Jacques van Oene
August 26th 05, 10:05 AM
Erica Hupp/Dolores Beasley
Headquarters, Washington August 24, 2005
(Phone: 202/358-1237/1753)
Alan Buis
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
(Phone: 818/354-0474)
Carmeyia Gillis
NOAA Camp Springs, Md.
(Phone: 301/763-8000, ext. 7163)
RELEASE: 05-231
NASA/NOAA ANNOUNCE MAJOR WEATHER FORECASTING ADVANCEMENT
NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
today outlined research that has helped to improve the accuracy of
medium-range weather forecasts in the Northern Hemisphere.
NASA and NOAA scientists at the Joint Center for Satellite Data Assimilation
(JCSDA) in Camp Springs, Md., came up with procedures to improve forecasting
accuracy. The scientists worked with experimental data from the Atmospheric
Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument on NASA's Aqua satellite.
They found incorporating AIRS data into numerical weather prediction models
improves the accuracy range of experimental six-day Northern Hemisphere
weather forecasts by up to six hours, a four percent increase. AIRS is a
high-spectral resolution infrared instrument that takes 3-D pictures of
atmospheric temperatures, water vapor and trace gases.
The instrument data have officially been incorporated into NOAA's National
Weather Service's operational weather forecasts.
"NASA is assisting the world's weather prediction agencies by providing very
detailed, accurate observations of key atmospheric variables that interact
to shape our weather and climate," said Dr. Mary Cleave, associate
administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate. "The forecast
improvement accomplishment alone makes the AIRS project well worth the
American taxpayers' investment."
"This AIRS instrument has provided the most significant increase in forecast
improvement in this time range of any other single instrument," said retired
U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., Ph.D., Undersecretary of
Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA administrator.
"Climate and weather forecasts are dependent upon our understanding current
global ocean and atmosphere conditions. If we want to be able to predict
what the weather will be like in the future, we must adequately define the
global conditions today. Satellite data, like AIRS provides, is a vital link
for NOAA to continuously take the pulse of the planet."
"A four percent increase in forecast accuracy at five or six days normally
takes several years to achieve," said JSCDA Director, Dr. John LeMarshall.
"This is a major advancement, and it is only the start of what we may see as
much more data from this instrument is incorporated into operational
forecast models at NOAA's Environmental Modeling Center."
The European Center for Medium Range Weather Forecasts began incorporating
data from AIRS into their operational forecasts in October 2003. The center
reported an improvement in forecast accuracy of eight hours in Southern
Hemisphere five-day forecasts.
AIRS is the result of more than 30 years of atmospheric research. It is led
by Dr. Moustafa Chahine of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena,
Calif. AIRS is the first in a series of advanced infrared sounders that will
provide accurate, detailed atmospheric temperature and moisture observations
for weather and climate applications.
The JCSDA is operated by NOAA, NASA, the U.S. Air Force and Navy. The goals
of the center are to accelerate the use of observations from Earth-orbiting
satellites to improve weather and climate forecasts, and to increase the
accuracy of climate data sets.
For information about AIRS on the Internet, visit:
http://airs.jpl.nasa.gov/
For information about NASA and agency programs on the Internet, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/home/index.html
-end-
--
--------------
Jacques :-)
www.spacepatches.info
Headquarters, Washington August 24, 2005
(Phone: 202/358-1237/1753)
Alan Buis
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
(Phone: 818/354-0474)
Carmeyia Gillis
NOAA Camp Springs, Md.
(Phone: 301/763-8000, ext. 7163)
RELEASE: 05-231
NASA/NOAA ANNOUNCE MAJOR WEATHER FORECASTING ADVANCEMENT
NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
today outlined research that has helped to improve the accuracy of
medium-range weather forecasts in the Northern Hemisphere.
NASA and NOAA scientists at the Joint Center for Satellite Data Assimilation
(JCSDA) in Camp Springs, Md., came up with procedures to improve forecasting
accuracy. The scientists worked with experimental data from the Atmospheric
Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument on NASA's Aqua satellite.
They found incorporating AIRS data into numerical weather prediction models
improves the accuracy range of experimental six-day Northern Hemisphere
weather forecasts by up to six hours, a four percent increase. AIRS is a
high-spectral resolution infrared instrument that takes 3-D pictures of
atmospheric temperatures, water vapor and trace gases.
The instrument data have officially been incorporated into NOAA's National
Weather Service's operational weather forecasts.
"NASA is assisting the world's weather prediction agencies by providing very
detailed, accurate observations of key atmospheric variables that interact
to shape our weather and climate," said Dr. Mary Cleave, associate
administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate. "The forecast
improvement accomplishment alone makes the AIRS project well worth the
American taxpayers' investment."
"This AIRS instrument has provided the most significant increase in forecast
improvement in this time range of any other single instrument," said retired
U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., Ph.D., Undersecretary of
Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA administrator.
"Climate and weather forecasts are dependent upon our understanding current
global ocean and atmosphere conditions. If we want to be able to predict
what the weather will be like in the future, we must adequately define the
global conditions today. Satellite data, like AIRS provides, is a vital link
for NOAA to continuously take the pulse of the planet."
"A four percent increase in forecast accuracy at five or six days normally
takes several years to achieve," said JSCDA Director, Dr. John LeMarshall.
"This is a major advancement, and it is only the start of what we may see as
much more data from this instrument is incorporated into operational
forecast models at NOAA's Environmental Modeling Center."
The European Center for Medium Range Weather Forecasts began incorporating
data from AIRS into their operational forecasts in October 2003. The center
reported an improvement in forecast accuracy of eight hours in Southern
Hemisphere five-day forecasts.
AIRS is the result of more than 30 years of atmospheric research. It is led
by Dr. Moustafa Chahine of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena,
Calif. AIRS is the first in a series of advanced infrared sounders that will
provide accurate, detailed atmospheric temperature and moisture observations
for weather and climate applications.
The JCSDA is operated by NOAA, NASA, the U.S. Air Force and Navy. The goals
of the center are to accelerate the use of observations from Earth-orbiting
satellites to improve weather and climate forecasts, and to increase the
accuracy of climate data sets.
For information about AIRS on the Internet, visit:
http://airs.jpl.nasa.gov/
For information about NASA and agency programs on the Internet, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/home/index.html
-end-
--
--------------
Jacques :-)
www.spacepatches.info