the Year Award, based on the award of two proposals, one of them being the OASIS proposal. Due to his key contributions to the OASIS (Organics analyzer for sampling icy surfaces) proposal,

80 | GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 SUPPORTING EXTERNAL TRAVELERS

GESTAR Supports External Travelers

Through 16 tasks, specifi cally created to support external travelers, GESTAR assists scientists around the world to participate in their NASA-sponsored ac- tivities. An online portal allows sponsor to send their request directly to the manage- ment team.

In the background, a searchable data- base tracks the status of each visitor and provides management reports as needed.

During Year 2, GESTAR brought seminar speakers to Goddard Space Flight Center, arranged trips for fi eld campaign and mission support participants, and aided attendees at numerous conferences, symposia, and workshops. In total, 185 travelers were outfi tted with travel agree- ments and promptly reimbursed after concluding their trips.

Travel highlights include: Image: GESTAR uses the online Visitor Request Form to effi ciently support external travel. •WCRP Special Workshop on Climatic Effects of Ozone Depletion in the Southern Hemisphere – Buenos Aires, Argentina. February 25, 2013 - March 1, 2013.

•Arctic-Boreal Vulnerability Experiment (ABoVE) – Boulder, Colorado. June 12 – 15, 2012. LaJolla, California. May 2 – 4, 2013. Fairbanks, Alaska. July 9 – 11, 2013.

•Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) and Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Mission International Science Conference, Tokyo, Japan. November 11 - 20, 2012.

•International Laser Radar Conference (ILRC). Porto Heli, Greece. June 25 - 29, 2012.

•Operation IceBridge Field Campaign. Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. April 9 – December 9, 2012.

•Andean Glacier fi eldwork, La Paz, Bolivia. May 5 – 19, 2012.

•MMAMA fi eld testing campaign, Mauna Kea, Hawaii. July 11 – 21, 2012.

GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 | 81 ACRONYMS

7-SEAS Seven South-East Asian Studies CME Coronal Mass Ejection AAOD Aerosol Absorption Optical Depth CMIP Coupled Model Intercomparison Project ACAM Airborne Compact Atmospheric Mapper COP18 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change ACCMIP Atmospheric Chemistry and Climate Model Conference of Parties Intercomparison Project CRM Cloud-Resolving Model ACCRI Aviation Climate Change Research Initiative DAS Data Assimilation System ACMAP Atmospheric Composition: Modeling and DISCOVER-AQ Deriving Information on Surface Conditions Analysis Program from Column and Vertically Resolved AERONET Aerosol Robotic Network Observations Relevant to Air Quality AGCM Atmospheric General Circulation Model DOE Department of Energy AGU American Geophysical Union DPR Dual-frequency Participation Radar AIRS Atmospheric InfraRed Sounder DRAGON Distributed Regional Aerosol Gridded AMOC Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation Observation Network AMS American Meteorological Society EAGER Early-concept Grants for Exploratory Research AMSR-E Advanced Microwave Scanning ECMWF European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Radiometer for EOS Forecast AOD Aerosol Optical Depth EHP Elevated Heat Pump AOGCM Atmosphere-Ocean General Circulation Model ENSO El Niño/Southern Oscillation ARCTAS Arctic Research of the Composition of the EO-1 Earth Observing One Satellite Mission Troposphere from Aircraft and Satellites EPA Environmental Protection Agency ARM Atmospheric Radiation Measurement EPIC Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera ARSET Applied Remote Sensing Training program ESA European Space Agency ASCENDS Active Sensing of C02 Emissions over Nights, ESSP Earth System Science Partnership Days and Seasons GCAS Ground Collision Avoidance System ATBD Algorithm Theoretical Basis Document GCE Goddard Cumulus Ensemble ATMS Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder GCI Global Catchment Initiative ATTREX Airborne Tropical Tropopause Experiment GCOS Global Climate Observing System AVDC Aura Validation Data Center GCPEx GPM Cold-season Precipitation Experiment AVHRR Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer GEO Group on Earth Observations BACAR BRDF, Albedo, Cloud and Aerosol Radiometer GEO-CAPE GEOstationary Coastal and Air Pollution Events BASE-ASIA Biomass-burning Aerosols in South-East Asia GEOS-5 Goddard Earth Observing System Version 5 BEST NASA’s Beginning Engineering, Science and GES-DISC Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Technology Services Center BETTII Balloon Experimental Twin Telescope Infrared GESTAR Goddard Earth Sciences Technology and Interferometry Research CALIPSO Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfi nder GEWEX Global Energy Water Cycle Experiment Satellite Observation GIMMS Global Inventory Monitoring and Modeling CAR Cloud Absorption Radiometer Systems CATS Cloud-Aerosol Transport System GLAM Global Land Agricultural Monitoring System CCM Chemistry-Climate Model GLDAS Global Land Data Assimilation System CCMP Cross-Calibrated Multi-Platform project GMAO Global Modeling and Assimilation Offi ce CDA Cloud Data Assimilation GMI Global Modeling Initiative CDC Center for Disease Control GOCART Goddard Chemistry Aerosol Radiation and CERES Clouds and Earth Radiant Energy System Transport CFH Cryogenic Frostpoint Hygrometer GOES-R Geostationary Operational Environmental CGCM Coupled General Circulation Model Satellite-R CIL Conceptual Image Lab GOESS Global Earth Observing System of Systems CLIVAR Climate Variability and Predictability project GOME Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment CLM4 Community Land Model version 4 GPM Global Precipitation Measurement GRACE Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment 82 | GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 GRIP Genesis and Rapid Intensifi cation Process MESSENGER MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GRUAN GCOS Reference Upper Air Network GEochemistry and Ranging GSFC Goddard Space Flight Center MHS Microwave Humidity Sounder GWC Global Water Cycle MISR Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer GWSP Global Water System Project MJO Madden-Julian Oscillation HIWRAP High-Altitude Imaging Wind and Rain Airborne MLS Microwave Limb Sounder Profi ler MMF Multi-scale Modeling Framework HS3 Hurricane and Severe Storm Sentinel MODIS Moderate Resolution Imaging HyspIRI Hyperspectral Infrared Imager Spectroradiometer IAC International Astronautical Congress MPLNET Micropulse Lidar Network IASI Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer MSL Mars Science Laboratory ICESat Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite MUST NASA Motivating Undergraduates in Science IGARSS International Geoscience and Remote Sensing and Technology Symposium NAI NASA Astrobiology Institute IGPO International GEWEX Project Offi ce NAMMA NASA African Monsoon Multidisciplinary IGWCO Integrated Global Water Cycle Observations Analysis IIP Instrument Incubator Program NAWP North American Water Project IISD International Institute for Sustainable NCA National Climate Assessment Development NCAR National Center for Atmospheric Research IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change NDACC Network for the Detection of Atmospheric IRAD Internal Research and Development Program Composition Change IRIS Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph NDVI Normalized Difference Vegetation Index IWP Ice Water Path NEWS NASA Energy and Water Cycle Studies JCSDA Joint Center for Satellite Data Assimilation NGA National Geospatial Intelligence Agency JPSS Joint Polar Satellite System NOBM NASA Ocean Biogeochemical Model JWST James Webb Space Telescope NPOESS National Polar-Orbiting Operational LBLRTM Line By Line Radiative Transfer Model Environmental Satellite System LDAS Land Data Assimilation System NPP National Polar-Orbiting Partnership LDCM Landsat Data Continuity Mission NPP NPOESS Preparatory Project LRO Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter NPP OMPS NPOESS Preparatory Project’s Ozone Mapping LT Learning Technologies Profi ler Suite LUT Look-Up Tables MABEL Multiple Altimeter Beam Experimental Lidar NSIDC National Snow and Ice Data Center MAREMIP MARine Ecosystem Model Intercomparison NU-WRF NASA Unifi ed Weather Research and Project Forecasting MASCS Mercury Atmospheric and Surface Composition NWP Numerical Weather Prediction Spectrometer OASIS Organics Analyzer for Sampling Icy Surfaces ODS Ozone Depleting Substances MAX-DOAS Multi-Axis Differential Optical Absorption OIB Operation IceBridge Spectroscopy OLR Outgoing Longwave Radiation MAVEN Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution Mission OMAERUV OMI/Aura level-2 near UV Aerosol data product McRAS-AC Microphysics of Clouds with Relaxed Arakawa- OMI Ozone Monitoring Instrument Schubert and Aerosol-Cloud Interaction OSIRIS-REx Origins-Spectral Interpretation-Resource MC3E Middle Latitude Continental Convective Clouds Identifi cation Security Regolith Explorer Experiment OSSE Observing System Simulation Experiments MEaSUREs Making Earth Science data records for Use in PBL Planetary Boundary Layer Research for Earth Science PDO Pacifi c Decadal Oscillation MERRA Modern Era Retrospective-Analysis for Research PF Precipitation Feature and Applications PM Particulate Matter RACORO Routine ARM Aerial Facility (AAF) Clouds with Low Optical Water Depths (CLOWD) Optical GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 | 83 Radiative Observations USDA U.S. Department of Agriculture RBSP Radiation Belt Storm Probes VaPoR Volatile Analysis by Pyrolysis of Regolith RCDF Radiometric Calibration and Development VIIRS Visible Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite Facility VLIDORT Linearized vector radiative transfer model RFI Radio Frequency Interference WARP Web-based Access and Retrieval Portal RMSE Root Mean Square Error WCRP World Climate Research Program RVFV Rift Valley Fever Virus WPEN Warm Pool El Nino SAM Sample Analysis at Mars WRF Weather Research and Forecast SDO Solar Dynamics Observatory WRF-EnKF WRF-model ensemble Kalman Filter SDSU Satellite Data Simulation Unit SeaWiFS Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor SEVIRI Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager SIGGRAPH ACM Special Interest Group on computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques SMAP Soil Moisture Active/Passive SMOS Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity SPARC Stratospheric Processes And their Role in Climate SSM/I Special Sensor Microwave/Imager SST Sea Surface Temperature STE Stratosphere-Troposphere Exchange STEM Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics STEREO Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory SVS Scientifi c Visualization Studio TIRS Thermal InfraRed Sensor TMI TRMM Microwave Imager TOA Top of the Atmosphere TOFMS Time of Flight Mass Spectrometer TOGA-COARE Tropical Ocean Global Atmosphere Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere Response Experiment TOMS Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer TOV Transit of Venus TRMM Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission TRVMR Tropical Representative Volume Mixing Ratio TWP-ICE Tropical Warm Pool-International Cloud Experiment

