Satellite Meteorology and Climatology Division (SMCD)

Operational Products Development Branch (OPDB)

The Operational Products Development Branch (OPDB) conducts applied research on the use of geostationary and polar satellite data for the analysis of significant meteorological, and surface-based phenomena. OPDB also works in tandem with NESDIS operations to implement scientific techniques developed within NESDIS and elsewhere to produce quantitative, derived products, as subjective, pattern recognition techniques as well as long term science maintenance of operational products.

The highest priority of OPDB's research and development activity is to help improve short range warnings and forecasts in support of NOAA's mission. As a result, its principal customer is the National Weather Service. Other important users are the U.S. Department of Defense, the Department of Agriculture, and international agencies such as the World Meteorological Organization and foreign weather services.

OPDB provides support in training NWS and DoD forecasters through the development of in-residence and distance learning courses at the Cooperative Program for Meteorological Education and Training (COMET) in Boulder, Colorado.

OPDB provides project management for algorithm science and related activities that include support for both the GOES-R and JPSS satellite programs. OPDB leads the strategic objective of the STAR enterprise approach to enable cost effective development of interoperable multi-sensor and muliplatform algorithms, pre and post-launch instrument calibration and validation, long term science maintenance, user outreach and value added applications. OPDB satellite project managers work across the STAR divisions to organize, lead and integrate the science teams, resources and tools to collaborate effectively to provide reliable deliveries and algorithm stewardship in support of NOAA goals. For further information see:
JPSS Project : www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/jpss/index.php
GOES-R AWG Project: www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/goesr/

Image of the month:

Cloud Product Accuracy is shown in the image to the right at +/- 5% and is generated by first retrieving the Effective Cloud Amount and Cloud Top Pressure. These quantities are then used with the measured HIRS/4 channels; the percentage that the weighting function (for each channel) is contaminated by the cloud; surface pressure; tropopause pressure; and the pressure at which each channel peaks - to Cloud Clear each of the HIRS/4 longwave channels. The Cloud Cleared channels are then used in place of the measured channels to re-retrieve the cloud properties with the same formulas and criteria as was used in the first step, however, instead of calculating the Effective Cloud Amount, this step calculated the small (+/-) residual that is left in the atmosphere after the Cloud Clearing step and is called the Cloud Product Error. This error applies to all of the ATOVS global cloud parameters (ECA, CTP, CTT and Aerosol) and is computed at each HIRS/4 FOV (~ 610,000 FOVs / day for each spacecraft). This is the only system which computes an error for these quantative products. This Cloud Product Error can then be used to monitor the operational production of these products as well as allowing users to down select the data that meets their specific accuracy requirements.

Projects:

	Temperature and Moisture Soundings: GOES East and West Sounder POES ATOVS Temperature & Moisture Products AIRS IASI
	Clouds, Radiation and Aerosol Products: GOES East and West Sounder POES ATOVS Aerosol, Cloud & Radiation Products AIRS
	Winds and Convective Storms - GOES only Convective Storm forecasting parameters (horizontal fields), from GOES data High density, derived winds from GOES satellites GOES products for Aviation Use
	Products Validation: NPROVS - NOAA Products Validation System