GOES-R Proving Ground Activities
MODIS/GOES Hybrid
Demonstration products to prepare end users for the Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) using a combination of MODIS and GOES imagery.
RGB Products
RGB composite images offer the possibility of compressing multi-spectral information content for optimum visualisation.
Lightning Forecast Algorithm
The LFA predicts total lightning flash rate densities based on the model-simulated microphysics and convective storm kinematics.
Pseudo Geostationary Lightning Mapper
Lightning products that mimic the 8km resolution of the Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM).
SPoRT has been a funded participant in the GOES-R Proving Ground (PG) since 2008. During that time, SPoRT has made several contributions related to new or enhanced applications of GOES-R proxy data. An early activity included attending the 2009 Hazardous Weather Testbed (HWT) Spring Program as a representative of the PG. At this demonstration, SPoRT staff interacted with end users and participated in operations, and hence, was able to understand what improvements were needed for the simulated Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) product as well as potential new Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) proxy data. SPoRT created a Pseudo-GLM product for use in the 2010 and 2011 Spring Experiments that provided a training tool demonstrating GLM-resolution data. This provided a precursor to the official Algorithm Working Group (AWG) GLM proxy. By doing this, the end user becomes involved in the process of product development so that when the AWG proxy data work is complete, a tested product can immediately be produced. SPoRT works closely with users attending the Spring Experiment as well as several National Weather Service Weather Forecast Offices to continually evaluate new total lightning products. As a result, several new applications related to the Pseudo-GLM are in development.
More recently, SPoRT has developed a new application referred to as the MODIS-GOES Hybrid to provide near real-time ABI proxy imagery for use in operations. The Hybrid differs from the case-based ABI proxy data created for GOES-R demonstration in that it utilizes current instrument capabilities from MODIS, which are similar to those of ABI. The benefit to the real-time product is that it provides exposure to the imagery over a range of scenarios and allows users to supplement other current data sets. In order to simulate the temporal frequency of GOES-R, the current GOES imagery is used at 15-minute intervals and the high-resolution MODIS imagery is remapped into the ABI resolution as available. Therefore, a series of images from the Hybrid is able to be animated like many other GOES satellite products, but ABI proxy data are included to expose forecasters to new GOES-R capabilities. A derivative of this work is to create Hybrid products such as the spectral difference imagery from both GOES and MODIS used to identify fog and low clouds.
More recently, SPoRT has begun to develop a standard suite of Red-Green-Blue (RGB) composite products, which use MODIS as a proxy to future GOES-R capabilities. This suite is based on best practices documented by the EUMETSAT User Services Group and their operational experiences using the SEVIRI instrument on MeteoSat Second Generation (MSG). The RGB proxy products will initially focus on creating RGB imagery to depict air mass, dust, cloud microphysics, fog/stratus, snow, and true color.
Finally, SPoRT has developed a Lightning Forecast Algorithm (LFA) within the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. The LFA predicts the total lightning flash rate densities based on the model simulated microphysics and convective storm kinematics. One of the primary goals of the LFA is to establish model proxy fields that could be used in future data assimilation applications of the GLM aboard GOES-R.