84 | GESTAR Annual Report 2012 - 2013 GESTAR creates engaging media to tell the story of exploration and discovery on Earth and beyond.

GESTAR visits Mars to ...and continues the story of Storytelling understand its atmosphere... Landsat’s 40 years.

GESTAR tells the story of fresh ...and explains radiation water in the Middle East... belts around Earth.

GESTAR takes you to see activity on Earth’s Moon...... and drops you under sea ice in the Arctic to see phytoplankton bloom.

GESTAR shows you mesmerizing ...and illustrates Venus’ events on the Sun... journey passing the Sun.

GESTAR reveals Earth’s image ...and shares it with your like you’ve never seen it... classrooms. HIGHLIGHT: Storytelling

CREDITS:

...and continues the story of Landsat’s 40 years. GESTAR tells the story of fresh water in the Middle East... LDCM Spacecraft Animations and Still Images Fresh water in the middle east http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/goto?10812 http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/goto?4042 CREDIT: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image CREDIT: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Lab Visualization Studio GESTAR Affiliation GESTAR Affiliation Matthew R. Radcliff (USRA): Producer Trent L. Schindler (USRA): Animator Rachel Kreutzinger (formerly USRA): Animator Kayvon Sharghi (USRA): Producer

GESTAR takes you to see activity on Earth’s moon... …and explains radiation belts around Earth. GRAIL Impacts the Moon RBSP (Radiation Belt Storm Probes) in Earth Orbit URL to this Page: http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/goto?4023 http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/goto?3951 CREDIT: NASA CREDIT: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center GESTAR Affiliation GESTAR Affiliation Ernie Wright (USRA): Animator Genna Duberstein (USRA): Producer Scott Wiessinger (USRA): Producer ...and drops you under sea ice in the Arctic to see phytoplankton bloom. GESTAR shows you mesmerizing events on the Sun... NASA Discovers Massive Phytoplankton Bloom Under Arctic Sea January 31, 2013 CME and Prominence Eruption Ice http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/goto?11201 http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/goto?10907 CREDIT: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center/SDO CREDIT: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center GESTAR Affiliation Under-ice footage courtesy of Karen Frey (Clark University) Scott Wiessinger (USRA): Video Editor and Producer GESTAR Affiliation Kayvon Sharghi (USRA): Video Editor, Narrator, Producer and Writer. ...and illustrates Venus’ journey passing the Sun. SDO’s Ultra-high Definition View of 2012 Venus Transit http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/goto?10996 GESTAR reveals Earth’s image like you’ve never seen it… Earth at Night CREDIT: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center/SDO http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/goto?11157 GESTAR Affiliation Scott Wiessinger (USRA): Animator, Video Editor and Producer CREDIT: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center GESTAR Affiliation Trent L. Schindler (USRA): Animator GESTAR visits Mars to understand its atmosphere... Kayvon Sharghi (USRA): Video Editor and Producer MAVEN Magnetometer http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/goto?11224 ...and shares it with your classrooms. 10211 Wincopin Circle CREDIT: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center NASA Visualization Explorer iPad App Suite 500 GESTAR Affiliation Columbia, MD 21044 http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/nasaviz/index.html Michael Lentz (USRA): Animator 410-730-2656 Dan Gallagher (USRA): Video Editor and Producer GESTAR Affiliation www.usra.edu Helen-Nicole Kostis, Kayvon Sharghi and Katherine Lewis www.gestar.usra.edu